Maya 2024 Rotate Object along Object(Local) axis

[SvenVenohr]

Hey People

I recently became a proud 3D Connexion SpaceMouse Compact - owner and I want to use it in Maya 2024. (Using the latest Windows driver 10-8-16) and being on Windows 11.
Now to me, the Space-Mouse actually just feels like a 6 axis-input device so I try to make this happen.

What I want is taking an object in Maya and manipulate it with my SpaceMouse. The thing is that Manipulations actually are always in relation to the current active camera (Rotating is always according to the perspective and not to the local axis of the object)
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Does anybody of you know how to switch the axis orientation to the object's axis orientation?

I am basically envisioning something like: "right, left,-> translate X; forward, backward -> translateZ; up, down -> translateY; tilt right, left -> rotateX, turn left, right -> rotateY, tilt forward, backward -> rotateZ" -> Each manipulation of my mouse corresponding to a distinct axis (Object transform attribute)
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So far I have figured out that the SpaceMouse corresponds extremely bad with hierarchies (Manipulating a parented/constrained Object just behaves absolutely insane) but that is something I can live with, even though I think it is some sort of a bug.
My personal research so far actually suggests that what I want is not really a straight-ahead setting in the Mouse-Settings, but maybe some of you have already used the Mouse this way/thought of doing so.
However, if in any case my Maya 2024 version is not currently supported for what I want or Windows 11 is an issue here, please feel free to tell me as well!

Thanks in advance!!
Sven

[DavidV]

Based on the issue you have reported, we will need to investigate a possible warranty replacement for your device.
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Hello Sven,

You should have an option in the advanced settings of the driver to move the object with the SpaceMouse.
it should be in Settings > Advanced Settings > Other

[SvenVenohr]

Hi David,

Thank you, yes, that is correct. I can use the object mode to move and rotate objects in Maya.

So this is my setup: (Example1) A camera is facing downwards onto some cubes that I want to manipulate.
It is NOT the orthogonal Top-camera, but a normal perspective camera that I have put above the cubes at some distance and locked at a 90 degree angle.

I am using a tear-off copy of this view to manipulate my objects. (See Example2)

Now the thing is: This way I can manipulate the objects along the world axis. Basically the objects always move and rotate in relation to the active camera. This means that I have no way to actually rotate the object around its actual local axis except using this fixed perspective which lets me at least use "rotateY" since this is basically the camera roll-axis.

In a nutshell, of the 6 possible axis, I am able to "use" 4 properly, I can move the boxes right, left, up, down, forwards, backwards, just because they are perfectly aligned with this camera. (Orthogonal cameras actually only allow for movement, so I have to use perspective cameras to unlock rotation at all)


The big issue is this: I am never really manipulating the Object's axis truly. I am always manipulating the object in relation to the camera I am looking through. This means, if I have my camera perfectly aligned as I did in my scene, the Object's axis at least coincide with the world axis that I can use (and also rotateY) which is just a roll movement if you look at it from above (Up axis is Y in Maya)
It is a workaround that lets me lose 2 axis (RotateX and RotateZ in this case) because if I rotate around the Z axis by 90 degrees, it "becomes" the local X axis.
(It shows really well in that example since once you rotate the cube by 90 degrees, it looks just like 0 degrees - basically no indicator that actually the axis have switched)

The main idea is still to get my Mouse input axis clean onto the local axis (or world, I dont care, but just NOT in relation to the camera I am looking through) of my selected object.


I hope the images make my point more clear...
I just don't understand that this is not a normal setting with this mouse. In my opinion it is really weird to add the option to rotate objects,
but entertain the idea that you don't want to just "look" at things but also actually use the Mouse to properly manipulate them.

Happy second Advent by the way!

[SvenVenohr]

Edit:
"
I just don't understand that this is not a normal setting with this mouse. In my opinion it is really weird to add the option to rotate objects,
but NOT entertain the idea that you don't just want to "look" at things but also actually use the Mouse to properly manipulate them."

