Input devices for SolidWorks, Anything New? 4

[snowshoe2]

Hello,
Anyone using something other than a mouse to design in SW? Been around long enough to have actually used a digitizer with Anvil 1000, so I always wander if there is any new trends with touchpads (or whatever) that I could look at. Have used 3dconnexion products, a variety of mice, never liked the roller ball thing.

Currently using an Evoluent Vertical and love the middle button as a double click, got used to three buttons with ProE and still like it.

Anyone out there working with new cool devices to design with???

Smilin
Snowshoe2

 

[jraoul]

Mouse MX Revolution + UberOptions + Strokeit

http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/

 

[PatCouture]

My best friend for modeling is my SpacePilot if I don't have it I feel like I had my left arm amputated. Other than that I use a Trackman trackball (the one that you move the trackball with your thumb), coupled with StrokeIT. For the last five years I've been keeping an open eye to new technologies that could improve my setup and I haven't found something worth changing for so I'm looking forward to what others are using!

Patrick

 

[gwubs]

Grab a Space Explorer. Like PatCouture says, it feels like your left arm has been amputated if you are working at a workstation without one. I have one at home and one at work, and they are worth the money and the learn curve!

 

[mjcole]

SnowShoe2,

The 3dConnexion now owned by Logitech no longer make motion controllers with a ball shape. They now have what is commonly referred to as a Puck which is pretty much a cylinder with a pinched in shape and ribs in the center. For people like me who have been using motion controllers since the Magellan spaceball 3dConnexion does make ball shaped caps that you can snap onto the puck controll. I got one of these free with my SpacePilot Pro. Logitech also makes a few other devices mainly targeted at the Video-Gamer audience that have buttons which you can assign key macros to for multi-key or alt code entries for hard to get menu items. The time savings for any 3dMouse motion control unit is huge and doesn't require you to split modeling tasks into 50% rotating with mouse and 50% using mouse to click icons and navigate menus.

The only thing that annoys me about SolidWorks is that it only zooms out via center of screen unlike the Zoom in which is sensitive to cursor location. In Pro/E and most other programs the mouse sensitive zoom allows for easy Panning of your model av bout the screen using zoom in zoom out.

You may want to look at the Astroid device by spatialfreedom a unit designed by John Hilton who designed the spaceball's motion sensing mechanism.

https://forum.solidworks.com/message/7903#7903

http://www.spatialfreedom.com/pages/Astroid.htm

http://www.spatialfreedom.com/downloads/Astroid White Paper.pdf

"It's not the size of the Forum that matters, It's the Quality of the Posts"

Michael Cole
Boston, MA
CSWP, CSWI, CSWTS
Follow me on !w¡#$%
@ TrajPar - @ mcSldWrx2008
= ProE = SolidWorks

 

[rollupswx]

Mouse in RH SpaceNavigator in LH here. I don't use the default Zoom settings for the Navigator, prefer to set the Pan motion top/bottom to match the left/right convention. Now if I could just figure out how to get my old SpacePilot apart to repair broken cable..... ..we I have 25 of the old SpaceBalls that no longer work since Vista OS.

 

[gwubs]

mjcole, with the Space Explorer in SW you have options of how zoom, pan, and rotate "center" As regards the Asteroid, we bought one, and all I can say is save your money. Build quality is very poor, and it feels very "cheap" My supervisor got one, and was so disgusted, he just put it on the shelf. Get a Space Explorer.

 

[snowshoe2]

Anyone try using a touchpad? either the logitech or dell versions?

 

[PatCouture]

I tried a Bamboo tablet from Wacom and working with solidworks requires too much right clicking and since you have to press a button on the stylus for the right click or click on the screen and wait a few seconds to accept, it was painfully slow compared to a traditional mouse. But that was before the Bamboo was enabled with touchpad capabilities so I don't know now if it would be better.

Even with gestures and the radial menu I prefer the mouse.

Patrick

 

[snowshoe2]

Hello PatCouture
I looked at the Wacom product, it looked intriguing, thanks for the info.

I have used a few others listed above, just wanted to see if anyone had found anything better before I go new again.

I think a space navigator is where I will go again.

too bad the three button mouse is dead.

walk around snow snakes, never step over them.
snowshoe2

 

[PatCouture]

Why would you say the three button mouse is dead? It still exist it's just that the middle button is equipped with a scroll!

Am I missing something?

Patrick

 

[snowshoe2]

Just using a evoluent vertical currently, which has a seperate button from the scroll that I have setup as double click. wanting to replicate that functionality with a different mouse. the Evoluent has been great, just don't want complete vertical any more.

