SpaceTraveler or SpaceExplorer as joystick

Questions and answers about 3Dconnexion devices on UNIX and Linux.

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jb
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Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:15 am

SpaceTraveler or SpaceExplorer as joystick

Post by jb »

Hallo,

i am evaluating the SpaceTraveler/SpaceExplorer as replacement for the SpaceMouse.
The Installation of the 3dxware on a system with opensuse 10.1 was successfull. It was possible to use xcube with the attached SpaceTraveler (USB). I assume that the behavior of the SpaceExplorer is similar to the SpaceTraveler.

Some of our Applications adress the SpaceMouse as joystick.
Up to now, i was not able to configure the SpaceTraveler as joystick in my system in the way as it is possible with the SpaceMouse (with joydev, serio, inputattach and magellan).

jstest works fine with the attached (seriell) SpaceMouse. Would it be possible to swap the SpaceMouse with a (seriell) SpaceExplorer. In other words: is the SpaceExplorer protocol-compatible with the SpaceMouse ?

Is there a way to use the SpaceTraveler or SpaceExplorer as a joystick on linux-systems ?

Thanks
jb
UtaSH
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Post by UtaSH »

Hi,

3Dconnexion just provides the 3DxWareUnix for the 3D navigation devices such as SpaceMouse, Space Traveler, SpaceExplorer. If an application manufacturer is interested to integrate support for our devices we recommend to download the UNIX SDK.

The modules like joydev, serio, magellan are provided by Linux directly and are therefore not supported from our side. :(

The protocol of the serial SpaceExploere is mostly the same as the one from the SpaceMouse. But I doubt that the magellan module will accept the different device.

Uta Ludwig
3Dconnexion
jb
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:15 am

Post by jb »

Hi,

thank you for the answer.

I dont understand why you do not support the joystick-Interface (joydev).
All you have to do is provide enough information to the maintainers of the joystick-project and the support for your hardware is likely to come for free.

As far as i understood the UNIX SDK, i need a running X-Server to use 3dxsrv.
Is that tue ? What do i do, if i dont want to start a X-Server ?

We used the SpaceMouse as joystick-device and i would very much prefer to use the SpaceExplorer as joystick-device as well.

It should not be necessary to be dependent of a proprietary binary.

Greetings
jb
UtaSH
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Post by UtaSH »

Hello jb,

our USB devices are standard HID device, an open standard, and can be controlled in different ways (as you can see is happening in other Forum topics).

The serial interface is a legacy solution and the SpaceExplorer Serial is being marketed only for UNIX. The serial protocol is not made publicly available by 3Dconnexion. If a developer has a specific need to use the protocol (as the case of the joydev developers may be), then they need to contact 3Dconnexion.

If you are using our driver you will have always support for the newest devices. If you don't want to use our driver but want to access the device directly you should use our USB devices which are standard HID devices (see above).

Uta Ludwig
3Dconnexion
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