SpaceExplorer's 2D button NOT MAPPABLE?!

[loocas]

Hi there guys/galz

I'm a bit frustrated by the fact that I cannot assign a keyb. shortcut or a combo to the 2D button (among the T, L, R and F buttons) on my SpaceExplorer, which is a terrible pitty as I want to use that one for my Perspective view.

Oh, btw: I'm talking about 3ds Max.

Any workaround? Tips? Tricks?

The "lock to view" feature is pretty damn useless if I use my own Top, Front, Left and Right view configs, which permits the 3D nav. to go to an isometric 3d view.

This is the only thing I'm missing on the hardware, otherwise I'm totally digging it day one!

Thanks in advance for any hints/tips/tricks on this one guys, cheers!

[jwick]

Hello loocas,

That button is not mappable inside the 3DxMAX plugin. It is possible to map it to something in the driver though. To do that you'd have to edit the config file. You can't map it to a MAX command, but you could map it to a keyboard macro that is mapped to a MAX command. Seems like a lot of work, but I'll help you with it if you want to take it on.

Jim
3Dx Software Development

[loocas]

Hello loocas,

That button is not mappable inside the 3DxMAX plugin. It is possible to map it to something in the driver though. To do that you'd have to edit the config file. You can't map it to a MAX command, but you could map it to a keyboard macro that is mapped to a MAX command. Seems like a lot of work, but I'll help you with it if you want to take it on.

Jim
3Dx Software Development

Thank you for the answer. I know I can map it to whatever I want outside Max, but I really need to map a "P" key (for perspective) to that button INSIDE Max so that I have a full control over all the viewports (well, aside from User).

Thank you again, cheers,

[loocas]

Hello loocas,

That button is not mappable inside the 3DxMAX plugin. It is possible to map it to something in the driver though. To do that you'd have to edit the config file. You can't map it to a MAX command, but you could map it to a keyboard macro that is mapped to a MAX command. Seems like a lot of work, but I'll help you with it if you want to take it on.

Jim
3Dx Software Development

Oks, I've been looking for some kind of a config file (CFG, INI), but haven't found any. Which file (where is it?) can I edit in order to assign a keyboard key to the 2D button input?

Thank you in advance, cheers

[jwick]

Hello loocas,

1) To create a keyboard macro, open you application (MAX), then double click the 3Dconnexion Control Panel icon on your desktop to open the 3DxWare panel. Go to the Button Configuration tab and choose Custom Functions... Create and save a keyboard macro for the key(s) you want to generate.

2) Exit your application (MAX). This will save your config new file.

3) Open your application again, then hover over the 3Dx icon in the systray. It will list the name of your config file (e.g., USER00.scg).

4) Exit MAX.

5) Open this file in wordpad. The file will be in

%APPDATA%/3dconnexion/3dxware/profiles.

6) Scroll down to the BUTTON_CHARACTERS section. You will find something like this (if you made a macro for the P key and named it "P Key"):

{ USER_004, "P key", " +80:1638401 -80:1638401" }

Make note of the USER_### name. In this case USER_004. Yours will probably be different.

7) Scroll down to the SPACEEXPLORER section.
Find this line:

BUTTON_22_USER = { UI_ROT_TOGGLE, HOLD }

Change it to:

BUTTON_22_USER = { USER_004, HOLD }

using the USER_### name that is used in your specific file (from step 6).

8) Save this file, then start your application (MAX).

The 2D button will now send that macro when you press it.

Jim
3Dx Software Development

[loocas]

Hello loocas,

1) To create a keyboard macro, open you application (MAX), then double click the 3Dconnexion Control Panel icon on your desktop to open the 3DxWare panel. Go to the Button Configuration tab and choose Custom Functions... Create and save a keyboard macro for the key(s) you want to generate.

2) Exit your application (MAX). This will save your config new file.

3) Open your application again, then hover over the 3Dx icon in the systray. It will list the name of your config file (e.g., USER00.scg).

4) Exit MAX.

5) Open this file in wordpad. The file will be in

%APPDATA%/3dconnexion/3dxware/profiles.

6) Scroll down to the BUTTON_CHARACTERS section. You will find something like this (if you made a macro for the P key and named it "P Key"):

{ USER_004, "P key", " +80:1638401 -80:1638401" }

Make note of the USER_### name. In this case USER_004. Yours will probably be different.

7) Scroll down to the SPACEEXPLORER section.
Find this line:

BUTTON_22_USER = { UI_ROT_TOGGLE, HOLD }

Change it to:

BUTTON_22_USER = { USER_004, HOLD }

using the USER_### name that is used in your specific file (from step 6).

Save this file, then start your application (MAX).

The 2D button will now send that macro when you press it.

Jim
3Dx Software Development

I'm sorry, but I can't replicate this. When I run Max, I cannot open the standard 3DX settings window, it automatically opens up the 3ds Max 3DX toolbar with all the presets where I cannot acces the "custom functions"

Btw: why wasn't the 2D button designed to be mappable in Max in the first place?

[jwick]

You have to use the desktop icon (or the control panel icon), NOT the systray icon nor the device panel button.

The reason it isn't mappable inside MAX? Corporate decision.

[loocas]

You have to use the desktop icon (or the control panel icon), NOT the systray icon nor the device panel button.

The reason it isn't mappable inside MAX? Corporate decision.

I'm really sorry for bothering again, but I'm still unable to re-map the button

I did what you said, found the profile, changed the USER_000 binding (I even tried to rename the binding and the button_22 assignment (to match) to USER_P) just to test it, but it still won't work, it still presses the "Lock to 3d view" feature in the pannel.

Btw: some "corporate decisions" are very hard to understand.

[jwick]

Send your config file to me in a private message.