Space Navigator and sketch 2D mode

[mmauldin]

I've been using a Spaceball 4000 for quite a while but lately it is deteriorating in terms of smoothness. I borrowed a Space Navigator from an engineer who is out of the office and it worked well except for one thing. When I enter the sketch function, it locks into 2D mode. I can pan and zoom, but no rotations. I can call up the external Space Navigator settings window and restore rotations while I'm in the sketch, but the next time I use sketch, I'm again locked in 2D mode.

Is there a setting somewhere in UG that will force 3D all the time or is this a matter to take up with 3dconnexion?

 

[MCGNX]

I've noticed this with the navigator too, but not on all of them so it must be a setting somewhere. I use a Space Traveler, and it does not do this by default, however it has more buttons and you can map one to do it.

I would say since the navigator only has 2 buttons they made this some kind of default setting for convienience. Check the settings, and I'm fairly certain the ones that don't do this by default at our plant have a different driver. I know this because the ones that don't do it do not have the 3D connexion toolbar in UG either.

 

[Vikingbro]

I just tried to replicate what you desribed with my SpaceNavigator, and I have no issues Pan, Zoom and rotating while in a sketch.

I am running NX 4.0.4.2 MP4 and I saw no preference settings that would seem to suggest a 2D vs. 3D preferrence with regards to sketches.

Weird.


Chris Cooper
Senior CAD Specialist
Cleveland Golf / Never Compromise

http://www.clevelandgolf.com

http://www.nevercompromise.com

 

[JohnRBaker]

I'm running versions from UG V16.0 through NX 6.0 and everything works fine. However, I do have an unusual configuration. At work and when I'm on the road, I use a Space Traveler with my Dell M65 laptop, and at home, with the same laptop, I use a Space Navigator. Note that I've only installed one driver, the one for the Traveler downloaded from the 3DConnexion's support website, but it works fine even though I'm using the same driver with two DIFFERENT devices.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
NX Design
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

 

[LMTDCS]

I have the exact same problem running NX5.04 using space navigator PE. I have reloaded latest drivers ect. to no avail I hope some one has a solution as it makes sketching difficult. FYI we also use the navigator on 3 other cad/cam systems (alibre-ideas-acad) with no problems.

 

[mmauldin]

Thanks for the input. Sounds like I need to try using the Traveler driver.

In the meantime I setup the right button to toggle rotations while in sketcher. It will do for now but I would rather use that button for something else.

It's a little strange, but the current driver seem to treat the sketcher as a separate application, that is, I can program the buttons one way when outside sketcher and another when I'm in sketcher. For normal use, the buttons are set to shade/wireframe and in sketcher they are remapped to fit view and toggle rotations.

 

[mmauldin]

Scratch trying the Traveler driver. 3Dconnexion's website shows the same driver the Traveler, Navigator, and Pilot.

 

[Dave K]

Don't install the NX plugin, when you install the driver.

I have a SpacePilot, and it has a 3D Lock button, so when I need to move in 3D while in a sketch, you just press that. I've also talked with 3D Connexion about putting an option in, where you could have it NOT lock into 2d mode when entering a sketch, and they seemed open to the idea, once I explained, and demonstrated why.

-Dave

-Dave
Everything should be designed as simple as possible, but not simpler.

 

[hudson888]

Dave,

The navigator has two buttons I'm not sure what they do by default, one button pulls up the 3DXware and the other resets it, they may be programmable. If you can hit the lock unlock on the space-pilot then it allows the sketch to rotate, so having that setting on your navigator may be the solution.

When you're next chatting with 3D connection. Is it just me or did the latest drivers stop working with Microsoft Office?

Best Regards

Hudson

 

[mmauldin]

I tried Dave's advice by uninstalling the driver and reinstalling, but the latest driver installs the plug-in by default with out an option to not install. One of our users installed NX5 after installing the Space Navigator drivers and he does not have this issue. I'm guessing the driver installation looks for NX5 and installs the plug-in if it is present.

So for now, mapping the right button to toggle rotations will have to suffice. I also mapped the left button to orient the view to the sketch but the built-in Navigator macro does not match the current NX5 sketcher menu structure and brings up the spline function. I remapped it to work with the new menu and all is well now.

 

[phillpd]

There should be a "ugalliance" folder created when you Install the 3DConnexion software.
Have you tried renaming the DLL so that it doesn't load when NX starts ?

Specialty Engineered Automation (SEA)

http://www.sea4ug.com

a UGS Foundation Partner

 

[Dave K]

Try going to the Control Panel (assuming your on a Windows machine), and Add/Remove Programs (or Programs and Features on Vista). Select the 3DConnexion driver, and you should get the option to "modify", then uncheck the NX plugin.

That works on Vista anyway.

-Dave
Everything should be designed as simple as possible, but not simpler.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Speaking of SpaceNavigators versus SpaceTravelers, it appears that 3DConnexion has developed a new device that combines the best of both products (at a price halfway between the two):

http://www.3dconnexion.com/3dmouse/spacenavigatorfornotebooks.php

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
NX Design
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

 

[mmauldin]

Gunman,

Thanks for the tip, it worked perfectly. Well, the second time I tried it worked perfectly. The first time I tried it, well, I've never seen a computer shut down that fast.