Using "Touch" mice on SolidWorks 1

[cinnamongirl]

I'd like to know if anyone has worked on SolidWorks using the "Touch" (no scroll wheel) mice from Microsoft (Touch, Explorer Touch) or Logitech (Logitech Touch Mouse M600). Do the touch features work with zoom in/out? What about the missing third button?

 

[bithkits]

I have not used the MS touch mice, but I have had the misfortune of using mice without a scroll wheel or middle button.

If the middle button does not work, you can easily remap the functions to keyboard buttons but it then forces you to have both hands busy all the time (I like doing CAD with the mouse to rotate and so on, while I hold a physical component or pencil in my other hand for example).

A laptop touchpad creates a similar situation - without proper scroll wheel tactical feedback you tend to exaggerate the movements resulting in a frustrating experience overall.

So regarding touch mice, I would advise against it. Or, if you get a touchy feely mouse, at least get an el cheapo mouse with a real scroll wheel for CAD. I find 'gaming' mice work quite well for CAD because of the extra buttons. I often use a logitech marble mouse for office work and a MX518 for CAD - leave both plugged in at the same time - the clever Logitech drivers detect which mouse is active and activate those specific settings.

Another thing to consider is your preference for a scroll wheel with continuous or discrete motion - i.e. does it click like a ratchet as you rotate it or does it rotate smoothly? I prefer the ratchet scroll wheel. Some Microsoft mice do not have a ratchet scroll wheel.

A '3-D' mouse (see

http://www.3dconnexion.com

) is a nice addition if your main mouse is not up to the task.

Adriaan.
I am a Mechatronics Engineer from South Africa.

http://www.martin-electronics.co.za

 

[ctopher]

I have not seen the touch mouse, but I agree with Adriaan.
I use a Logitech mouse with the wheel and the 3Dconnexion mouse.
Once you're comfortable with a type, it takes a little time to get used to a new type. This can reduce your efficiency for a short while.

Chris
SolidWorks 11
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[cinnamongirl]

I still would like to know if anyone has tried a "Touch" mouse on SolidWorks, especially the finger sweep features for zooming in/out.

 

[steinmini]

Call me conservative, but I will not even think about such things until SW list this device as "certified"...

http://www.storyofstuff.org/

 

[PatCouture]

I think you would lose the ability to hold the middle button to rotate your parts so even if the zoom in and out works there is a compromise to be made.

Only my 2 cents

Patrick

 

[cinnamongirl]

Apparently there are third-party drivers that will allow a Touch mouse to perform a "middle-button click" by simultaneously pressing both left and right sides with two fingers (another more cumbersome hacked method I found involved clicking the mouse with one finger while holding down a key on the keyboard with the other hand).

I think a two-finger method is almost as efficient as a physical middle button, especially considering that today's "middle" button is merely the top of a skinny scroll wheel, and not a real button like the old days (anyone remember those mice?).

I'm curious to know how connected the user feels when swiping across the surface of the mouse to zoom in/out. I will report back after I get my hands on one and try it on SolidWorks.