Re-Configuring the Axis / Rotation Settings

[JamesC]

I am very interested in incorporating the 3D Connexion wireless spacemouse into my daily life in Solidworks. I purchased one a month or so ago.

However, I have been pretty disappointed in the mapping of the axes of the mouse in relation to:
a) the screen
b) the axes / rotations relative to themselves when the Zoom direction of “Up/Down” is selected.

I would like to use my standard mouse in my right hand, and the spacemouse in my left hand.

Out of the box, the orientation of the spacemouse axes are in direct conflict with the orientation of the axes of the standard mouse. So, immediately, things are extremely awkward in Solidworks.
I was temporarily overjoyed to see an option the change the zoom direction to “up down”. My excitement quickly fizzled when I realized toggling this setting provides yet an even more strange configuration which appears to be an error.

I have attached several images depicting the situation below.

NOTE: A very good friend of mine uses the cad program Alibre. In his software, when he toggles the Zoom direction to be “Up/Down”, his axes are all re-oriented properly (which leads me to believe there is an error in the solidworks interface to the 3D mouse).

I will say the motion feels extremely elegant / smooth, etc. I *want* to be able to use it. (In my robotics-design life, I’d tell the software guy, “You accidentally swapped the Yaw and Roll joints – swap them please and I’d be happy as a clam").

3D Connexion: I hope there is an easy way to reconfigure the axes to work properly. Otherwise, I unfortunately have a device that I cannot use. I want to love this thing, buy one for my office, one to keep in my laptop bag, etc., but for now, I can’t even use it. I've been thinking it might be nice to get the big one with all of the extra hotkeys, etc. But I can't go down the road of using one if the axes are not set up properly.

Is there a way I can reconfigure the axes / rotation settings properly?

-James

[StephenM]

Hi, I'm a happy spacenavigator for solidworks user.

A couple observations on your comments:

1) I use the mouse in the default configuration, and I find this to be far better and more intuitive than the other way. It just makes sense with a vertical screen, and the mouse on a horizontal desk surface. Pull the mouse towards you, and the model moves towards you. Lift the mouse up, and the model goes up. Etc. This is the way it should be. The problem is with trying to emulate the behavior of the traditional mouse, which is on a horizontal x-y plane, and is less than ideal. Once you are used to this there is no conflict between left and right hands or any issues like that. I can also switch back to just using a right mouse without any mental gymnastics, and still use the scroll wheel to zoom when I don't want to come "off normal" from a view.

However,

2) If you really want to go with up-down to zoom, etc, it should work. I just tested it. I went into the 3Dmouse Home - properties, and switched the zoom direction, and the roll axes behaved correctly. Lifting the mouse pulls the model towards me, twisting the mouse about the vertical axis rotates the view about the center of the screen. Pushing the mouse away from me pans the model up, and rotating the mouse about the "front to back" axis causes the model to rotate about the y axis on screen. This is all exactly like you described in your "ideal setup" description.

Not sure what would be causing yours to behave as described. Perhaps some combination of settings. Sorry that I can't help further.

Too bad there doesn't seem to be much in the way of replies, or any action, on this forum. I'd contact service. Hope you can resolve it. Otherwise I'd give the default zoom config another try. I really think it's the way to go. Good Luck.