Getting a weird Bug appear in Maya 2014 with SPP Connected

Questions and answers about 3Dconnexion devices on macOS.

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
jamessawle
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2013 2:27 pm
Location: Isle of Man

Getting a weird Bug appear in Maya 2014 with SPP Connected

Post by jamessawle »

We have come across a really annoying bug and initially thought that this was something to do with Maya 2014, but we have now been able to replicate this on all of the systems and also prove that it is being caused by the SPP somehow!

If we connect the SPP and start Maya 2014, all looks OK, If we then start to say model a object, within a few minutes we have a problem, sometimes right away, we have tried this by doing things differently, and also tried other operators trying this as well, but what we have found it that for some reason, the 'Move' tool turns into a selection tool???

If you say have 2 simple objects, does not matter what they are, when you try to move one of the objects, it will only move a minimal amount and then select the other object as well, you then have to deselect the other object and trying to move again the same thing happens, you can however move the object OK by typing into the channel box, but if you try to move the object at all in any axis it just moves a very small amount and then selects the other object. Really annoying...

Now then this is were it gets interesting...

If I disconnect the SPP and then restart Maya 2014 all is OK, and we can use Maya quite happily and normally for well over an hour.

If we then reconnect SPP and restart Maya 2014, within 2 minutes we have the same issue occur, sometimes it happens the very first time we move one of the objects, another time it will take a few minutes to occur, but it will happen, and we have tested not even touching the SPP even though it is connected, and it still happens!!!!

We have checked the script editor and there are no errors being reported, intact the move statements before the issue shows itself are exactly the same as when after the issue occurs.

Another interesting this is that the Main Menu at the top of the screen with change to Red when this occurs, but as new to Mac OSX we are not sure why, we presume that this is because there is an error but don't know why or how to see why.

We have been able to replicate this now faultlessly well over 10 times, and have now been using Maya without the devices connected all afternoon without an issue.

Any Ideas?????

James
ngomes
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3321
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:22 am
Contact:

Re: Getting a weird Bug appear in Maya 2014 with SPP Connect

Post by ngomes »

Hi jamessawle,

Is it as thought the 3D mouse was being activated but no-one is touching the sensor cap?

If you start the device with something leaning against the cap (even a single sheet of paper is enough), the device will have its "rest position" redefined and may be constantly sending data.

Also, if you leave the device upside down or inside a bag where the cap is forced our of the normal rest position, it may take a few days before the strings return to their normal relaxed position. During that time, you may drifting. Note that the drift may be so small that the movement is almost imperceptible.

Try re-calibrating the device, in the 3Dconnexion preference pane, go to the "Tools" tab and press the "Calibrate" button making sure that nothing is touching the cap.
jamessawle
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2013 2:27 pm
Location: Isle of Man

Re: Getting a weird Bug appear in Maya 2014 with SPP Connect

Post by jamessawle »

Ok,am I being stupid here?

But you ask me if the 3D mouse is being activated by accident?

In this case, no, it is placed behind and to the side of the monitor out of way, BUT as I am using 3D software, and ideally I would also be using the SPP with the software, then surely I would be using it at the same time, therefore surely having the SPP connected and in use would not cause the problems that we are seeing anyway, and why would it affect the 'Move' tool option anyway??

If the SPP is used for manipulating the view, then I should be able to use either a mouse or a Wacom tablet for moving objects, vertices, edges, etc.

Am I wrong here??

There must be a setting here that is interfering with Maya somewhere, but I am not sure where??

James
ngomes
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3321
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:22 am
Contact:

Re: Getting a weird Bug appear in Maya 2014 with SPP Connect

Post by ngomes »

Have you tried recalibrating the sensor?
jamessawle
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2013 2:27 pm
Location: Isle of Man

Re: Getting a weird Bug appear in Maya 2014 with SPP Connect

Post by jamessawle »

I have tried by hitting the 'Calibrate' option under tools, but it does not do anything? not sure if it should, nothing is displayed to state if it has done, is doing, or is unhappy with anything so not really sure about this, but I have selected it, just in case this is normal anyway.
ngomes
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3321
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:22 am
Contact:

Re: Getting a weird Bug appear in Maya 2014 with SPP Connect

Post by ngomes »

If you do not touch the sensor cap when you hit the "Calibrate" button, the device will have its rest position properly reset.

If you do hold the device and then hit the button, you can see that the 3D view or object will be constantly moving. This is because the sensor mechanical rest position now differs from that defined at the moment you hit the "Calibrate" button.

The point is that the device should be at rest (does not send any data) if it is properly calibrated. It may "drift" (continuously send data) if it is powered up with something leaning against the sensor cap.

Do you continue to observe the issue in Maya after calibrating your device?
jamessawle
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2013 2:27 pm
Location: Isle of Man

Re: Getting a weird Bug appear in Maya 2014 with SPP Connect

Post by jamessawle »

Short and Sweet, Yes!
ngomes
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3321
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:22 am
Contact:

Re: Getting a weird Bug appear in Maya 2014 with SPP Connect

Post by ngomes »

There is a feature in the plug-in to automatically recalculate the centre-of-rotation when the scene changes.

Try disabling the "Auto Rotation Center" option in the pop-up menu > "Rotation Centre". By default, you can access the popup menu by pressing the "Menu" button of your SPP.
jamessawle
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2013 2:27 pm
Location: Isle of Man

Re: Getting a weird Bug appear in Maya 2014 with SPP Connect

Post by jamessawle »

Further to my last comment, we tried again with all of the other 4 SPP's that we have here, and this time we sat them on the desk next to the keyboard, waited 30 minutes with no one going near them (good excuse for a coffee) and then hit the Calibrate option under the Tools menu.

With them still connected we started Maya, and waited for the bug to appear, in all 4 system this occurred within 10 minutes, on 2 of the it happened right away, on all four system different scenes were created and completely random objects made and manipulated.

Now then....

Just for fun we disconnected the SPP's by just yanking the USB cable from the system, and in EVERY case the bug vanished and we were able to use Maya normally.

Any more ideas????

In the short time we have had the SPP's we have grown to really like them, and we can see that they will be very useful, but something needs to be sorted out to stop it interfering with the Move Tool as you cannot do anything with Maya if you cannot move an object, its kind of a major issue!

Whilst typing this I have just seen another message appear from you, so I will stop here to read it and then post another comment.

Thanks

James
jamessawle
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2013 2:27 pm
Location: Isle of Man

Re: Getting a weird Bug appear in Maya 2014 with SPP Connect

Post by jamessawle »

YES, YES, YES!!!!!

Sorted, That did it!

I take it that these changes are set as default, or do I have to change this every time maya starts?

Thank you so much ngomes, The Help is VERY much appreciated.

James
ngomes
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3321
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:22 am
Contact:

Re: Getting a weird Bug appear in Maya 2014 with SPP Connect

Post by ngomes »

The "Auto Rotation Center" option is saved between application sessions.

Thank you for reporting the bug. I will be forwarding this information internally since the issue seems to be unknown.

If you can, it would be very useful if you can give us a step-by-step procedure to reproduce the problem. For example:

1) Start Maya and load sample document XPTO.
2) Select part1.
3) Active command XYZ.
4) ...

With that information, it will be much easier for us to address the bug in a future revision of the plug-in for Maya on OS X.
jamessawle
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2013 2:27 pm
Location: Isle of Man

Re: Getting a weird Bug appear in Maya 2014 with SPP Connect

Post by jamessawle »

The "Auto Rotation Center" option is saved between application sessions.
By that I take it you mean that we will have to save this each time we start Maya, that's a pain, but hopefully it will be addressed soon, if there is a hack around this I would like to try, but at least we know what is causing this now!

As for what is causing this, that is simple.

Open Maya
Create any Object, move it away from centre on any axis
Create another Object, try to move it on any axis and there you have the problem.

If it does not show up right away, it will do after a minute or two, just keep moving one of the objects till the problem occurs.

Just as a test we re-applied the option 'Auto' and it seems to occur right away.

Thanks again.

James
ngomes
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3321
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:22 am
Contact:

Re: Getting a weird Bug appear in Maya 2014 with SPP Connect

Post by ngomes »

The "Auto Rotation Center" option is saved between application sessions.
Quite the contrary. Sorry it was clear. I meant the setting that you choose will persist after you exit and restart the application.

Thank you for the scenario. I'm flagging this topic to our tech support folk for confirmation.
Post Reply