Restrict Axis

Questions and answers about 3Dconnexion devices on Windows.

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Reprobus
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Restrict Axis

Post by Reprobus »

Hi, I'm using the wireless version of the connexion mouse, I'd like to restrict axis with the radial menu or a keyboard short-cut. I know this functionality is in the Space Pro, I'm hoping it can be extended to the wireless version of the connexion mouse ? I'd like to move an object on the Z axis without it rotating as it does when I move an object in the Z axis, requiring me to rotate the object vertically and get it aligned on screen when I move it on the z axis.
Fred
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Re: Restrict Axis

Post by Fred »

I think your referring to "Dominant" Look in the dropdown under 3Dconnexion.
This limits 1 axis to be working at a time.
Reprobus
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Re: Restrict Axis

Post by Reprobus »

Fred wrote:I think your referring to "Dominant" Look in the dropdown under 3Dconnexion.
This limits 1 axis to be working at a time.
I turned on the dominant feature and when you say it's limited to 1 axis, you mean, it doesn't matter how I turn on the connexion mouse only 1 axis will work ? If so that isn't how it's working !
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Re: Restrict Axis

Post by Fred »

Dominant only allows 1 axis at a time
Otherwise select rotations.
This works as a on and off when you click on it.
Reprobus
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Re: Restrict Axis

Post by Reprobus »

Thanks, the dominant feature should give more control. When this feature is on, the connexion works as it did when it was off. When I assign a hotkey to a radial menu, for example to turn off rotation, then, and only then does it work as I originally thought the dominant feature would work.
Fred
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Re: Restrict Axis

Post by Fred »

The programmers read the forums, so hopefully they can look into the coding .
If you have the time post back what application your using.
Reprobus
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Re: Restrict Axis

Post by Reprobus »

Fred wrote:The programmers read the forums, so hopefully they can look into the coding .
If you have the time post back what application your using.
The application I'm using is Maya !
jwick
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Re: Restrict Axis

Post by jwick »

You should, with some practice, be able to nearly fully isolate any axis just using your hand. It's impossible to do it completely. That's why we provide filters.

First off we need to determine that your device is working correctly. Start the cube or jet demo (in Program Files/3dconnexion/3DxWare/3DxWinCore). You should be able to experiment with the various filters without the weight of Maya.

You should be able to easily move or rotate about any of the 3 Cartesian axes. If the device is broken you won't be able to do this.

Once you've trained a bit there, go back to Maya. The device is meant for general 6 DOF movement, not precise positioning along any given axis. If you want the latter, you have several choices. In the GUI you can turn on/off all three rotations or translations as a group, and you can turn on the dominant filter. As Fred mentioned this will chose the single axis that has the largest magnitude at any given time, and zero out the rest. By applying force/torque along the axis you want, you will get just that axis. If you want a different axis, just use that axis and the others will be zeroed out. Dominant is 1 of 6.

If you want to choose a single axis (say zoom), and no matter what, have all the others zeroed, you can turn off the other axes in the GUI. Come to think of it, maybe you don't have access to that in the "new" GUI. Then you have to do that in the XML files. This would be quite cumbersome. You can also do more sophisticated things...frankly anything you want because these settings are in files that you can edit.

For more, I need to know exactly what you want to do.
Reprobus
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Re: Restrict Axis

Post by Reprobus »

jwick wrote:You should, with some practice, be able to nearly fully isolate any axis just using your hand. It's impossible to do it completely. That's why we provide filters.

First off we need to determine that your device is working correctly. Start the cube or jet demo (in Program Files/3dconnexion/3DxWare/3DxWinCore). You should be able to experiment with the various filters without the weight of Maya.

You should be able to easily move or rotate about any of the 3 Cartesian axes. If the device is broken you won't be able to do this.

Once you've trained a bit there, go back to Maya. The device is meant for general 6 DOF movement, not precise positioning along any given axis. If you want the latter, you have several choices. In the GUI you can turn on/off all three rotations or translations as a group, and you can turn on the dominant filter. As Fred mentioned this will chose the single axis that has the largest magnitude at any given time, and zero out the rest. By applying force/torque along the axis you want, you will get just that axis. If you want a different axis, just use that axis and the others will be zeroed out. Dominant is 1 of 6.

If you want to choose a single axis (say zoom), and no matter what, have all the others zeroed, you can turn off the other axes in the GUI. Come to think of it, maybe you don't have access to that in the "new" GUI. Then you have to do that in the XML files. This would be quite cumbersome. You can also do more sophisticated things...frankly anything you want because these settings are in files that you can edit.

For more, I need to know exactly what you want to do.
My device is working correctly, first and foremost :)

I spent more time with the exercises and I gained more control of the connexion as well, I understand how the dominant feature works. :) I would like access to the new GUI, to hopefully expand my control of this device. :)
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Re: Restrict Axis

Post by jwick »

Reprobus wrote:I would like access to the new GUI, to hopefully expand my control of this device. :)
Some details? What do you want to do?
Reprobus
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Re: Restrict Axis

Post by Reprobus »

jwick wrote:
Reprobus wrote:I would like access to the new GUI, to hopefully expand my control of this device. :)
Some details? What do you want to do?
I want to expose the features, can you shed some light as to what can be expanded ? :)
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Re: Restrict Axis

Post by jwick »

Reprobus wrote:
jwick wrote:
Reprobus wrote:I would like access to the new GUI, to hopefully expand my control of this device. :)
Some details? What do you want to do?
I want to expose the features, can you shed some light as to what can be expanded ? :)
That doesn't give me much detail to go on. The device produces numbers, measurements of twist and push in a very small space. You can do anything you want with those numbers as long as you can get them where you need them.
Reprobus
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Re: Restrict Axis

Post by Reprobus »

What must be known so I can expose these features that Fred is talking about ?
pgengineering
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Re: Restrict Axis

Post by pgengineering »

Hi all,
I am a Spacemouse newbie and after setting it up I am trying to isolate a few of the controls for use in Sketchup Pro. I would prefer to use my mouse scroll wheel for zooming and keep the forward back motion as a way of rotating the model. I also noticed that when I press sideways, it intermittently pans sideways / rotates sideways. I have been careful not to rotate the wheel when doing so. I would prefer the sideways motion to only pan and not rotate. I have tried the different control settings to see if one would help with this. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated since I am drawing in Sketchup about 4 hours a day.
UtaSH
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Re: Restrict Axis

Post by UtaSH »

pgengineering wrote: Wed Aug 08, 2018 9:11 am I also noticed that when I press sideways, it intermittently pans sideways / rotates sideways. I have been careful not to rotate the wheel when doing so. I would prefer the sideways motion to only pan and not rotate. I have tried the different control settings to see if one would help with this.
Hi pgengineering,

you can activate the Dominant mode in the Advanced Settings. Then only the axis that you push the most is executed. This will affect not only the sideways movement but all axes. (You cannot activate the dominant mode for individual axes.)
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