3DConnexion SpaceNavigator Configuration

[PVA - Admin]

I have finally had time to work with the SpaceNavigator again from 3DConnexion on macOS Sierra 10.12.1.

 

This machine was upgraded from 10.11 so I manually deleted each custom profile I had configured for each application by going to System Preferences > 3DConnexion > Configure > Remove Application (I had Vectorworks 2016, 2017 and a few other like Sketchup already configured, I removed them all.) Then I uninstalled the 3DxWare utility completely and reinstalled the latest version (10.4.2) from their driver site: http://www.3dconnexion.com/service/drivers.html

 

I then opened the newly reinstalled preference pane and ran the Install Plug-Ins command from the Tools submenu. Then, added a New Application from the Configuration menu, selecting Vectorworks 2017. Then launched Vectorworks 2017 SP2 and configured my Axes the way I like (I mainly use the Helicopter/Walkthrough mode in Perspective with the knobs movements directly mapped to the view movements in Vectorworks), pictured below:

 

I noticed that the Walkthrough mode when in Perspective view seems to work just fine, nice and smooth with no issues. However, I did have to reduce my Overall Speed (I settled on 1/4 of the way up the bar) under the Device pane of the preferences window, as my model was in a 1:1 scale, the speed of this movement is related to the default units and changing the scale of the drawing area affects the speed of the SpaceNavigator's movement currently.

 

My 2D movement in Top/Plan also seemed smooth and to work as expected.

 

However, I noticed that 3D rotation when in Orthogonal projection using the Flyover control mode always seemed to focus on the document's 0,0 origin regardless of selected objects or the setting of the Flyover tool itself, which seems to be to not be the correct behavior. I would expect it either to default to center on selected geometry or to inherit the setting from the Flyover tool, such as the newer View Center mode which should make it behave a lot more like Sketchup's 3D view control.

 

If anyone gets a completely different experience, or if they can verify my findings as well, please let me know. I'm gathering everything on this kind of navigation together for a larger bug/wishlist submission.

[line-weight]

I don't think Big Sur will help.

I find the choppy movement on VW2021 on an older mac running Mojave, and also on a brand new mac running Big Sur. And also in VW2020

In VW2018 the problem is not there so I think the issue is with VW2020/2021.

 

[line-weight]

My main hope at the moment is that maybe they will have improved things in the next SP of VW2021. But I am not sure that VW is even recognising that thers is an issue (beyond the documented random-jumps problem in Big Sur)

 

My impression is that the performance of 3dconnexion devices gets worse with each new release of VW, rather than better.

[Mark Aceto]

On 3/5/2021 at 2:05 PM, Kazemester said:

Let me revive this thread: i have bought a 3D connexion mouse (just a simple one) and Vectorworks 2021 sp2,1 sometimes drops the connection and stops "using" the 3D mouse input until i restart the app. It works just fine with other apps after VW drops the input... Does anyone have the same problem?

 

I'm in the same boat on 10.15.7

 

The SpaceMouse will also kill the flyover tool using the CadMouse.

 

Also, there's that good ole problem of having to unplug and replug both 3DC devices every time I restart the computer.

 

I haven't hated an input device this much since the Apple TV remote.

 

Edited May 28, 2021 by Mark Aceto

[Ride]

Are these problems widespread? I just purchased a SpaceMouse Compact wireless, but haven't received it yet. Wondering if I should try to cancel the order....

[line-weight]

I've had a spacemouse pro for several years and there are various points in time where there have been problems - usually to do with upgrading to new versions of VW or most recently connected with Big Sur. These usually end up eventually getting fixed via a SP from Vectorworks or a driver update from 3dconnexion. For now my spacemouse is working fine, but there's always a background worry that something's going to break, each time you do any kind of update/upgrade. This is not ideal, but it's useful enough to me that I just tolerate it. It's also not ideal that 3dconnexion seem to have a monopoly in the market for such devices which means you are entirely dependent on them being bothered to fix things when they go wrong.

[Mark Aceto]

@Ride I'm going to continue testing my Enterprise during the Amazon 30-day return period. If I decide to return it, I'll probably get the one you just ordered as it's the best value. In that case, I'll go back to using a numpad for views. I've also remapped the outer keys of the Numpad with Karabiner. Now that I think about it, I could remap those keys to the Lower view settings for modeling... 

 

Anyway, I don't think you should cancel your order. It's worth the $200 for subdivision modeling and walk throughs. However, $400 for the Enterprise feels like a pain point... Also, depending what other design apps you're using, it'll work with those too (and doesn't seem to suffer from the same issues for whatever reasons).

 

Edited May 31, 2021 by Mark Aceto

[Kazemester]

With the latest bigsur update (fresh install) and lates vw sp my 3dconnexion works just fine. Its on the "beta" driver atm, i guess it was an osx or sp problem  when it dropped the connection in vw.

[Mi&D]

Hi there

 

I'm also owner of a Space Mouse - 3dconnexion.

The model is from 2016 or 2017.

I didn't really use it until now, though.

Do you know, if I can still work with it in VW 2021?

Is there a kind of usage instructions for 3d-Mouse in VW?

I don't know how to install it, and how to implement it.

 

Thanks

Michael

 

[line-weight]

Should work fine, and this video might help you

 

 

[Mark Aceto]

@Mi&D I believe the hardware from 2017 is exactly the same today, so it's only the firmware and software that's been updated. You may need a Windows machine to update the firmware (of the device itself).

If you want the joystick axes to function like it does in the Trainer app, you'll have to change the (inside out and backwards) default settings to the screenshot found here:

 

Also note:

• VW does not support rolling, so that kills 2 of the "6 degrees of freedom"
• The SpaceMouse itself has its own tool modes that you'll need to toggle through

 

Edited July 6, 2021 by Mark Aceto

[line-weight]

I am finding that navigation using my 3dconnexion SpaceMouse Pro has become a bit jerky, that is, when flying around a model, the motion is not smooth.

 

This I have noticed since upgrading to VW2023 SP4, although, to complicate things, I am currently using a different monitor from usual and I can't rule out that this could be having an effect.

 

I'd be interested to know if anyone else has noticed similar.

 

I generally use it in shaded, perspective view, "helicopter" mode.

 

Not on the latest 3dx version, but a little hesitant to change it, in case it breaks something else: