Space Navigator in browser based API's

[pauljwk]

Any ideas on using the Space Navigator for the Google Earth API for browsers.

[cmenge]

Support,

We are currently working on a commercial project that requires a SpaceNavigator and the Google web based API.

We have read that this is not possible. Are there any updates / solutions to this comparability issue?

Thanks

Christian

[ngomes]

Hi cmenge,

That seems to be an interesting project. I assume that you are referring to the Google Maps API but the below should apply to any javascript -based API.

The 3DxInput API is a COM server and uses the standard IConnectionPoint interfaces. I do not know if you can process such type of events in a javascript program but it is worth a look.

Once you have received events on your javascript, then it is trivial to control the Google Maps API.

[cmenge]

ngomes,

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm sorry I forgot the word Earth, as in Google Earth web API, which is JavaScript based.

After looking through Google forum posts for most of the day I'm not seeing any solutions. I'm guessing that this a Google issue.

Any additional thoughts / solutions?

Thanks!

C

[ngomes]

After looking through Google forum posts for most of the day I'm not seeing any solutions.

Getting "delegates" (as COM events are also known in managed code world) to work in a javascript program are not related to a particular web API. I think you need to look in the doc for the javascript implementation for your target browser(s).

Unfortunately, I suspect that opening up the loading (effectively) of an arbitrary ActiveX control may be beyond the scope of any browser with obvious exception of MSIE.

Have a look at the doc for the <object> tag.

One additional suggestion is to look for a framework from where you build your javascript program. I've not looked intoo those before but something like Google Gears may give you a mechanism to do what you want.

Mind the caveats: all the above is unconfirmed info. They're meant as suggestions of where to look for a solution. I really do not know for sure if it is possible to do what you want.

[cmenge]

ngomes,

I finally heard back directly from Google Earth support. I've found a number of issues with the current COM API and it turns out that Google will be phasing out the COM interface.

If COM is not going to be supported in future versions does that not cause a problem with your existing drivers?

We are in a tight bind as the current COM Touring system is broken in earth 5.1 and the web API does not support your navigator.

Does your navigator come with an SDK? Might be easier for us to write our own drivers to control the view with the web API (javaScript)

Christian

[ngomes]

Hi cmenge,

Does your navigator come with an SDK? Might be easier for us to write our own drivers to control the view with the web API (javaScript)

Sure. Please go to the 3Dconnexion main site and follow the link to Service and then Software Developer.
We posted today a new SDK for "Standard 3D Mouse" implementation (solution not reliant on proprietary interfaces).

We do not have any info on exporting these interfaces to Javascript world. It may be necessary to develop an ActiveX component to do all the marshalling between Javascript world and the OS.