Changing Zoom Direction Also Swaps Spin & Roll - WHY?

Questions and answers about 3Dconnexion devices on macOS.

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
Shotster
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:56 pm

Changing Zoom Direction Also Swaps Spin & Roll - WHY?

Post by Shotster »

For all apps except SketchUp (such as Photoshop CS3 Extended for instance) changing the zoom control in the preferences from the up/down motion (first option) to the push/pull motion (second option) also swaps the spin and roll controls. Why?

All I want is for the zoom and pan up/down functionality to be swapped, but the software also reverses the spin and roll controls. Again, all I've done is click the second radio button on the Device tab of the preferences.

This behavior makes the device a frustration to use.

And since I'm on the topic of configuring the behavior, is there any reason the software couldn't allow me to map any of the six behaviors to any of the six device movements I want? I mean, if I want my 3D object to spin when I push and pull on the controller cap, why can't I? Why not provide complete configuration flexibility for the user?

-Steve
Ken Denton
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 2:39 pm
Location: Rochester, MI.
Contact:

Post by Ken Denton »

Shotster,
The zoom direction choice on the "Device" tab is the only way to change the "zoom direction". This setting was created for what I like to call "Desktop Mode" vs. "Screen Mode". The default setting is "Desktop Mode". This assumes the device is sitting on the desk. "Screen Mode" assumes the device bottom is on your screen and swaps the axis accordingly.

To keep things simple, we have not provided a preference pane way to assign different axis.
Ken Denton
3Dconnexion, Inc. A Logitech Company
Shotster
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:56 pm

Post by Shotster »

Thanks for the reply, Ken!
Ken Denton wrote:The zoom direction choice on the "Device" tab is the only way to change the "zoom direction".
But it does more than swap just the zoom and pan. It also swaps the spin and roll, which is not what I want and which isn't implied in the label "Zoom Direction".
Ken Denton wrote:This setting was created for what I like to call "Desktop Mode" vs. "Screen Mode".
Then perhaps that's a more appropriate label.
Ken Denton wrote:To keep things simple, we have not provided a preference pane way to assign different axis.
Simple for whom? Providing more flexibility for the user need not require a more complicated or confusing interface. I know it's difficult to anticipate all the ways a user might want to use the device, but it just so happens that I'm prevented from configuring the device in a way that "feels" most natural and intuitive to me. The strange part is that I can get the desired behavior in SOME apps (like SketchUp and the floating cube demo you supply) but not most apps. :(

Allowing one to configure all motions of the device on a per-app basis would allow anyone to get their desired behavior.

-Steve
Post Reply