rayhunt3 Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 I'm thinking of getting into VW. Is there a good mouse to use with it? I'll be studying CAD as well. Quote Link to comment
Christiaan Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 (edited) I actually love using Apple's Magic Mouse for CAD, if you're using a Mac. Edited February 15, 2021 by Christiaan 3 Quote Link to comment
RonMan Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 (edited) Ray, You have opened a can of worms. There are many mice that may work, but finding one that may work for you can be tricky. I explored many gaming mice, (more buttons) before landing on two. The Logitech G700s work particularly well on my Mac (Big Sur), but just doesn’t have enough buttons for CAD work. I then found the Razer Nagra Trinity. Here things get complicated. The mouse has three replaceable button panels. The two button panel works fine for general non-CAD work, but has two too few buttons. I can use it day to day, but I like the Logitech better. I used the circular panel with seen button. Loved it until VW2021, then I went wild. The twelve button panel is the bomb. Yes, it takes time to get the buttons the way you want and then manage the muscle memory, but having twelve to fourteen buttons available really speeds up the work flow. I keep both connected and just grab the one I need for what I am doing. There is almost no lag switching, because I only use the Razr for Vectorworks. On a Mac you need SteerMouse for either brand to assign buttons for various apps. On Windows you have to use either the Logitech software or the Razor software. I have not heard good things about them for CAD work but you can control the colors on the Razer if that a matters too you. I also have a 3DConnexion Navigator. It is rather handy, but the beta driver on Big Sur is still buggy. PM me if you have questions. Thanks, Ron Edited February 17, 2021 by RonMan Added image of the Mouse 2 Quote Link to comment
dtheory Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 (edited) I actually quite like the Logitech MX Master 3 Edited February 15, 2021 by dtheory Quote Link to comment
RonMan Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 The original Logitech MX was a favorited until is stopped working and they stopped supporting it. The Master 3 is good if you don't want a lot of buttons. I love shortcuts, so for me the more buttons the better. If my hand can never leave the mouse, I am so much faster, and I don't have to memorize all the shortcuts. Good mouse. Quote Link to comment
Jesse Cogswell Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 I have been using the 3D Connexion CADMouse Pro for a little over a year. It has a lot of different connection options (wired, wireless w/ dongle, Bluetooth), and has a dedicated middle-mouse button for easy panning. It's also pretty easy to customize with the software recognizing VW views. I have one button set up to bring up an 8-segment "wheel" to quickly change views, one button set as CTRL for quick fly-over and copy commands, and the scroll wheel button set to Fit View. It also has a really nice weight to it, and comes with a carrying case to boot. 1 Quote Link to comment
Pat Stanford Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 Logitech G602 here. It has 10 extra buttons, but I only use the Left/Right/and Mouse Wheel buttons. One at home and one at the office. Needs a USB dongle, but has been quite reliable. Quote Link to comment
RGyori Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 Out of curiosity us anyone tried a track ball such as the Kensington Expert Trackball? Over the years I have grown to appreciate the long session arm/hand comfort, 4 customizable buttons that work individually or in combination and programmable tracking/scrolling speeds that has proven ideal for my limited desk space. Works very well with my many photo editing apps as well. 🤔 Quote Link to comment
Pat Stanford Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 I used to use the Kensingston Expert. And another one that moved the trackball with my thumb. Ended up with tendinitis in my thumb. I also (personal opinion) found that it was harder to control the trackball accurately than a mouse. Quote Link to comment
RonMan Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 I used to own the KET. I loved it, but not for graphics. Back then I used in with FreeHand and Illustrator. My fingers got tired when working on fine details. If you use it for VW, and it works, then good for you. You have a solution. The problem is all solutions are rather personal, but the more we put out there the better for the young person that started this thread. Quote Link to comment
Jeff Prince Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 @RGyori Once you go track, you never go back 🙂 I've been using Logitech thumb track balls for 20 some years after suffering some mouse induced RSI in my elbow. The MX Ergo is the best I've ever used and I always recommend it. The tilting base makes it comfortable and precision mode button slows down the cursor movement for the times you need ultra fine control...Like editing photos when you misplace your apple pencil 🙂 https://www.logitech.com/en-us/products/mice/mx-ergo-wireless-trackball-mouse.html?crid=7 3 Quote Link to comment
