3D input-devices

Hello Flexsim developers.

I've bought this nice input-device:
http://www.3dconnexion.com/3dmouse/spacenavigator.php
for Autodesk Inventor and Autocad. Now I tried to use it with Flexsim, but it looks like there are no plug-ins available for Flexsim to use it.
Is it planned to integrate such devices in future versions of Flexsim?

best regards,

Benjamin

One of our tech support guys has the 3D Navigator. It's a pretty cool device. Unfortunately, it's not very high on our development priority list, due to the relatively few users that have one (although I guess it could be argued that if we add the capability, our users would flock to get one), and because, while it does make a lot of things easier, I think a lot of our users are pretty satisfied with the navigation capabilities available with the standard mouse. So it's not really in the development plan right now.

Anthony, I can see why this is not high on your priority list, but I had a look at the link and I think it is really cool!
I would love to use it, but I also think it would be a selling point if you can show this to new customers. Navigating your demo models would become very easy. And although we can use the mouse to navigate, first time users always have problems navigating...

In comparison with mouse navigation in 3d software, a space mouse is much more comfortable than a "classical" mouse.
And Lolke, you're right: it is really really cool ;-)

@Anthony:
You said one of the tech supporters has the navigator. He use it with Flexsim?

Greetings,

Benjamin

Hello,
there exist some tools in the internet, which work as a driver for a joystick. Each axis of the 3D-device can be assigned to a mouse axis and/or a button.

That should do what you want.

Jörg

Okay,
I've found this driver: http://rbc.duckinegg.com/

But to configure it with flexsim is not so easy as i thought.
I'll keep on trying until it works.
If I'm ready, I´m going to upload the bind file in the download section ^^
Perhaps it might be usefull to others.

best regards,

Benjamin

Hello,

does anyone use a 3d mouse with flexsim? What are your experiences?

I'm looking for a simple way to navigate through flexsim. The navigation to a specific view point can be very difficult.


greetings,

Carsten

I got a 3d mouse working in Flexsim. The next release of Flexsim (probably early 2012) will have it work automatically in 3d views. I'm reading the information as a raw input device so it doesn't require any drivers either.

There currently exist drivers that map the 3d mouse inputs to other inputs, such as 2d mouse movements, keyboard presses, or joysticks, but those don't work particularly well with Flexsim. Just using a regular mouse works better.

Hi Phil,

What is the status around this 3D mouse thing? I'm asking because we saw a 3DConnexion mouse in working yesterday and that was pretty impressive but it doesn't work with Flexsim.
But the company does provide a SDK ( http://www.3dconnexion.eu/service/so...72g2nlp87mcnv6
) so maybe it is not so difficult to add it?

It does look like a great enhancement.

Steven this is now pretty well supported in version 6. The rawinput method avoids the use of their drivers and from my recollections of the conversations with 3Dconnexions, this is a recommended technique. The button presses are now working too as Phil has the correct lookup code for the various 3Dconnections products.

I know it's been tested with SpaceMouse Pro and SpaceNavigator . Not all the buttons have corresponding functions mapped in Flexsim (yet) but that's something we can put together, as Phil has made sure the correct key codes are passed into the OnStick function.

I'm surprised you say it's not working - which 3d mouse product had the issue? Was it a problem with just some buttons or the translation and rotation too?

aaahhh Sorry, the client is still working in version 5 (we are working on getting their libraries over to 6) I'll ask here to give it another try in 6. Thanks Jason for the heads up!

The 3d mouse from 3Dconnexion works fine with flexsim 6 and windows 7.

Greetings

Carsten

I just got confirmation that for the client it also works fine!
Carsten, do you prefer the 3D mouse over a normal mouse for Flexsim?

To be honest, I do not know yet. I use both depending on the situation.

If you're in a dense area of the model and haven't set "no select" on the objects, using the mouse can be awkward by comparison as you have to find free space to manipulate the background. Here the 3D mouse is great.

Also while you might find yourself making 3 or 4 mouse actions (click and drag to translate, rotate and zoom) the 3D mouse lets you do it more precisely correcting all 3 at once.

The buttons will make it even better once we get those properly mapped. 'Fit' is currently mapped to Flexsim's 'Reset View'. Hopefully we'll be able to customize that for SpaceNavigators to any 3Dmouse function or Flexsim view option.

I have a minor problem with the 3d mouse:

If I start flexsim and choose "Open a Saved Model" the 3d mouse doesn't work. If I open a new "3d-View"-window, all "3d-View"-windows will work at once with the 3d mouse.

Can anyone confirm this behaviour?


Thanks,

Carsten

Hi Carsten,

probably a stupid question, but did you remember to click into the 3D view you wanted to use the 3d mouse in? The window has to be active to allow the 3d mouse to work.

Best wishes

Ralf
FlexSim Germany

The OnPreOpen of the 3d view calls

applicationcommand("register3dmouse",windowfromnode(c));

Are you using the latest version of FlexSim? If you aren't using the latest version of FlexSim, then OnPreOpen might not be called for all the already-open windows when you open a model.

Originally Posted by RalfGruber

...did you remember to click into the 3D view you wanted to use the 3d mouse in?

Yes, I clicked into the 3d-view

Originally Posted by Phil BoBo

Are you using the latest version of FlexSim?

I'm using Engine/Content 6.0.2 built on 03-Aug-2012.

I should like to point out that this only occurs if you open a model with the wizard when flexsim starts.

@Phil: Your code does the trick. Thanks!