Plug and Play Issues with UG

matrix · Post by **matrix** » Tue May 08, 2007 9:10 am

Hi Everybody,
I created a batch file that switches the control of two spacenavigators connected to one pc. The program works great in Unigraphics NX4, however now that we upgraded to NX5 the SN's aren't plug n' play like they used to be... i.e. Open UG NX5 with the SN plugged in, it works fine. Unplug it and plug it back in, and it won't work until you restart UG. The batch file only disables the active one and restarts the driver to find the other SN. I upgraded to the newest version of 3dxware, but it appears that the NX plugin version remains unchanged. Let me know if I'm missing anything or if a new version of the plug in will come out soon. Thanks for all of the help in advance.

matrix · Post by **matrix** » Wed May 09, 2007 5:10 am

I guess to sum it up I'm asking, what can I do to make the nx plug-in for the 3dconnexion software plug and play with Unigraphics NX5? Thanks

Post by **jwick** » Wed May 09, 2007 6:48 am

Hi matrix,

Please try uninstalling 3DxUGNX by running a custom install of 3DxSoftware and unchecking the UG plugin. It is mainly for support of the LCD on the SpacePilot. It isn't adding much value to the SN and it may be getting in your way.

Let us know if this helps.

Also, why are you using two different SNs? This information could be helpful as we plan further changes to our software.

Jim
3Dx Software Development

matrix · Post by **matrix** » Wed May 09, 2007 9:59 am

We have a pc with two people sharing it. So we hooked up two monitor,keyboard,mouse, and spaceball's to the system. It would truthfully be easier if you would support two 3d devices at the same time, but I understand.

Anyways, those directions yielded the same result. As soon as you stop the driver and start it again, it's like it can't detect that NX5 is open... It won't let you load any of the preconfigured NX profiles it has.

Is there a way to force it to load the driver as a 3d device for UG NX?

If you know of any work arounds or anything that could help, please let me know. Thanks- David

Post by **jwick** » Wed May 09, 2007 10:20 am

Hi David,

You mentioned SpaceNavigators and SpaceBalls. Which are you using? This could be signficant? Are they all USB devices or were some serial devices in the past?

Jim
3Dx Software Development

Post by **jwick** » Wed May 09, 2007 10:31 am

If you have two SNs, you should be able to just unplug one and plug in the other. The recent drivers support hot plugging of the same device on different ports. I noticed you posted something about an extended cable. Perhaps you can use a USB switch. Or buy another machine for the poor fellow who can't use the SN all the time <GGG>

matrix · Post by **matrix** » Wed May 09, 2007 11:32 am

No serial devices we got rid of those. The problem is a switch wouldn't work because as soon as you stop and restart the driver to pick up the new device it won't work it UG NX5 until you close UG and reopen it (which really isn't an option). Buying a new computer is no problem it's paying another 15 grand for the licenses that is. So is there a way to force the profile into the ug_nx profile? Thanks for all of your help and quick responses. --David

Post by **jwick** » Wed May 09, 2007 11:47 am

I'm suggesting that you should not be stopping and restarting the driver. You don't have to just to use a different SN in the same UG session.

matrix · Post by **matrix** » Thu May 10, 2007 5:18 am

Yes you are absolutely right, sorry for my misunderstanding. We experimented with leaving the driver alone and disabling/enabling the device by the instance ID but that only works one time before it needs you to restart the computer. Can you think of anything else that would (software wise) get the driver to look at the other spaceball? (I say spaceball out of habit, it's actually the space navigator). By the way, is there anything I could do to get two drivers loaded at the same time? Thanks so much for you help. --David

Post by **jwick** » Thu May 10, 2007 5:49 am

Hi David,

"Software-wise" because you want to do it with a batch file or something? Not a hardware USB switch?

Can you describe your scenario in more detail so we can think of a solution?

You could load more than one driver (like a different version), but you can only run one at a time. There is only one conduit into UG. The best we could do is have two devices feed the same UG session. That would make for an interesting collaborative design session... "I'm going to move it". "No, I'm going to move it", "stop touching your SN", ...

Jim
3Dx Software Development

matrix · Post by **matrix** » Thu May 10, 2007 6:32 am

Haha, they have that fight already but it's more like "no it's MY turn to look at the nudey sites"

And can you give me an example of a "usb switch" you're talking about? Are you speaking of a manual switch? I didn't think they made those for usb.

The best situation would be that they both run at the same time.
If you could have two devices feed the same UG session that would be perfect despite obvious interaction problems... Could you briefly explain how to make this happen? Thanks so much, you've been a huge help.

matrix · Post by **matrix** » Fri May 11, 2007 9:06 am

Any hints or clues that would get me towards figuring out how to run two space navigators at once would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks- David

Post by **jwick** » Fri May 11, 2007 9:57 am

Hi David,

I mentioned this to another developer. We both agreed that it was hard to believe that you could bounce the driver while UG was running and get UG to reconnect. It takes extra code to do that and UG by itself doesn't have that. Simply put, I'm glad it worked for you, but it is an unsupported configuration.

It seems that it may be our 3DxNX plugin that is doing the reconnnection and that isn't released for NX5 yet. We will have a new plugin for NX5 in a few weeks (or so, no committment). You'll have to give that a try.

In the mean time, have you tried disconnecting and reconnecting the hardware one device at a time (not bouncing the driver). Presumably one person is close to the box even though the other is 50 yards away.

I've looked around for an electronic switch. I found this (it's manual):
http://www.national-tech.com/popupspecs/40u1-40290.htm
I'd think you'd be able to find an electronically controlled version like most KVM switches.

Jim

matrix · Post by **matrix** » Fri May 11, 2007 11:37 am

But wait, you said "the best we could do is have two devices feed the same UG session" How can I achieve that? Thanks so much, David

Post by **jwick** » Fri May 11, 2007 11:46 am

It would have been more correct for me to write "given the unmodifiable, insurmountable restrictions present in UG, the best 3Dconnexion could do with a lot of completely unscheduled, unrequested, unimagined, unprecedented, unspecified and unknown amount of work, <breath> would be to fold two different data streams into the same conduit feeding UG.

IOW, go buy a switch. They are $12.

And...have a nice weekend.

Jim