<DONE> SpaceNavigator Driver - Mouse Joystick Keyboard

Crow · Post by **Crow** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:29 am

I had just set up a dual boot system with Windows 7 and XP 64bit on a spare hard drive last weekend for testing, so I was able to test this without riscing my main system.

I didn't get this to work on either platform.

With XP 64 bit, the driver installation went flawlessly but when I started the .exe it stated "SpaceNavigator not found". No changing values for the device, no changing in the joystick setup,... nothing.

On Windows 7 I got a little further (I know it's still a beta, but I thought I'd give it a try). After disabling driver signature the driver installation went ok and when I started the .exe, I could see changes in the joystick setup, enter the space tool, see the changing values, enter a configuration and hit the apply button. But that's when things got messy. The configuration didn't get saved and when I reenterd the configuration window all settings were lost. The applied settings were nothing I had set up but a jumbled mix with every axe doing something different and once I hit one of the two hardware buttons everything went totally haywire. The task bar icon stated "SpaceNavigator not found" and nothing worked any more.

Sorry, but no success with 64bit here as well. But on the plus side: no BSOD.

CatPunk · Post by **CatPunk** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 1:14 pm

Hi there everyone,

I am one of the "ten downloads", Omniflux mentioned. Although the Driver was written for XP x64, I tried to get it to work on my system:

Vista Business 64 Bit
CORE 2 Duo E6550 @ 2,33 Ghz
4 Gb RAM

ok, at first the driver didn't work, because it is not signed and therefor Vista refused to use it (problems with driver and so on...Code 39 in the German Version).

By the way, I'm using a SpaceNavigator Personal Edition.

Ok, I tried to activate the driver by pressing F8 during System Boot and choosing the Option to "deactivate driver signature force" or something like that. In fact, Vista then uses Drivers that are not officially signed as well. Little Problem here: I have to activate this function everytime I reboot...

First Results:
The Driver works this far: I get a new "Gamecontroller"-Device named SpaceNavigator. Unfortunately only one axis works (the one you use when you twist the SpaceNavigator horizontally), and both Buttons worked as well. All the other axis didn't respond on any action and i was not able to calibrate anything with the Vista gamecontroller-calibration...

BUT: The modified RBC9-program worked AND it found my device. I didn't have the time yet to test it in some applications, but i could move every axis (the program realized my movement) and assign it as well.

Unfortunately even after the assigning of all axis to joystick-axis the Microsoft-Gamecontroller still "worked" as i described above, only one axis and the two buttons are recognized by Vista. There seem to be still some problems.

I hope these informations are quite interesting for you. I'd love to have a working driver on my system. I'm sorry I can only test it because my skills in programming stuff only consist of small C++ knowledge from university.

Omniflux · Post by **Omniflux** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 1:57 pm

Crow wrote:I didn't get this to work on either platform.

Now I am sad.

With XP 64 bit, the driver installation went flawlessly but when I started the .exe it stated "SpaceNavigator not found".

Mine says this too, but then it works anyway. I know that's not helpful. :)

The configuration didn't get saved and when I reenterd the configuration window all settings were lost.

I have this problem on my XP 32bit system when using a limited user account. Running the tool as an administrator solves the issue there. Is there something similar in Windows 7 you can try?

The applied settings were nothing I had set up but a jumbled mix with every axe doing something different

Yeah, this appears to be a problem on any system until a layout is setup.

CatPunk wrote:First Results:
The Driver works this far: I get a new "Gamecontroller"-Device named SpaceNavigator. Unfortunately only one axis works (the one you use when you twist the SpaceNavigator horizontally), and both Buttons worked as well. All the other axis didn't respond on any action and i was not able to calibrate anything with the Vista gamecontroller-calibration...

This is the default or no layout configuration. All is well so far.

BUT: The modified RBC9-program worked AND it found my device. I didn't have the time yet to test it in some applications, but i could move every axis (the program realized my movement) and assign it as well.

Unfortunately even after the assigning of all axis to joystick-axis the Microsoft-Gamecontroller still "worked" as i described above, only one axis and the two buttons are recognized by Vista. There seem to be still some problems.

Did you switch layouts to the layout you created after you saved it? It does not do this automatically and took me awhile to figure out. Right click on the tool in the taskbar notification area and choose Switch Layout -> your new layout.