RGyori Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 Oooh, @jeff prince thanks for the lead. I agree that once accustomed to a track ball going back to a mouse is a pain... figuratively and at times literally. The one complaint I've had with my Kensington Expert Trackball is the coarse scrolling so I will give it a look.🧐 Quote Link to comment
Jeff Prince Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 @RGyori no problem. I travel for work on occasion and I always pack my MX Ergo just in case. Quote Link to comment
drelARCH Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 21 hours ago, Christiaan said: I actually love using Apple's Magic Mouse for CAD, if you're using a Mac. Interesting to hear @Christiaan I wonder how you use magic mouse to perform zooming, panning...? I couldn't do it without mouse wheel..but curious how you manage without wheel. 1 Quote Link to comment
Ross Harris Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 (edited) Yep for the mx ergo and 3dconnexion space mouse. Never leave home without ‘em. I struggle to use VW without the space mouse these days. Edited February 16, 2021 by Aspect_Design Quote Link to comment
_c_ Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 While on Mac I am overly happy with an Apple mouse and a large Wacom Intuos Tablet, on Windows I use a very old gamer mouse, a Rat Catz 3. And absolutely adore it. It couldn't be any less lady-like, so hide it if you have to pretend being a serious Italian lady architect. It won't do. 3 Quote Link to comment
line-weight Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 I have a 3dconnexion spacemouse pro and having got used to it, couldn't now survive without it. Strongly recommend one of these if you do stuff in 3d. That's in my left hand and in my right is a fairly basic logitech mouse which does the job fine. It's got more buttons but I really only use left/right click and the scroll wheel. Quote Link to comment
zoomer Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, _c_ said: While on Mac I am overly happy with an Apple mouse and a large Wacom Intuos Tablet, on Windows I use a very old gamer mouse, a Rat Catz 3. And absolutely adore it. It couldn't be any less lady-like, so hide it if you have to pretend being a serious Italian lady architect. It won't do. I have MadCatz RAT 5 It doesn't really fit my hands in any Palm Rest Setup. But weight and any Buttons click feel is like holding a Mercedes. Sensor is super precise too. In comparison my CADMouse USB, although double the cost, feels cheap 🙂 Unfortunately, for any reasons it does not work on Mac like any standard Mouse, when without a driver (CADMouse dito). And the latest driver worked only until OS X 10.9 or so. After short time of usage on Mac, it will prevent macOS from expanding any Menu Entry Hierarchies automatically, when hovering over. You have to explicitely click to make the Menus expand. And AFAIK there are some GUI objects where even that does not work. Pity. But it works still perfectly, without special driver, for Linux and Windows ! I love it. I just miss being able to assign "X/ESC" and "Fit View" to my side buttons, without a driver, which I am used to have for any other Mouse and CAD App. Edited February 16, 2021 by zoomer 1 Quote Link to comment
_c_ Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 The firm Mad Catz was dead but somehow managed now to resuscitate. By that kind of user satisfaction and deriving fidelity, no wonder. Expensive, perhaps, but extremely long lasting: mine is from 2014 and used non stop. And the precision of course. They said they are working on the Driver for Mac (https://www.madcatz.com/De/Support/FAQ). I am looking forward to. Quote Link to comment
zoomer Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 Interesting. Until the last time I looked at the MadCatz successor it always looked like strictly Windows only. I'm looking forward to it. Quote Link to comment
LarryO Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 If deciding upon a Razer product your selection will need to be recognized by their synapse 2 software to work on the Mac. When I received a new Death Adder to go with the new company issued PC I was going to let it go to the Jr Tech who was to work on my former Mac workstation and retain my old (dirty) DeathAdder for myself. But the Synapse 2 software required for the Mac could not find the new budget version of DeathAdder. The large ergonomics of the Death Adder have been a big plus for me and assigning the thumb buttons to switch sheets/layers a feature that I could not imagine doing without anymore, whether it be on a PC or a Mac. But I will say that one of the Naga's will be worth testing out, especially if you are considering operating from a PC. The placement of <CTRL> and <ALT> on most PC keyboards makes it next to impossible to use many frequent short-cuts with one hand without incurring repetitive stress injury from stretching one's fingers too far apart. One might (?) be able to assign some thumb buttons to act as modifier keys and definitely the <ESC> key. Every time you modify something in the Object Info Palette on a PC you need to press <ESC> or click in the main window before the other keyboard shortcuts become available. The menu system does not respond to changes while the object info palette is active. This behaviour might be limited to shortcuts where a modifier key is not required. 1 Quote Link to comment
