Pro Engineer VERY slow when using SpacePilot

Questions and answers about 3Dconnexion devices on Windows.

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takedownca
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Pro Engineer VERY slow when using SpacePilot

Post by takedownca »

I just started using my SpacePilot and am suffering from severe slowdowns in Pro Engineer. I have version 3.1.8 of the software installed with only 3DxWare and the 3DxProEngineer plugin. I have Pro Engineer Wildfire 3.0 M060. Whenever the driver is active I can manipulate the model in the graphics area, but any other GUI functions are unusable. I can't access any of the menus, toolbar icons, right-click menus, etc. I also can't switch applications. As soon as I deactivate the 3Dx driver everything is usable. Also, while the driver is active I can see my mouse cursor blinking. This leads me to believe that it has something to do with the 3Dx software continually polling the hardware and using excess resources. I also tried uninstalling the 3DxProEngineer plugin. This helps things a little. The slowdowns in ProE are now less severe and more intermittent, but it's still not usable. I'm also now unable to use any of the features included with the plugin.

So far my first impression of the SpacePilot is great, but my impression of the software is horrible. Please help me change that. Thanks.
jwick
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Post by jwick »

Hi takedownca,

The 3DxWare driver doesn't poll the hardware. I suspect your device is drifting imperceptibly, thus constantly interrupting Pro/E even though your hand is not on it. Try unplugging it and plugging it back in. Make sure your hand is not touching the device when you do that. You can also try the calibrate button in the GUI.

Let us know if that fixes the problem.

Jim
3Dx Software Development
takedownca
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Post by takedownca »

I think that may have solved my "problem". Turns out my hand on the knob was pushing it juuuuust enough to make the 3Dx driver react. Even though I couldn't see anything moving, as soon as I moved my hand away I could click on anything. It's going to take a little doing for me to remember to not click on anything in the toolbar/menu while I'm rotating the model. I wonder... if it's an easy fix maybe this is something 3DConnexion could work on repairing. The whole point of using their products is to facilitate multitasking and efficiency. It doesn't seem particularly efficient that I have to completely remove my hand from the device to continue using the rest of the Pro Engineer interface. Oh well. I suppose I'll live for the time being :)
takedownca
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Post by takedownca »

Looks like I can fix the issue by tweaking a registry entry for deadband. I like it when there's a simple solution.
jwick
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Post by jwick »

Hi takedownca,

I see you've found the threshold thread. That will allow you to increase the null region to the point that lightly resting your hand on the device will not send any data to Pro/E.

Jim
3Dx Software Development
agconetherlands
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Post by agconetherlands »

Our company has just gotten a new spacepilot pro from 3dconnexion and I'm trying it for the first time. I've always had a regular spacepilot, and not the pro-version. The first thing I noticed, when switching between parts or assemblies within Pro/Engineer WF3 that it takes 2 seconds to become active. Can this problem be solved?
UtaSH
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Post by UtaSH »

You can deactivate Wildfire in the LCD Manager. Go to the tab "SpacePilot PRO LCD" in the 3Dconnexion Control Panel and launch the LCD Manager from there. In the LCD Manager go to "Programs" and unselect the little tickboxes for Wildfire.
agconetherlands
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Post by agconetherlands »

Dear Uludwig,

I've allready done done that. But it still takes several seconds before the part or assembly is active. With the regular spacepilot we don't have that problem.
UtaSH
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Post by UtaSH »

Hi agconetherlands,

are you opening the WF files from within a management tool like Windchill? If yes, does it make a difference if you open the files directly?

Do you see any improvement if you uninstall/disable the 3DxProENGINEER plugin? Navigation is still available without the plugin, but you will not have the Button Mapping Editor within WF.
agconetherlands
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Post by agconetherlands »

Uludwig,

Is there a sollution to this problem, because what is the use of buying such expensive apparatus and a can't fully use it???
Fred
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Post by Fred »

Please download our current driver 3.12.3
The add-in has been updated to address the Delay issue .

Please post your results.
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