Terminology ambiguity

Hypersonic · Post by **Hypersonic** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 12:27 pm

Some of the 3DConnexion's directional terms I feel are a bit ambiguous, such as Spin and Tilt, which in other contexts could mean rotation in any direction. Zoom is a bit confusing as well, as pan up/down is usually used to 'zoom' in Google Earth. Perhaps there could be an option to display actions in aeronautical terms instead, for those familiar those terms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_dyn ... ircraft%29

Translate/Move ALONG Z axis or Tz
pan up down (3Dconnexion)
Vertical (aeronautical)

Translate/Move ALONG X axis or Tx
pan left right (3Dconnexion)
Lateral (aeronautical)

Translate/Move ALONG Y axis or Ty
zoom (3Dconnexion)
Longitudonal (aeronautical)

Rotate AROUND Z axis or Rz
spin (3Dconnexion)
Yaw (aeronautical)

Rotate AROUND X axis or Rx
tilt (3Dconnexion)
Pitch (aeronautical)

Rotate AROUND Y axis or Ry
roll (3Dconnexion)
Roll (aeronautical)

Thanks for your consideration, and awesome product!

Post by **ngomes** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:53 am

Thanks for the feedbak, Hypersonic.

We use those terms internally but experience has taught us not use them in a personal computer context. "Spin" and "tilt" are terms most have of a sense for. Aeronautical definitions are precise but very technical.

Post by **jwick** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 5:04 am

OTOH, Hypersonic, with 3DxWare 10, you can change those terms to anything you want.

Hypersonic · Post by **Hypersonic** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 12:09 pm

I understand what you mean. I suppose terms such as spin and tilt sound more approachable to users unfamiliar with the device.

jwick, do you change the terms in Base.xml, or possibly 3DxConfig.xml ? Or another file?

Post by **jwick** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:22 pm

Those strings are in en-US_def.xml.

Hypersonic · Post by **Hypersonic** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 1:03 pm

Thanks for the info.

I suppose the term 3Dmouse was coined because when people hear/see the term 'joystick' they probably envision a large unweildy controller with only a few axis of control, not 6.

However, to APIs such as DirectInput, 3Dmouse and joystick both utitilze the same variable/function names, I assume? The 3Dmouse Rx (tilt), for example, is the same to the input API as Joystick Rx? So if joystick Rx didn't work for a particular app, nor would 3Dmouse Rx (tilt) ?

Post by **jwick** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 1:13 pm

No names works everywhere. Everyone has their own definition, description or orientation. So far the only thing I've NOT seen is to call a rotation a translation....nope, see that all the time...

That's why I exposed the names in XML. Name them whatever works for you. I'm done making decisions

3Dconnexion Forum

Terminology ambiguity

Terminology ambiguity

movement names