Christiaan Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 (edited) On 2/16/2021 at 7:11 AM, drelARCH said: Interesting to hear @Christiaan I wonder how you use magic mouse to perform zooming, panning...? I couldn't do it without mouse wheel..but curious how you manage without wheel. Zooming is the main reason I love it. It's smooth and precise. I tried a CadMouse once and wanted to love it but the whole mechanical clicking thing with the scroll wheel did my head in. It felt like driving an old double-decker Routemaster bus after jumping out of a Tesla. With the Magic Mouse my zooming is very precise about where I stop. The CadMouse would routinely drive past the point I wanted to stop because I hadn't finished a mechanical click! There was a whole discussion about this at the time I purchased it (which I linked to from here) but that whole thread is missing in action for some reason. Panning I miss, but not hugely; I just use the Space bar. There are third party apps like MagicPrefs and Middle that will add the third button touch capability, and subsequent panning capability. I used to use MagicPrefs but never reinstalled it when I did a system reinstall a while back. This discussion actually prompted me to give Middle a try and it's great. It allows you set to a 1-finger middle click, two-finger click, or a 3-finger click for middle mouse button. I already have secondary click set in Apple prefs and I'm used to resting my third finger near the edge of the mouse so the 3-finger click works really great for me for panning in VW. The other wee problem with the Magic Mouse is its side-scrolling capability. This can be an annoyance in the Nav Palette when it scrolls sideways even though you didn't want to. I have a wish list item in for this to have an option to turn off sideways scrolling in the Palettes for this reason. P.S. I also have a 3DConnexion Space Navigator. It's great but the drivers are so often out of date when I come to actually wanting to use it. Edited February 17, 2021 by Christiaan 1 Quote Link to comment
Christiaan Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 On 2/16/2021 at 10:05 AM, _c_ said: This is serious right? This is what you guys are using! 🤣😂 1 Quote Link to comment
line-weight Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 18 minutes ago, Christiaan said: Panning I miss, but not hugely; I just use the Space bar. This prompted me to think... actually how do I pan when in 2d? I had to go into VW to see what I do. I realise I just do an asymmetric zoom out and then in again. Too lazy to move my hand 15cm to the keyboard. 1 Quote Link to comment
RonMan Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 9 hours ago, LarryO said: If deciding upon a Razer product your selection will need to be recognized by their synapse 2 software to work on the Mac. When I received a new Death Adder to go with the new company issued PC I was going to let it go to the Jr Tech who was to work on my former Mac workstation and retain my old (dirty) DeathAdder for myself. But the Synapse 2 software required for the Mac could not find the new budget version of DeathAdder. The large ergonomics of the Death Adder have been a big plus for me and assigning the thumb buttons to switch sheets/layers a feature that I could not imagine doing without anymore, whether it be on a PC or a Mac. But I will say that one of the Naga's will be worth testing out, especially if you are considering operating from a PC. The placement of <CTRL> and <ALT> on most PC keyboards makes it next to impossible to use many frequent short-cuts with one hand without incurring repetitive stress injury from stretching one's fingers too far apart. One might (?) be able to assign some thumb buttons to act as modifier keys and definitely the <ESC> key. Every time you modify something in the Object Info Palette on a PC you need to press <ESC> or click in the main window before the other keyboard shortcuts become available. The menu system does not respond to changes while the object info palette is active. This behaviour might be limited to shortcuts where a modifier key is not required. On a Mac use SteerMouse to program everything but the color changing. The Synapse 2 software will leave you frustrated. S2 works great on Windows. Quote Link to comment
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