Recognizing Mathcad

Questions and answers about 3Dconnexion devices on Windows.

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YBW
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Location: Madison, WI

Recognizing Mathcad

Post by YBW »

I would like to use my SpacePilot Pro with Mathcad Prime 3.0 on my Windows 7 64x computer. However, the Pro doesn't see the shift in focus when I click in the Mathcad window. Any suggestions?
UtaSH
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Re: Recognizing Mathcad

Post by UtaSH »

Hello YBW,

you can find a list of supported applications on our website. Mathcad Prime 3.0 is not (yet) listed.

In order to use it with 3Dconnexion devices, support for 3D devices would need to be added inside this software. Adding 3D device support to an application is determined by the application developer rather than by 3Dconnexion. We have an SDK [Development Kit] which any software developer can download at no cost and which allows the integration of 3D device support in proprietary software. Please see here for more details.

We advise our customers to contact the Customer Service of applications that are lacking support and request it be added in future versions of their software. The decision to include 3D support in their development schedule is often influenced by the level of customer interest.

I recommend that you contact PTC and express your wish to make clear that this is a demand from their customers.
YBW
Posts: 61
Joined: Thu May 07, 2009 12:59 pm
Location: Madison, WI

Re: Recognizing Mathcad

Post by YBW »

This response is a little surprising. When 3DxWare was in Beta there was a screen for adding programs. Now that it is no longer Beta the screen is gone.
Also, PTC produces 2 forms of Mathcad: the old version 15 and the new Prime. 3DxWare recognizes 15 but not Prime.
What I'm hearing is I'm on my own. At least the answer is clear.
mjgaisser
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:34 am

Re: Recognizing Mathcad

Post by mjgaisser »

Um, Mathcad isn't a 3D application, why would PTC add 3D device support? It's not detecting the application switch, which with the latest drivers would know that you've opened Notepad let alone Mathcad.
YBW
Posts: 61
Joined: Thu May 07, 2009 12:59 pm
Location: Madison, WI

Re: Recognizing Mathcad

Post by YBW »

Good morning MJG,

Back in the mid 2000s 3Dconnexion supported non-3D software. There was a suit for Windows apps, for instance. These profiles became legacy and now are useless with the XML coding. Ever since that time my use of my Pro has been pretty non-standard. And, 3DxWare Beta supported any app you wanted to point the Pro at. As a result I could program short cuts for all of my apps Word, Excel, Firefox, Chrome, Gmail... and continue to use the reflexes I'd developed.

Mathcad 14 was one of those programs. The classic short cut, for me, was creating wide text blocks. In Mathcad this involves right click >Properties >Text Tab >Wide Text Block check box > Enter. On my Pro it's Button 5. Much faster. And as I've said, the Beta supported it.

So, my questions was, why remove functionality?

In fact, the Germans have repeatedly removed functionality from the drivers. That has been the pattern since Logitech bought Spacetec, folded the Spaceball into its product line, and centered all development in Bavaria. I've been in awe of the mechanical performance of the German designed 6 axis mice. Now if they would just let some Americans do the programming this thing would replace keyboards.
mjgaisser
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:34 am

Re: Recognizing Mathcad

Post by mjgaisser »

The current drivers still let you have profiles for all of those, it's supposed to detect the running application and create a new blank profile which you can edit it you want (I have working profiles for Word, Excel, Firefox, etc for my SPP). Yes, you can't explicitly add the program anymore because they removed that functionality, but they didn't remove the ability to create a profile for non-3D software or whatever you're currently running; the requirement is that the program is running and you launch the Properties while it's focused.

I'd enable logging and startup Prime to see what the driver is trying to do. I have a hard time believing this is PTC's fault when the latest drivers know I'm using Notepad or Calculator.
YBW
Posts: 61
Joined: Thu May 07, 2009 12:59 pm
Location: Madison, WI

Re: Recognizing Mathcad

Post by YBW »

Your right. That's the same behavior I've seen. I'll give it a try. Thanks.
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