--
Omni Flux

CatPunk · Post by **CatPunk** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 2:13 pm

UPDATE:
It's me again. Sorry I accidently tried something and now it really seems to work properly, except for the movement speed (my device is damn fast in movement, hard to callibrate...)

I reinstalled the old driver (USB-HID), startet the 3dconnexion driver (start->programs->3dconnexion->3dware->start driver) and then startet the modified rbc9-stuff. first it doesn't recognize anything ("no device found", but after i choose the option "edit layout" via rightclick, it really started after some seconds. I made my layout (joystick-axis again) an applied the green button. Then I wanted to know wether it had any effects aon my system-hardware and... yes! there is a new gaming device, with 6 axis and two buttons. IT FINALLY WORKS!

only problems with callibrating as i mentioned above. perhaps i have to decrease the "dead zone" of the axis?

By the way, i cannot see in the taskbar wether my layout is used or not - a right-click doesn't show my layout, only the default entrys like in the first start of the program. but as i configure a new layout and "apply" it, there is this gamecontroler-entry named "SpaceNavigator" that can be callibrated...

Crow · Post by **Crow** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 4:15 pm

CatPunk wrote:UPDATE:
It's me again. Sorry I accidently tried something and now it really seems to work properly, except for the movement speed (my device is damn fast in movement, hard to callibrate...)

I reinstalled the old driver (USB-HID), startet the 3dconnexion driver (start->programs->3dconnexion->3dware->start driver) and then startet the modified rbc9-stuff. first it doesn't recognize anything ("no device found", but after i choose the option "edit layout" via rightclick, it really started after some seconds. I made my layout (joystick-axis again) an applied the green button. Then I wanted to know wether it had any effects aon my system-hardware and... yes! there is a new gaming device, with 6 axis and two buttons. IT FINALLY WORKS!

only problems with callibrating as i mentioned above. perhaps i have to decrease the "dead zone" of the axis?

By the way, i cannot see in the taskbar wether my layout is used or not - a right-click doesn't show my layout, only the default entrys like in the first start of the program. but as i configure a new layout and "apply" it, there is this gamecontroler-entry named "SpaceNavigator" that can be callibrated...

The same held true for me. I got it to work both under Windows 7 64bit (Thanks for the Administrator hint. That was crucial, too.) and XP 64bit this way. You can get normal speeds for the joystick if you install the RBC9 drivers afterwards.
However, we're not quite there yet, because I can't change the layout on the fly at all. Currently the only way to change the layout is to edit it in the space tool and then reboot the system. So the installation might also work with setting the layout first and than installing the drivers.
I also noticed that the LEDs on my SpaceNavigator are not blinking while editing the layout. So I'm guessing there is still something wrong with the communication between the space tool and the drivers.

Omniflux · Post by **Omniflux** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:26 am

Keithlostracco, it sounds like both the working cases are using a SpaceNavigator. This is both good and bad for you...Good because it narrows down the number of places in the code the driver can be having an issue, and bad because I don't have a SpacePilot to work with.

I have ordered a book on windows driver development because I don't understand what much of the code in the driver is for and don't have time to figure it all out while sitting at a computer using MSDN as a reference.

Unfortunately, none of the bookstores where I am now carried a copy, so it will be next week when I get home before I will even be able to start reading it.

Hopefully after that I'll be able to understand enough to start tracking down whatever issue it is that you are experiencing with your SpacePilot.

Any developers, if you have been avoiding working on the driver, but have experience with C# with calls to standard windows dll's (as opposed to .net), the user space tool can use some work to be 64 bit happy. If you want to work on this, let me know so I can tell you the minimum changes that need to be made to make it happy. Otherwise I will try to get to it after I understand what the driver is doing...which is going to take awhile.

64bit driver users, there are at least ten more of you who have downloaded this driver, if you also happened to install it, we would like to hear your results and which device you are using it with.

--
Omni Flux

CatPunk · Post by **CatPunk** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 12:10 pm

You can get normal speeds for the joystick if you install the RBC9 drivers afterwards.

Sorry, i didn't get that part....
I tried to install the normal RBC9 SpaceNav applicatiom for 32bit systems, that really decreased the speed a little (or it didn't have any effect and i'm misinterpreting). I decreased all speed in the 3dconnexion-configuration, too. Now, the device is still not configurable by hand but the standart calibration of the system works well and i'm nearly able to control it.