 

[mjcole]

gwubs Thanks for the info regarding the Astroid I may still get one to see just how bad it is I may in fact even like it but I'll find out soon enough.

Regarding the comment about Spaceball old versions I have a 5000 USB and it has worked upto Wildfire 4.0 with no problems but it requires using an archived version of the software for an older build version. Logitech allows for you to download these older versions and I have had no issues with them. But then again I leant the old Spaceball 5000 USB to a friend and haven't used it in a number of years but I do like the Ball Shape cause a Globe shaped like a Hockey Puck just doesn't make sense but I suggest for any of you who have the Space Explorer or newer spacepilot versions to ask Logitech about getting one of their Rubber HalfSphere attachments that snap onto the puck controller I'll try to attach photos if I take any of the Attachment Ball. It would be great to use a Logitech Game Controller as a 3d motion controller but I haven't Seen SolidWorks offered on PS3 or xBox-### models. There is a new 3d motion sensor like the Microsoft Connect but way better It's called the LEAP I have a simple search YouTube attached Link for you to check out if interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBZzfAfPYqA

Im currently using the Logitech M510 Universal Mouse which has 7 buttons I usually set them to sidescroll or Esc for MB4 and Enter for MB5 6 and 7 are usually specially assigned or I assign CTRL or Alt keys to. In SolidWorks if you hit your Alt Key the Hidden Menu at the top of the screen activates so you don't have to hover and carefully swipe over to get to any pull down commands give it a try I've been using this tip since v2009

I'm waiting for 3dConnexion to release a Stephen Hawking Motion controller which can read my thoughts.

"It's not the size of the Forum that matters, It's the Quality of the Posts"

Michael Cole
Boston, MA
CSWP, CSWI, CSWTS
Follow me on !w¡#$%
@ TrajPar - @ mcSldWrx2008
= ProE = SolidWorks

 

[snowshoe2]

Hello MJCole,
That Leap Motion is cool, not sure if I would use it for SolidWorks, but it probably would work out the shoulders keeping my arms up all day.

Snowshoe2

 

[gp13]

I waited to reply to this because I had a new mouse on order. I just received it today, so here we go...

I've used a SpacePilot, and to me it was just too much. The only benefit I ever found in it was the pan/scroll/zoom knob, but honestly the scroll wheel on the mouse is more than enough for how I like to work, so the SpaceNavigator just means I have to use two hands. That being said, I've always had an IntelliPoint mouse that has the forward/back buttons, and they can be assigned to specific keystrokes. I had one assigned to "S" and that's it. I REALLY wanted to assign the other one to either "Control" or "Escape" but Microsoft's setting software would not let me (When I tried "Escape" it exited the setting mode, and "Control" was not assignable by itself).

Today I got a Logitech M705 and I've immediately fallen in love with it. It has the forward/back buttons, as well as an additional thumb button. The left/right scrolling can be assigned as well giving you a total 5 extra assignable buttons, but I've found that it is way too easy to activate either one while pressing the wheel button. With Logitech's software I was able to assign "Escape" and "Control" to the forward/back buttons, on top of "S" for the thumb button. With the exception of number entry, I can work with SolidWorks using only my right hand (cue dirty jokes now). It's also worth mentioning, for those that have never used either mouse, that the buttons can be assigned globally or per application.

Well, back to work now... Happy Friday everyone!

Matt

 

[steinmini]

Sitting quite a lot in front of the SW screen I found some sort of relief with the Space Navigator because when using only the PC mouse, my body was always in a bad position, some sort of being in a diagonal twist, using almost only my right hand. With the 3D mouse in the game, I make less clicks with my right hand, and I sit in a much better position, and to be honest, suffer no more odd shoulder pains in the last few hours of my working time, not to mention that when the day was really bad, I was practically crippled to do anything else after I got home from work. Now I can spend my working hours working and concentrating on my work, not on pain. I'm happy with it.

http://www.storyofstuff.org/

 

[gwubs]

I get the idea that some people want more buttons, and some want to move the model using a controller of sorts. I belong mostly to the second group. For measuring, and general interaction with the model, I find the Space Explorer to be priceless. I use the Space Explorer to spin and zoom for assembly mating a lot, and have the buttons programmed for common tasks. And yet, I see others in our office not using the Space Explorer at all (we all have one.) These people like to zoom and pan using the mouse wheel. Nothing wrong with that of course, but I know that there is a huge speed increase with the Space Explorer. Manipulate the model with left hand, work on the model with the right. To my way of thinking that equals more productivity. Seasons greetings everyone!