Input Mode annoys me

[CNSZU]

Hi everyone,

In sketching, whenever sketching an element like a line or arc, there is always an input box for coordinates (coordinate mode) or parameters (parameter mode) following the cursor everywhere. I have never used it, and probably never will, because that's not the way I model. It clutters the space, creates confusion and blocks underlying elements from view. It's a persistent annoyance. Is there a way to hide it, turn it off or disable it?

My second question is, in case it's impossible to eliminate this function, why is there often a problem with the repaint of this thing? When moving the cursor rapidly, the thing has problems updating itself, thus momentarily creating lots of duplicates of itself across the screen, creating even more of an annoyance than it already is (see attached image).

Version is NX 8.015
Windows 7 64bit
Nvidia Quadro 2000

 

[Arkance/PhoeNX]

F3 will temporarily turn it off. As for the repaint issue, try the graphics drivers. I've found there's generally a driver available that will eliminate it.

Anthony Galante
Technical Resource Coordinator

NX4.0.4MP10, NX5.0.6, NX6.0.5, NX7.0.1, NX7.5.0-> NX7.5.5 & NX8.0.0 -> NX8.0.1

 

[JohnRBaker]

Usually all it takes is using a certified driver. No mystery there.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

UG/NX Museum:

http://www.plmworld.org/p/cm/ld/fid=209

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[CNSZU]

Thank your for the replies.

I've changed the graphics driver from 276.42 to 259.70 (listed on the nvidia website as certified for NX 7.5), and now the input mode box is behaving better, although there are still small artifacts appearing on the edge of the box from time to time. However, this might be nit picking.

As for the F3 shortcut to hide the input box, it only works momentarily, after placing for example a circle, it pops right back again when trying to place the next circle. This means I would have to constantly press F3 again and again whenever drawing something. Surely there must be a way to get rid of it permanently?

 

[JohnRBaker]

Nope!!!!

Just remember; You can't make something simpler by adding to it.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

UG/NX Museum:

http://www.plmworld.org/p/cm/ld/fid=209

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[CNSZU]

You can't make something simpler by adding to it.

I believe this implies that keeping things simple is a good thing, and I wholeheartedly agree. Of course, this is done by removing unnecessary clutter which slows down the sketching process, things like the pervasive input mode cursor box which nobody uses, makes no sense whatsoever, but nevertheless is forced upon them.

 

[jnikolauk]

isn't there a way to make that box appear in a corner? (or am I thinking of an old old version of UG?)

 

[JohnRBaker]

Trust me, if we DID take away the "input mode cursor box" we'd all soon learn who was using them ;-)

My comment was meant to point out that adding options allowing you to disable something so as to make it appear 'simpler' would in fact make it more complicated due to having to provide additional dialogs/menus so that options could be enabled/disabled. And it's not just the extra complexity for the user to contend with, it also means more code to test, more options to document, more string of dialog/menu text which needs to be provided in something like 10 different languages in addition to English, and the list goes on...

As for making the 'box' appear in a corner, I suspect that you're thinking of the old Basic Curves function when there was a common 'toolbar' where you could enter X,Y,Z values as well as length and angle values, when appropriate. Yes, this is what the so-called "input mode cursor box" is used for now. The reason for placing it near where the cursor is located was to reduce the amount of mouse travel needed when a user did wish to enter values rather than depend only on dragging and picking screen points.

Now this brings up another point that might help you understand the value of having this "input mode cursor box" and that is that you don't have to enter all the fields to get the benefit. For example, if you wish to 'lock' one value simply enter it, either the X or Y when selecting the first point, on in the case of a line, the length or the angle, and if you do only enter a single value and 'tab' to the next field but not enter anything the first value is locked allowing you to still drag the cursor to get the other value. For example if you would like to fix 'X' at 100mm but still be able to drag the 'Y' value, just enter 100 in the 'X' field, hit the 'tab' or 'enter' key and then drag to get the 'Y' value. Or once you've selected a start point but wish to create a line of a certain length but at some dragged angle, just enter a value into the 'Length' and then you can drag to any angle without changing the length. The same can be done to create a line at a fixed 'angle' but with a dragged length.

That being said, there is another thing that can be done in addition to the 'F3' key and that is that once the "input mode cursor box" appears, hold down the 'Ctrl' key and then using the cursor, select the "input mode cursor box" and while still holding down the 'Ctrl' key, drag it to wherever you would like it to remain while you're creating curves. And UNLIKE the 'F3' behavior, as long as you remain in whatever curve creation mode you're in the "input mode cursor box" will remain where you put it even after creating one curve and then starting a new one.

Anyway, give it a try as this give you the best of both worlds, an "input mode cursor box" which stays out of the way, but still available for imputing one or more of the needed values.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

UG/NX Museum:

http://www.plmworld.org/p/cm/ld/fid=209

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[jnikolauk]

acuially I think I'm thinking of the original "quick pick boxes" not that it really matters