@Crow: could you please explain again how you decreased the speed exactly? thnx

Another problem i mentioned is that the movement of the device is recognized by my system (i see the amplitude of the moving axis), but when i stop movement, the axis are not reset to zero-point. That means for example when i assign any key binds to joystick movement (in the moment i'm using "joycur"), and for example use zoom (ctrl+numpad"+") in firefox, the page is zoomed in even when i stop using my device. It is hard to stop the zooming too, because the device is still so damn fast...

any ideas to solve that?

Omniflux · Post by **Omniflux** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 4:01 pm

CatPunk wrote:Another problem i mentioned is that the movement of the device is recognized by my system (i see the amplitude of the moving axis), but when i stop movement, the axis are not reset to zero-point. That means for example when i assign any key binds to joystick movement (in the moment i'm using "joycur"), and for example use zoom (ctrl+numpad"+") in firefox, the page is zoomed in even when i stop using my device. It is hard to stop the zooming too, because the device is still so damn fast...

any ideas to solve that?

When you are in the user space tool, after you move the controller and let go, the following numbers do not all return to 0?

Keithlostracco, I have just finished re-reading this entire thread, and it appears the SpacePilot does not work with the 32bit version either. Do you know if this is correct? If so...it may be a very long time before I am able to get it working...

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Omni Flux

Omniflux · Post by **Omniflux** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 4:19 pm

RBC9 wrote:I ve made a little add to the driver. (based on my source , so if u use modified version ... sorry )

A new option to turn off the Led after init/switch profil.

If you are still around, Ced, can you please post the new source code for this?

Ilia wrote:I had to edit the source a bit to make it work with my Space Navigator for Notebboks. I also made a version with editor form that fits on screen in 800x480 resolution for fellow car pc users.

If you are still around, Ilia, can you please post the new source code for this?

yos wrote:I was waiting for someone to write and publish space explorer support for a longtime. Recentry, I decided to do it by myself. It seems working on my environment (Windows XP 32bit with SpaceExplorer).

yos wrote:Changes
* Add a SpaceExplorer ProductID (RBC9-SpaceNav.inf)
* Change number of joystick buttons to 16 (RBC9-SpaceNav.sys)
* Add SpaceExplorer support (RBC9-SpaceNav.exe)
* Support 16 buttons joystick button mapping (RBC9-SpaceNav.exe)

If you are still around, yos, can you please post the new source code for this?

pi3573 wrote:ive used the source and added in the parts for Space Explorer USB Ver.

If you are still around, pi3573, can you please post the new source code for this?

Oooookay. Now I feel like a beggar. Also, pi3573 is the only one of the above who has left an email address in this thread. If he does not respond, I will try emailing him in a few weeks.

And so anyone else can do the same to me if I appear to disappear from this forum, I can be reached at [email protected]. I would rather keep everything related to this project in this thread though, to help anyone else who might try to work on this driver.

Thanks,

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Omni Flux

CatPunk · Post by **CatPunk** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 4:42 pm

When you are in the user space tool, after you move the controller and let go, the following numbers do not all return to 0?

in the user space tool all numbers return to 0. I'm fine with this, unfortunately i have still the problem that my changes are not saved by the space tool. Any Binds i make disappear as soon as i apply and close the tool.
No Layouts when i right-click the symbol, no Binds/Layouts in the List when i configure the layout. Everytime i finish one Layout, everything is lost.

BUt: the devicemanager in vista allways keeps the SpaceNavigator as gamedevice with 6 axis and two buttons. JIPEY! so far...
Only the movements I make do not return to zero there but stay where they have been set.

Omniflux · Post by **Omniflux** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 4:59 pm

CatPunk wrote:unfortunately i have still the problem that my changes are not saved by the space tool. Any Binds i make disappear as soon as i apply and close the tool.
No Layouts when i right-click the symbol, no Binds/Layouts in the List when i configure the layout. Everytime i finish one Layout, everything is lost.

Have you tried running the user space tool as an administrator? It needs to save the bindings to a location in the registry that the driver can read, and normal users cannot do this.

Once your layouts are setup, you can run the user space tool without administrator rights until the next time you need to modify the layouts.

The tool can switch layouts without administrator rights.

Hope this helps.

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Omni Flux

CatPunk · Post by **CatPunk** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:28 pm

ok, this was stupid. I should have thought about the administrator-thing, too. might be a little tired. thnx, now i can really save my layouts.

