SolidWorks 2008 (SP 2.1) and Spaceball 4000 (serial)

[drwly]

I can't get the latest driver for the Spaceball 4000 (serial) to work. Solidworks will not load the driver.

[rstadie]

Hi,

The latest available Software for your device is 3DxSoftware 2.8.2 which does not support SolidWorks 2008. (SolidWorks 2008 came out after the release of 3DxSoftware 2.8.2). Please also see here.

[jalcad]

The 2.8 driver WILL WORK with SW 2008 and your serial device. Go to the downloads and download the latest driver for your Spaceball BUT choose the USB driver. Then leave your 2.8 driver installed and install the latest one you downloaded. When given the option of what to install ONLY install the Solidworks addin. DO NOT CHOOSE ANY OF THE OTHER ITEMS including the main 3DConnexion driver. This will allow you to keep using your serial device since 3DConnexion decided to drop their serial support even thought new computers still come with serial ports.

[JL]

First off, I just want to thank jalcad for providing a solution for us "customers" who would have been forced to purchase an updated product when it was not necessary. This goes to show there are no compatibility issues with SW'08 for the serial product. It is nice to see someone who is actually HELPFULL to the customer and provides a solution for them no matter what is needed. jalcad, thank you.

To 3DCONNEXION:

I believe it is an EXTREMELY poor choice to end product support for the serial devices and deny technical support for users that require updated drivers. I find it amusing the only "support" i get is being told to buy a new product.

JRICHTER wrote:
In the end a great device is shelved before its time.

Answer to this:

ngomes wrote:
These days, computers are being sold without serial ports. 3Dconnexion is an technology company and we will continue to move forward. We will not be hampered by obsolescence.

I truly hope upper management at 3DCONNEXION does not see this. If a salesman / tech support employee at my company was caught with this mentality and attitude to help customers they would be fired on the spot.

[T_Harvey]

Just for reference, I've been able to get three Spaceball 3003C's (Serial) up and running with SW 2008, using their existing drivers (version"3-6-3"? dated from back in 2004), and using the SW plug-in-only from the Spaceball 5000 USB driver file (version 3.5.6 is currently on the 3DConnexion 'site).

It's worked very well for me.

Also used the same set-up to get a 5000-Serial working with SW 2008.

Just thought I