Difficult navigation when rotating from top (at the poles)

Questions and answers about 3Dconnexion devices on Windows.

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boumay
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 1:28 am

Difficult navigation when rotating from top (at the poles)

Post by boumay »

Hello,
I wonder if someone noticed it:
When I want to rotate around the object from a top point of view, the navigation gets weird and it begins to rotate to opposite direction or rotate so slowly. It's even worse when I get closer to the pole (very top POV).
It seems these 3d mice have problems dealing with the poles.

Does anyone has fix to that? Or do I have to live with this issue?
Thank you
Loki
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:30 am

Post by Loki »

Sounds like your rotating around one particular axis and wish to instead rotate based on screen space.

For 3ds Max (and hopefully other apps that use a 3dx plugin) it should just be a matter of pressing the menu button on your 3dx device (if you have one) and then turning off the "Lock Horizon" option.

If your app supports 3d mice natively, like 3D Coat for instance, it's a matter of going into the preferences and changing the option that locks rotation around a specific axis (unchecking "Rotate around Y-axis" in my 3D Coat example).

You didn't say which application you're having trouble with so it's hard to give specific advice that would really help you.
Bryan
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Posts: 443
Joined: Thu Dec 07, 2006 1:37 pm
Location: Rochester NY

What application?

Post by Bryan »

Dear boumay,

Our devices only feed input information to the operating system. The actually motions are handled by the applications. So, it is hard to troubleshoot your problem without knowing the application making use of the input from our devices.

What applications are you using?
What version of the application are you using?
What mode of the application are you in?
What operating system?
What release version of 3DxSoftware?
Which of our 3Dconnexion Devices are you using?
Do you experience this same behavior in our Jet Demo?
(Start, All Programs, 3Dconnexion, Demos, Jet Demo)

Sincerely,
Bryan
The more things change, the more they remain the same. ; ^ )
boumay
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 1:28 am

Post by boumay »

Sorry for delay,
And sorry, I did forgot to mention the software I'm using, driver version, etc.

- Software used: 3dsmax 2012

- 3dx version: 3.15.2
Driver version: 6.15.2
Firmware version: 4.34

- Mode used: Object Mode

- Operating System: Win7 64 ultimate

- Device used: SpaceMouse Pro


Indeed, it's the "lock horizon" that seems to cause this in 3dsmax, because when I uncheck it and use in free mode, the 3d mouse performs well without issues at the pole nor slowly. This point should be the cause, because the 3d mouse performs well in jet demo, which uses the free mode also (without lock horizon)
The problems that I really have difficulties using the free mode because I find it sooo hard to control and, for me, the rotation just goes crazy very quickly and I don't know where I am in the viewport, on earth or in the sky... lol
Barbara
Posts: 534
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 11:11 am

Post by Barbara »

Hello boumay -

There are several ways you can control the navigation in 3DsMax to fit your preferences. On the App Configuration tab of the 3Dconnexion Properties window you can un-check the box for 'Tilt/Spin/Roll' or 'Pan/Zoom'. If you instead want to move only in one axis direction at a time you can use the 'Dominant' option.

If you would like to be able to easily turn rotation on of off, you can use 'Customize buttons' and choose Rotation from the 3Dxware section to map it to one of your buttons.

Adjusting Speed from the pop-up menu can also provide more control.
--------------
Barbara
boumay
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 1:28 am

Post by boumay »

Thank you for this answer. It has been very informative and useful. I should be able to operate the 3d mouse correctly I think.
Barbara
Posts: 534
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 11:11 am

Post by Barbara »

Hello boumay -

Since you are using the SpaceMouse Pro, Fred just reminded me that there is an even easier way to turn the rotation on and off. The SpaceMouse Pro has a button designed to do that. It is the button on the right hand side in the middle - the one with the circular arrow.

Click the button once to turn rotation on and click it again to turn it off.

I apologize for describing the long way to do this when it's already programmed into your intelligent device :)
-----------------------
Barbara
boumay
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 1:28 am

Post by boumay »

No problem, and I think you described just another way to do it and that is complementary to the direct way on the mouse itself.
Thank you again for your service.
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