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Activating the Flyover Tool Temporarily


Bruce Kieffer

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

I have had reports from a few users that the latest Logitech Control Center software resolved the middle click issue for them:

http://support.logitech.com/en_us/product/performance-mouse-mx#download

Ctrl-middle click is the only method I know of to easily activate it, I do not think there is a way to map that temporary mode in the workspace editor, only to map the flyover tool itself which doesn't give you the boomerang-link quick access to the mode.

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It works for me on my Logitech mouse (G502) but I'm on Windows and the G-series devices might be using somewhat slightly different drivers.

I recently got the 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator and in my opinion that is a much more useful combination than the ctr-middle mouse button as you have finer/smoother control especially in those situations where you may want to use the ctr-middle mouse button so that might be something to consider.

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

It can track how many users have ever given Vectorworks middle-click input, but (without getting too technobabbly) it is not capable of reading the mouse type just by hardware, since we would have to have a complex parsed list of all mouse hardware and yea/nay of if it had a middle mouse button or not.

Adding this thread to the request for remapping middle mouse/quick flyover functionality to another user defined key.

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I have a Logi M500

(Until MadCatz finally releases a El Capitan Driver)

The problem isn't logi control center, middle button works theoretically,

(It is Microgear vertical set to > Click > Option Middle Click)

it is a mechanical problem as the scroll wheel is thought to scroll horizontally

when tilted mechanically. Of course I deactivated that feature in control center.

But it is still hard to press the wheel down and get the middle position.

I workaround this by assigning the middle click to one of the side buttons for VW.

Nevertheless very complicated as all other software has ALT+LMB for fly over.

(Selection always SHIFT and CTRL keys only, to select + or -)

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

Agreed, allowing user customized mapping is the real fix, the issues with the Logitech are specific to that hardware I suppose but people that use trackpads or other no-middle-click (for whatever reason that may be) need a viable option as well.

Some good news: This and other similar functions have to be technologically possible, since even though there is no keyboard or mouse command to quick-switch to Walkthrough for instance but the 3Dconnexion spacenavigator is able to invoke this as a special case. If it can be made into a special case, it should be given hotkey mapping as well.

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

It doesnt actually activate the tool, it does a hotmode now, (sorry i dont know the real term, its a special case and i dont remember if it has a name other than spacebar for Boomerang mode, or things like that.) so you can keep the actual tool you want active while you move with it. I can start drawing out a rectangle for instance, midway through change views for better alignment using the navigator, then finish drawing it after i get a view I like.

I don't disagree that they shouldn't be tools, but likely that kind of thing wont be on the table for major revamp until the full VGM/multithreading tasks are complete.

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BTW

That OpenGL rendering, albeit very beautiful in general, with activated lines

looks so blurred even on my old low-res 30" Cinema Monitor,

it looks like rendering 72 DPI while even my old Monitor may have 90 or so DPI,

is there a way to simply increase OpenGL screen resolution in general ?

As Wireframes look quite sharp and even your trick with saving out higher res

OpenGLs look so much better.

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

Currently the DPI locks to a value based on the resolution of your monitor and there is no way to override it. I am lobbying for direct user control over DPI and resolution/aspect ratio of the drawing area for this reason as well as many others, like creating animations etc.

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Well, I could go for a new Monitor or Retina iMac,

but I don't get what's the problem (my eyes ?)

In Modo or C4D it looks somehow sharper when zoomed out.

(normally no AA)

Hmmh, no.

There are 2 reasons,

heavy Ambient Occlosion settings on one side,

but the other is that Antialiasing is fine for single lines, but looks quite strange

when lines are near each other or nearly touching.

But were there some changes in 1 Pixel Line Thickness with draw lines on ?

These look much finer than in initial release ???

If so I like that.

No, seems they get thinner for higher cease angles (95°) at normal 90° concave corners.

Don't get it - I think it doesn't look that bad ...

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

It isn't the fault of the monitor really, it's mostly that Vectorworks is automatically "picking" a value for the aliasing that is inappropriate at some screen resolutions. Looks great on high res displays but its (I think) artificially too low on lower resolutions, like you mentioned, the wireframe lines look fine but the openGL edges are overly fuzzy.

For example, below are attached two screenshots taken at the same resolution in the same file, the only difference being OpenGL with Edges is the second shot and the first is using a Renderworks style with Edges enabled. The screen is clearly ABLE to show the much finer resolution lines, its just whatever math OpenGL is doing to determine how thick/fuzzy the edges of solid objects are is the issue I see.

Renderworks Edges:

ubbthreads.php?ubb=download&Number=15447&filename=Renderworks%20Edges.png

OpenGL Edges:

ubbthreads.php?ubb=download&Number=15448&filename=OpenGL%20Edges.png

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So a Retina Monitor would help anyway.

(Is there an external Retina Mac Monitor ? I currently have 2560x1600)

Here is what I see :

Crease Angle 80°

ubbthreads.php?ubb=download&Number=15449&filename=Screenshot-2.jpg

Crease Angle 95°

ubbthreads.php?ubb=download&Number=15450&filename=Screenshot-3.jpg

I prefer the latter.

As you can see, 2D Elements are always crisp and AA'ed.

Sorry,

looks like I hijacked a thread again.

Feel free to delete the OT.

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This is how we recommend the axis be mapped for 2015 and 2016, but I believe in older versions of Vectorworks some of the axis mappings are inverted:

http://kbase.vectorworks.net/questions/1173/3Dconnexion+SpaceNavigator+-+Recommended+Configuration+%28Mac+OS+X%29

Hi Jim,

So I dug the Space Navigator out of the drawer to give it another try in VW. I matched all the recommended settings in the KB article above. Here's my experience -

  • I really want to be able to spin a model into 3d from Top/Plan view like I can using the Flyover tool.
  • I don't really get what the 2D navigation mode is about when toggling the two VW modes using the left button. It doesn't seem to do anything intuitive in this mode. I can see its been activated because VW tells me.

Here's what I really want to do all in a SINGLE mode -

  • Turning the knob should spin the model, either around the origin or around the selected object. Seem to work now in Flyover Mode.
  • Fly over or under the model (is this called roll?) by tilting forward or tilting back. Seem to work now in Flyover Mode.
  • Zoom in and out by pushing down or pulling up. When in perspective this should default to dolly in and dolly out instead. Currently not possible in Flyover Mode.
  • Panning by pushing left/right/forward/back. This should become translate view in perspective. Currently not possible in Flyover Mode.

This would allow all my navigation to be directly available at all times. The Space Navigator is capable of a lot more directions of control than are being used at any given time by VW. All of what I'm asking for should be possible in one mode.

Thanks,

Kevin

PS. I tried the Walkthrough tool at couldn't find anything intuitive about that either. I ended up with the model way off the screen.

Edited by Kevin McAllister
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