Button configuration questions

GMckeown · Post by **GMckeown** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:34 pm

I've been using 3D connexion controllers a long time but for the last few years I used the Navigator and only had one button setup.
Now I have a Pilot and there's a lot more buttons..! But I'm having some issues in SolidWorks:
I tried to change one of the view buttons (Left) to Isometric. It doesn't do anything. I can go to Top, Right and Front, but now the L button doesn't do anything. If I go to the second config, the L button still does Left view.
I tried to change it to something else to see if I could reprogram it to anything. I picked Save as something that might be useful. When I pressed it, I got a dialog box to Save Configuration, rather than save the file. Is that normal? The button only said 'Save'.

The problem I'd really like to solve is the Isometric view though...

Fred · Post by **Fred** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:32 am

Where are you changing the button mappings from?
Use the SolidWorks addin Button mapping editor
Otherwise if you change from the default Control panel it gets overwritten from the plugin.

You may want to remove any previous saved Button mappings.
C:\Documents and Settings\your name\Application Data\3Dconnexion
Delete the 3DConnexion folder.
Next open the button.
After your finished click on OK
This will auto save.
Remember to do this for all Modes.
Parts Assembly etc.

GMckeown · Post by **GMckeown** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:52 am

Hi Fred,
I'm using the SW control panel.
I'm trying to change the L button in the T, L, R, F group to be Isometric, not Left.
I go to Others / Isometric and drag that to the L button in the mapping control panel.
I close the panel, so it auto saves.
I press T, I get a Top View
I press R, I get a Right View
I press L, I get no change. It stays in the last view but the LCD screen shows 'Isometric' across the top as I press the L button, so I think the button mapping was saved, just that SW is not taking any notice.

Am I using the wrong Isometric command? Others was the only place I could find it and Top, Left, Right etc all seemed to be in there too.

Fred · Post by **Fred** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:06 am

Try creating a macro in Solidworks for the function you want to use.

next close out Solidworks

Open the 3dcontrol panel and create a Custom function macor to the same keyboard key you assigned in Solidworks.
Click save and ok
Now open Solidworks
Open the Button mapping Editor
Open the 3DXware toolbar the macro you created should now be visible
Drag and drop
Now close and see if the coomand is working

GMckeown · Post by **GMckeown** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:20 am

I don't understand what you mean when you say 'create custom function macro to the same keyboard key you assigned in Solidworks'
I'm trying to set the L button on the Space Pilot to give the Isometric View and not the Left View. I don't know what the keyboard key in Solidworks is for that, I use the heads-up view orientation pull down normally.

Is Other / Isometric the right command to get an isometric view?

Fred · Post by **Fred** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:31 am

Solidworks has the ability to create a macro
When you create a macro your assigning a key on your keyboard to do that function.
Soildworks should have instructions for creating a macro
Make sure you have the toolbar in Solidworks open so its easy to locate when making the macro.
I donot know the exact toolbar that has Isometric view on it.
As i said before some Toolbar functions have been removed from the Toolbar list since 2008 version.

GMckeown · Post by **GMckeown** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:38 am

But the 3D Connexion panel has an Isometric command in it.
Is that command supposed to produce an isometric view in the main window?

I'm confused as to why a standard function needs to be created as a custom macro

Fred · Post by **Fred** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:43 am

If the command in the Toolbar isnt working this is a workaround.

GMckeown · Post by **GMckeown** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:03 am

I found another way around it.
In the button mapping panel there is a group called 3D control Views. There are two Isometric choices in there, and they do work. However, there is no Top, Left, Right or Front - these are in the Others category and when I tried to put the L button back to Left view using the Left command from Others, it didn't work either.
I have the isometric view I wanted, but I still think there's something broken with the view commands in the Others group.

Can you explain the Others group to me at all? There are 5 Back commands, 4 Cancel commands, 2 Copy commands etc, etc. What's the difference between them?

Fred · Post by **Fred** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 9:18 am

Difference between them is going to depend on what Mode your are in Solidworks.
parts
assembly
Drawing
Depending on the mode some functions will not work at all.
If there are multiple back cancels and copies it is because of the Toolbars that are added into Solidworks each one is independant and will only work in the mode it was intended for.
yes, this makes it harder for you because you will have to play trial and error until you find the working Function command.