macOS Big Sur and Monterey - Pre-release Driver Available

[McTTRS]

Got a SpaceMouse Compact for use with Google Earth on my Big Sur Mac based on assurances from 3DConnexion support that it worked fine. Has anyone gotten this to work or is it a just a case misrepresentation by support?

[krst]

I've installed the latest drivers (10.7.0 3295) on my MacOS 11.2.1 MacBook Pro with SpaceMouse Pro Wireless (attached wired), and while the 3DConnexion trainer seems to work smoothly in Big Sur, I cannot get Google Earth to work correctly. Previous versions with Google Earth on Catalina worked perfectly, but now the axes either don't respond or suddenly break for maximum velocity and I'm spinning one way or another. Sometimes it seems that Google Earth doesn't move at all until I release the SpaceMouse. When spinning, I cannot stop the spin by reversing the direction. It simply doesn't work.

Google Earth is set to "Enable Controller", I've re-downloaded the current version of Google Earth (7.3.3.7786), reset all 3DConnexion defaults, calibrated the Spacemouse. I've also tried using another device, the Space Navigator, and have identical results, so it isn't the hardware.

Something has happened between 3DConnexion and Google Earth that I don't understand. For those who have Google Earth working, how did you do it? What are your settings?

[bollella@icloud.com]

Thanks. I understand. Are the issues with camera manipulation with the Space Mouse Enterprise being addressed in development? If so, when can we expect a new version to be available?
Thanks,
Greg

[mdhassoc]

Has anyone found a fix for Google Earth Pro? Running Big Sur with Space Mouse. Nothing works.

[ngomes]

Got a SpaceMouse Compact for use with Google Earth on my Big Sur Mac based on assurances from 3DConnexion support that it worked fine. Has anyone gotten this to work or is it a just a case misrepresentation by support?

We can't tell one way or the other.

Can you give us some context of what you were told, how did you contact support and when? My colleagues can then take the information and see why you weren't told about the Google Earth issues.

[ngomes]

Thanks. I understand. Are the issues with camera manipulation with the Space Mouse Enterprise being addressed in development? If so, when can we expect a new version to be available?

I think you're referring to our Maya solution. Yes, we're still looking at minimising the reported instabilities in Maya but we do not yet have a projection when we can have it fixes.

What mostly affects our progress is not being able to reproduce these issues in-house. The crashes may occur more often (or not at all) with particular 3D geometry (the data being edited in Maya).

If you have a reproducible scenario, we would appreciate if you could share it here so that we can look into it.

[ngomes]

Has anyone found a fix for Google Earth Pro? Running Big Sur with Space Mouse. Nothing works.

We don't know if a fix will be available. We see no path forward to resolve this issue.

Google Earth appears to be blocking the main thread (perhaps to draw as fast as possible), shutting down the communication with our driver for macOS 11.

At this point, we believe the application needs to be modified to restore functionality.

[KlausEngel]

Firmware is 4.04

Do you have access to a Windows machine? If so, you can try running the firmware update tool that we're currently distributing for the CadMouse and CadMouse Wireless (see here). The SpaceNavigator will be updated to the latest firmware version: 4.36.

The issue that you reported does not appear to be specific to the new driver and macOS 11.

The firmware update tool does not recognize the SpaceNavigator: "No valid 3Dconnexion USB device found."

[zoomer]

Hmmh,
I tried the firmware update at that time also for all my 3 Devices.
Enterprise, CADMouse USB and original Space Navigator.
All 3 Devices were available from updater.

CADMouse got its clicks back,
no differences visible for both others.

But now that you say ....
my Space Navigator shows firmware 3.18 only .....

[ngomes]

But now that you say ....
my Space Navigator shows firmware 3.18 only .....

Not sure I follow. What seems to be the problem?

There were SpaceNavigator devices manufactured with that firmware version (3.18). That's to be expected if you have an old device.

[ngomes]

The firmware update tool does not recognize the SpaceNavigator: "No valid 3Dconnexion USB device found."

I just had a look and the flash program only supports SpaceNavigator devices running firmware v. 4.20 or newer. Since you have version 4.04, it won't be found as a "supported device".

Devices with version 4.04 or older were manufactured before 2011 are based on a different architecture. I doubt we have newer firmware for such an old device.

[bollella@icloud.com]

Thanks. I understand. Are the issues with camera manipulation with the Space Mouse Enterprise being addressed in development? If so, when can we expect a new version to be available?

I think you're referring to our Maya solution. Yes, we're still looking at minimising the reported instabilities in Maya but we do not yet have a projection when we can have it fixes.

What mostly affects our progress is not being able to reproduce these issues in-house. The crashes may occur more often (or not at all) with particular 3D geometry (the data being edited in Maya).

If you have a reproducible scenario, we would appreciate if you could share it here so that we can look into it.

I can send you an fbx, obj, or .ma file and give you some guidance on how to cause a crash (although it will be vague since the crashes are random). Would this help?
Thanks,
Greg

[ngomes]

I can send you an fbx, obj, or .ma file and give you some guidance on how to cause a crash (although it will be vague since the crashes are random). Would this help?

Only if the file is significant to reproduce the crash. For example, if you see random crashes with a particular document but not with others, then it would be interesting for us to get a copy. Otherwise, we have plenty of data.

[bollella@icloud.com]

I can send you an fbx, obj, or .ma file and give you some guidance on how to cause a crash (although it will be vague since the crashes are random). Would this help?

Only if the file is significant to reproduce the crash. For example, if you see random crashes with a particular document but not with others, then it would be interesting for us to get a copy. Otherwise, we have plenty of data.

So far I have been working on only one project with the SPE and CMW so I don't know if other documents would not show crashes.

BTW, I fill out the crash reports each crash and they get sent to Autodesk so they have all that is included in those.

Greg

[zoomer]

But now that you say ....
my Space Navigator shows firmware 3.18 only .....

Not sure I follow. What seems to be the problem?

There were SpaceNavigator devices manufactured with that firmware version (3.18). That's to be expected if you have an old device.

What, no new firmware for me ?
Old device, may be.
I think it is from 2004 or so.
Still in perfect condition.
OK, maybe the rubber got a bit sticky the last years ...
(Silicone Spray helps)