Wrong rotation at top view

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BitBarrel
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 3:53 am

Wrong rotation at top view

Post by BitBarrel »

I just received my SpaceNavigator but I have discovered an issue which I can't solve. This "bug/funny feature" are even present in the demo apps provided.

To see what I mean, go to the trainer, and click on Roll. Try it out. Works as expected.
Now select All Active and tilt the view so the teapot is viewed from above.
Now try roll again. Not exactly like "holding the object in your hand" as advertised. It rotates on the wrong axis.

Any idea how to fix this?
Barbara
Posts: 534
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 11:11 am

Re: Wrong rotation at top view

Post by Barbara »

Hello BitBarrel -

The axis tabs in the Trainer limit model movement to that axis only. When you switch to 'All Active' the model accepts input from all f the axis directions.

You can experiment with turning axis directions on and off using the Viewer in 3Dconnexion Home or in other applications where you use the Space Navigator. Open 3Dconnexion Properties , check that it shows the active application name then open Advanced Settings where you can limit movement to axis directions. You may want to turn the speed down initially while you are getting used to Space Navigator.

The current driver series has a 'More of this' 'Less of this' motion hint in the Trainer that shows when the Space Navigator cap is moving in a direction different from the selected single-axis motion. That can be useful because it shows which direction the cap is receiving input from.

3Dconnexion Properties - About should show 3DxWare Version 10.3.0. If not you can download it here .
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Barbara
BitBarrel
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 3:53 am

Re: Wrong rotation at top view

Post by BitBarrel »

Thanks for your reply but I am afraid you misunderstand. Here is another bug report where I attempt to make the point again.

Open the model viewer with the turbine engine example.
Rotate the model so the turbine is viewed from above.
Roll the model. Note that the model doesn't roll on the expected axis, instead it pitches.

This behavior makes working from the top or bottom of a model completely impossible.

Let me know is this more clear now.
Tehrasha
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Re: Wrong rotation at top view

Post by Tehrasha »

This is going to be a limitation of the software package being used, and how it translates SpaceNav input. Either relative to the current viewing angle, or relative to the object's axes.
Regardless if the object is upside down or not, turning the knob to the right, rotates to the object's right, not the visual right.

What you looking for is to rotate the object relative to how it is displayed, not its actual axes.
I know that this can be achieved in Blender with the correct preference settings, so I would assume that the big corp packages (AutoDesk, Maya, etc..) would have something similar.
I doubt you would find this kind of functionality in a Trainer/Demo though.
Spacemice -- Input devices for a 3D world.
BitBarrel
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 3:53 am

Re: Wrong rotation at top view

Post by BitBarrel »

I am glad you understand the issue. Now we can start finding a solution :-)

By the way, I am surprised no one else brought up this issue before, or at least I couldn't find any other complaints. Maybe I am the only one sometimes working on the top of a model :-/

I suppose the only way to solve it is to control the camera rather than the object.
I mainly use Autodesk Inventor. This program has the same issue.

I tried reversing all axis which makes it "seem" you control the camera rather then the object but this doesn't solve the problem either.

Any ideas?
BitBarrel
Posts: 11
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Re: Wrong rotation at top view

Post by BitBarrel »

Or if the object rotation axis are always aligned with the camera plane, that would be even better. The settings for Inventor seem to be very sparse...
Tehrasha
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Re: Wrong rotation at top view

Post by Tehrasha »

I have no access to Inventor, but was wondering if this is any help?

https://www.3dconnexion.com/forum/viewt ... =25&t=8314
Spacemice -- Input devices for a 3D world.
BitBarrel
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 3:53 am

Re: Wrong rotation at top view

Post by BitBarrel »

Thanks for the link but the instructions are in fact not valid for Inventor. I tried it but like the user JoeShmoe, the suggested options are nowhere to be found. I think Fred mixes up Revit with Inventor.
UtaSH
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Re: Wrong rotation at top view

Post by UtaSH »

Hi BitBarrel,

I am afraid I do not understand your concern. I tried what you suggested. With the trainer and with the Viewer. If I roll the cap of the 3D mouse the object in view is doing exactly the same.

Do you see this behavior after you clicked the "Restore Default" button in the advanced settings in the 3Dconnexion properties? But even with any changes I cannot imagine what you would have to do to get this behavior. The navigation is always relative to the viewing angle and never to the object's angle.

Are you using the "Object Mode", the "Camera Mode" or the "Target Camera Mode" from the "Advanced Settings?
BitBarrel
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 3:53 am

Re: Wrong rotation at top view

Post by BitBarrel »

UtaSH, did you try this when viewing the model from the top?

With the default settings the object still rotates in object space rather then screen space.

Inventor does not have an option for "Target Camera Mode", but 3ds Max has. Is this application specific, or a bug?
BitBarrel
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 3:53 am

Re: Wrong rotation at top view

Post by BitBarrel »

Oh, wait. I understand what is going on now. For some reason there was some weird coordinate reset going on in my brain, probably due to being new to this kind of input. I thought the 3d mouse was controlling the object in object space instead of screen space, but the exact opposite is true! Fascinating to see this coordinate reset or flip going on in my brain instead of the software. I really had to try hard to "see" it.

Anyway, the issue is fixed now.
BitBarrel
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 3:53 am

Re: Wrong rotation at top view

Post by BitBarrel »

Having Target Camera Mode available in Inventor would be nice though. Presumably this has to be implemented by Inventor. Any chance of harassing the developers about this?
UtaSH
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Re: Wrong rotation at top view

Post by UtaSH »

Hi BitBarrel,

the navigation with the 3D mouse in Inventor was implemented by Autodesk. only they can make changes. Please contact the Support Team of Autodesk and make your wish known there.
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