Now that sentence makes sense

Also, even though I checked quite deeply, I still might miss some possible setting that lets me do just that.
If so, please tell, but so far I haven't found anything like this.

[jwick]

Would you want to lock the movement to the "closest" object (local) axis, or do you want to directly manipulate that object axis regardless of POV?

The first allows you to make use of your POV, but the movement will be filtered to be applied to the object axis that is closest to what you are doing with your hand. You push/rotate to the right, the object moves along its local axis that is currently closest to your movement. You don't need to remember how X, Y, Z are currently oriented WRT your camera.

The second would completely ignore your POV and directly map the input devices axes to the object's axes. IOW, you push to the right and the object may move left/up/down/away/etc. (from your POV).

I think either one of these could only reasonably be done one DOF at a time.

[SvenVenohr]

Hi jwick,

Yes, I want to directly manipulate the selected object, regardless of POV

Yes, I want to map my mouse movements directly onto the object's axis.
Yes, this might mean that for instance, if I have rotated my object by 90 degrees, the axis also might change (so up becomes side and so on)

You know, with the space mouse I have the opportunity to input 6 different axis into Maya, without any external script or device, just pure input of 6 axis (instead of only 2 which come with the normal mouse movement -> up down, left right)

Apparently this is not a viable thing for actually using and manipulating controllers directly but you can look at the Space mouse like a 6 slider-input and you can even input them simultaneously.


My ultimate goal is to make use of all 6 axis which lets me speed up my posing process by insane amounts since I can simultaneously move/rotate one or even several of my controls since I can use driven key to map the Space-mouse input onto my controllers. Therefore - the more the better.
It is like having 2 additional channels to work with. (Compared to what I have so far)

I do NOT care about the actual object that I am manipulating (actually yes, but since you cannot manipulate controllers properly, I have to somehow map my Spacemouse-Movement to a "normal" object in my scene) I just want to be able to always use a distinct channel once I manipulate my space-mouse in any way.
Hence, I need to find a way to properly input my axis movement cleanly onto specific axis (other than suddenly manipulating all 3 rotation axis at once,
depending on the current rotation)


As shown, my current workaround lets me at least map 4 axis properly, but it is just because I set up the camera properly. And, I will not be able to use the 2 last axis without messing up all 3 rotation axis at the same time.

[jwick]

Does Maya still have the channel manager? (I may be thinking of a previous Alias product.)

Most of the animation products have a way of letting the use directly map any input device value to any scene/object parameter. Providing many more possibilities than we could ever pre-assign.

[SvenVenohr]

Hi Jwick,

If this is what you mean, Maya has a channel box for objects where Rotation and Translation (And basically many more, some locked, some hidden) is stored.

Can you please tell me what you mean by "animation products"? This sounds interesting.


Also, I found a workaround which does the trick for me (Getting all 6 channels):

I duplicated the cube that I want to manipulate 2 times and limited their rotation capabilities all differently. Main Cube has RotateX and RotateZ locked, second Cube has RotateX and RotateY locked and third has RotateY and RotateZ locked. They can all move in world space translate (Which means that they share their pivot/rotation point.

With this setup I achieve the following: Translation axis are mapped correctly. Also, the first object gets the rotationY axis (Camera roll) and the 2 other
objects receive just one extra rotation axis (X or Z, depending on what is locked). Therefore the last 2 missing input axis are divided cleanly on the 2 additional objects. Plus: since they are all at the same location, the rotation always is from center (not jumping around because all objects always have the same position in space)


I have to admit, this is a pretty complicated way to get all the input axis but it is a way to just use Maya tools and the SpaceMouse without any extra scripting/plugin/hardware. Also, it is just a possibility to extend the capabilities of the SpaceMouse which I find already hugely impressive by what it is actually supposed to do lol

[xeniate]

Does Maya still have the channel manager? (I may be thinking of a previous Alias product.)

Most of the animation products have a way of letting the use directly map any input device value to any scene/object parameter. Providing many more possibilities than we could ever pre-assign. infinite craft

The open-ended nature of Infinite Craft encourages creativity and problem-solving skills.

[jendy]

than you