Portability of SpaceNavigator software

ebrammer · Post by **ebrammer** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 2:40 pm

I am a teacher and would like to use the SpaceNavigator (in conjunction with Google Earth) in my classroom. However, I do not want to have to install the software each computer that I use... as I use many.

I've been trying to come up with a way to do this... but so far have failed: install the SpaceNavigator software on either an external hard drive or a usb drive... ultra portablity.

Post by **jwick** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 8:12 am

Hello ebrammer,

I don't think we've ever tried it but you could install most of the software on a USB drive. But, you still have to make some registry entries on each machine (that's how the software finds out where you installed all the pieces). Those registry entries could be made with a .reg file that you would have to create.

For GoogleEarth, you don't need the entire 3DxSoftware. You just need 3DxWare. That is much smaller. You can extract the 3DxWare.msi from the 3DxSoftware package and just transport that around. I would think you could setup your USB drive to autoinstall the 3DxWare.msi on each machine when you plug the USB drive in.

Jim
3Dx Software Development

ebrammer · Post by **ebrammer** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 8:49 pm

I've never created any .reg files. What would I need the file to do?

Post by **jwick** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 9:20 pm

This is somewhat complicated and I'm not sure of all the steps that will be needed, ultimately. I'm not sure I recommend going this direction if it isn't something you are comfortable or experienced with.

The easiest path is probably to run the registry editor and export the 3DxWare entries from HKLM and HKCU. You should find a friend to help you who has done that before.

You'll have to make changes to the subsequent .reg files to point the file system paths in the reg entries to your USB drive.

Then you'll run the .reg files on the target system.

Hmmm, there are also two DLLs you need to put into the system directory on each machine.

It sure would be a whole lot easier to just put the 3DxWare.msi on your jump drive and run it on each machine the first time you connect <G>

Jim
3Dx Software Development

mark0601 · Post by **mark0601** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 3:01 am

Maybe an idea for future products because as a student I'm facing this problem when using my SN on the computers around in my university.

Is it possible to put some kind of flash memory in the product which contains the 3DxWare and installs itself on the harddisk while connecting it to the computer? This is also what's happening when you connect an USB-modem for 3G-internet for the first time. And then when you update the driver/firmware of the product it updates the driver package on the 3D-mouse as well.

If you like the idea and want to have more information I can make some graphics to make it more clear.

Post by **jwick** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 6:33 am

We have actually talked about that for years. Doesn't help with permissions problems though.

As a student can you even save files in your %APPDATA% directory?

mark0601 · Post by **mark0601** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 7:01 am

jwick wrote:We have actually talked about that for years. Doesn't help with permissions problems though.

As a student can you even save files in your %APPDATA% directory?

No... As a student we can only save data to a specified student network harddrive but I guess preferences can only be saved in the %APPDATA% directory.