The assignments still have no effect on my system. I bind the UP-Arrow-key to the y-axis < 0 ... then I switch to the Layout i made, start my application... and nothing happens. Same thing with other Binds. Although the SpaceTool recognizes my Device very well (numbers are running when i move the axis)

The whole time the recognized gamedevice is testable in vistas gamedevice-controler, btw. thats why I tried to work with this "driver" instead of the SpaceDriver... but i begin to understand that i won't come too far with this.

Omniflux · Post by **Omniflux** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:41 pm

CatPunk wrote:Although the SpaceTool recognizes my Device very well (numbers are running when i move the axis)

Are you closing the user space tool before trying to use the device in your application? While the user space tool is open, the driver does not do *anything*.

You may need to set the layout as the default layout, save, and reboot to get the driver to load the correct profile, it does not seem to be working correctly, as per Crow:

Crow wrote:However, we're not quite there yet, because I can't change the layout on the fly at all. Currently the only way to change the layout is to edit it in the space tool and then reboot the system. So the installation might also work with setting the layout first and than installing the drivers.

--
Omni Flux

CatPunk · Post by **CatPunk** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:59 pm

Are you closing the user space tool before trying to use the device in your application? While the user space tool is open, the driver does not do *anything*.

closing means "Apply"-Button an "save changes" so the windows closes but the symbol still rotates in the taskbar? Or should I Exit the Spacetool via right-click after applying / saving changes to my Layout?

Anyway I tried both now an nothing worked. Perhaps it can't because my decvice doesn't use the RBC9-Driver but the "old" HID-USB-Driver as i said above. Anyway I've still got this 6-axis-GameDevice in vistas gamedevice-controler-window, the original 3dConnexion-Driver didn't produce one. So I suppose there have been a mixture while I was trying the RBC9-64bit-driver?? This should not be possible, should it?

Or is it created by the former RBC9-64bit-driver and rest still in the system, although the driver has been removed?

ok, I'm going to sleep now. thank you very much for your kindness and your endless effort. Btw we should rename the RBC9-64bit-driver to RBC9-Omniflux-64bit-driver, shouldn't we?

Omniflux · Post by **Omniflux** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:30 pm

CatPunk wrote:closing means "Apply"-Button an "save changes" so the windows closes but the symbol still rotates in the taskbar?

Yes, this should be sufficient.

CatPunk wrote:Anyway I tried both now an nothing worked. Perhaps it can't because my decvice doesn't use the RBC9-Driver but the "old" HID-USB-Driver as i said above.

Yes, this is probably why. I did not realize you had not reinstalled the RBC9 driver. The layout you configure in the user space tool will only be applied when the RBC9 driver is running.

CatPunk wrote:Anyway I've still got this 6-axis-GameDevice in vistas gamedevice-controler-window, the original 3dConnexion-Driver didn't produce one. So I suppose there have been a mixture while I was trying the RBC9-64bit-driver?? This should not be possible, should it?

Can you send me a screenshot of your game device controller window? I have no idea what is going on...

CatPunk wrote:Or is it created by the former RBC9-64bit-driver and rest still in the system, although the driver has been removed?

I have no idea. If at some point you do reinstall the RBC9 driver, please do the following first.

Uninstall "RBC9 - SpaceNavigator" in Add/Remove Programs if it is installed
Delete the following files, if they exist
- C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\RBC9-SpaceNav.sys
  C:\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\Drivers\RBC9-SpaceNav.sys
  C:\WINDOWS\inf\RBC9-SpaceNav.inf
  C:\WINDOWS\inf\rbc9-spacenav.PNF
Search for RBC in C:\WINDOWS\inf\oem*.inf and delete the oem#.inf and matching oem#.pnf files if they exist

Hopefully this will remove any trace of it from your system before you reinstall it (but I don't have the experience with Vista to be sure).

CatPunk wrote:Sorry I accidently tried something and now it really seems to work properly, except for the movement speed (my device is damn fast in movement, hard to callibrate...)

I reinstalled the old driver (USB-HID)

So it is working correctly as a joystick without the RBC9 driver now, but it is too sensitive?

CatPunk wrote:thank you very much for your kindness and your endless effort. Btw we should rename the RBC9-64bit-driver to RBC9-Omniflux-64bit-driver, shouldn't we?

You're very welcome. I hope we can get this working for everyone, and once I do something besides get it to compile, I'll consider adding my name to it...

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Omni Flux

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<DONE> SpaceNavigator Driver - Mouse Joystick Keyboard

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