Sticky Keys in Softimage 2013...

[aphex_guy]

Hello all,

I recently just purchased a Spacemouse Pro for work, and was loving it immensely when testing around the unique navigation style. Things quickly turned to frustration as I got down to assigning keys in an attempt to minimize keyboard usage during my modelling sessions. The problem is, that in my workflow I necessitates using sticky keys (such as temporarily entering translate/scale/rotate tools while holding a key down) for many of the commands in Softimage 2013. That appears to be a big problem for the spacemouse pro, since it only seems to register key presses, not holding down a key. The only exception to this is the ctrl/alt/shift keys on the spacemouse, as those register holds. I feel it would be reasonable to get the other keys to work with holds too. Can someone please help me?

[Barbara]

Hello aphex_guy -

The current driver for the SpaceMouse Pro does not include a press and hold option.

Button mapping for Softimage needs be done from the 'Customize buttons' option on the pop-up menu [SpaceMouse Pro Menu button]. 'Customize buttons' opens the dedicated editor inside Softimage where application-specific commands are available. Using the Softimage commands from the editor will allow you to map commands that cannot be reproduced with the available keyboard combinations.
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Barbara

[aphex_guy]

I feel like the problem is two-fold, really. Not only are sticky keys not supported in anything besides shift/ctrl/alt keys, but adding modifiers to commands is also unsupported. Given the button limitations of the space mouse Pro, it seems like a no-brainer feature to have modifiers (ctrl/alt/shift) working within the softimage keyboard mapping interface. This is clearly possible with Softimage's own keyboard mapping interface, so why is it not available via the custom 3dconnexion interface? Having that functionality within 3dconnexion's Softimage button customization would triple the available button possibilities, which within Softimage is very important.

The only way I was able to work around the Softimage plug-in's limitations was to actually use the external space mouse pro command binding application. Although it does not include custom Softimage-specific commands, it at least lets me map the space mouse's buttons to keyboard keys. I then used Softimage's own keymapper which allows modifiers.

[Barbara]

Hello aphex_guy -

For button mapping to be saved in your profile it needs to be done in the Customize Buttons editor inside Softimage. The dedicated editor has priority over mapping done in 3Dconnexion Properties. Mapping done there would be overwritten when Softimage restarts.

To map a keyboard shortcut that generates a Softimage command, you need to first create it in 3DConnexion Properties - Button Configuration - Custom Functions so that it is listed in Current Recorded Functions. When you re-start Softimage the new command will appear in the category '3DxWare' in the Customize Buttons editor .
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Barbara

[aphex_guy]

Good to know this is still possible to do through the custom keymapper. I was wondering why some times I lost my mappings, this'd probably explain it. I am assuming that when the custom function is added inside the custom softimage keymapper that it will still allow me to use softimage's modifiers if set up through their keymapper?

[Barbara]

Hello aphex_guy -

Yes, once the shortcut has been assigned in the Softimage Keyboard Mapping Editor you can save it in the Customize Functions editor in 3Dconnexion Properties and give it a name you'll recognize. The name you assign it will be added to the 3DxWare category in the Customize Buttons editor inside Softimage. The list of shortcuts [Current Recorded Functions] is read when the application starts so you need to re-start Softimage and open the Customize Buttons - 3DxWare category to see one that has just been created.
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Barbara