Cheetah 4.7 and 3dconnexion space navigator

M

mclaeys

0
Cheetah 4.7 and 3dconnexion space navigator

Hi everybody,

Just a quick question. Since there is a cheap PE version of 3DConnexion's Space Navigator I'm considering of buying one.

When I look at their supported products list I can see cheetah in there but the driver isn't 3DC certified. But when I look at this forum I see some people using it with older beta versions of cheetah.

So my question is, does the spacenavigator work on cheetah 4.7?
And would there be anyone out here actually using this combination, and if so, does it do the trick for you or are you more comfortable working with a mouse?

Thank you all in advance,

rgrds,
Miguel
 
I have been using the SpaceNavigator for 18 months in SketchUp, and it's really one od the greatest tools I ever bought for 3D. I know podperson doesn't like it at all... ;-) but personally I couldn't live without it. It's fast, accurate, and feels very natural - especially in "Camera mode".

The fact that it is not really well implemented in Cheetah (including in v5) is a big problem for me. Am I the only one on earth ?
 
Hate it too. My boss bought several for the modeling team, and they all ended up as paperweights. I found it offered me nothing at all, and slowed me down quite a bit.... Useless. I sent their support a few questions regarding how slow it was to load app-specific preferences and got no reply.... until one day 2 years later, long after I had chucked it.... no kidding... 2 years later they responded to inform me that it was normal behavior for the device to take up to 10 seconds to load configurations when multi-tasking. Ridiculous.
 
Sorry, but again I totally disagree. When it is well implemented - which is the case in Google Earth and Google SketchUp in "camera mode" - the SpaceNavigator is an extremely efficient tool.
 
I'm with Yann

I have to agree with Yann. When it is properly implemented by the program, then it becomes invaluable. If you want to see this for yourself, either use it with something like SketchUp or even Google Earth and see how you can do things that just aren't possible with a mouse (at least not simultaneously and fluidly.) It becomes a paperweight when things aren't responding 'naturally' with how you would interact with a real object (in object more) or how you'd work with a real camera (in camera/scene mode) and although there is rudimentary support for them in Cheetah, Cheetah still has a lot of bugs regarding it that in some cases make it yes, useless. (See my post on that topic--specifically when zooming in and out.)

The other way to see just how useful these things are is to go to other forums of 'supported' applications and there you'll see a vocal *majority* of users swearing by them. Again, it's not that Cheetah3D is a bad program... it's actually pretty damn good... it's that you won't see the benefit of a SpaceNavigator or *any* 3D mouse the same way as someone who uses a program that fully supports it. I've personally been trying to work with (although he'd say nonstop, incessant bugging) Martin about maybe even helping him get the support developed properly. When that is done, and done right, even users here will be going on about what a huge difference having it makes.

So again, Podperson and others who don't like it saying it's useless, no matter how great your amp and speakers, you don't blame the band if the recording quality is bad. Cheetah's SpaceNavigator support is answering-machine quality.

No disrespect Martin, and again, I will be willing to help you code the correct support or even test the crap out of it for you if you prefer it to stay closed. But it really does need to be fixed. I now have three that I use with every other 3D program except yours where I still am stuck using the mouse. It's like trying to look at a sunset through a ship's porthole. You can see it, but it really isn't the same.
 
Hi,
I've also tried the space navigator in google world but I was not that convinced. So I use the mouse again.

But I will give the space navigator a second chance. Especially in camera mode it has its advantages. In object mode which Cheetah3D uses the SN is much less helpful.

But since I currently only know a handful of SN users while I know many many many users with a 64bit CPU the 64bit version of Cheetah3D has a higher priority.:wink: So work on the SN will be a low priority project.

Bye,
Martin
 
MarqueIV said:
So again, Podperson and others who don't like it saying it's useless, no matter how great your amp and speakers, you don't blame the band if the recording quality is bad. Cheetah's SpaceNavigator support is answering-machine quality.
Click to expand...

I can certainly imagine the SN being nice for smoothly interacting with Google Earth or something similar where you don't need to use both the keyboard and mouse.

I've used the SN with several 3D modeling programs and don't find it compelling in any sense because it won't entirely replace the mouse OR the keyboard (both of which you need), which means it requires a third hand or constant switching.

An SN + a tablet monitor (like the Wacom Cintiqs) might work well because a tablet or tablet monitor can actually replace both keyboard and mouse, freeing up a hand. I imagine something like ZBrush or Bodypaint would just be superb with this kind of setup.
 
Martin, this is great news. Thanks for reconsidering the SN, just like the guys at Unity3D did. I have a suggestion that might spare you some time : why not release a camera API that would allow us to implement any exotic device ourselves with tools like ControllerMate or Osculator, which have already everything to manage the SpaceNavigator and dozens of other input devices ?

This way (and perhaps with less work ?) you could go much further and offer new possibilities to a wider range of users : think of MIDI instruments of course - but also joysticks, webcams, sound input, etc.

As an aside note, perhaps such an API could also be used for realtime recording of camera movements when building an animation.
 
Hi,
releasing a Cheetah3D SDK is a long term project for me. Something on which I'm working since quite some time. But it might take until I'm finished with it. I want to clean up many things before I release it.

Bye,
Martin
 
Martin said:
Hi,
releasing a Cheetah3D SDK is a long term project for me. Something on which I'm working since quite some time. But it might take until I'm finished with it. I want to clean up many things before I release it.

Bye,
Martin
Click to expand...

Sorry bringing up this old thread but was work to improve the support for the space navigator device finished since this thread ran? I am just a beginner with Cheetah3D (used Maja 2.0 eons ago) and would really like to have my left hand doing something useful (other than holding my beer). I saw a colleague at work using the Space Pilot with solidworks and it looks fantastic. I really want to try this but if support is not finished it would be pointless.
 
Thanks for remember me to update my space nav. driver joost!

Now it really works, but I disabled the Roll left/right option, it's much easier to handle.
Now I need a third hand at the keyboard... :cool:
 

Attachments

  • Connexion-1.jpg
    Connexion-1.jpg
    299.3 KB · Views: 550
3DSimulant said:
Thanks for remember me to update my space nav. driver joost!

Now it really works, but I disabled the Roll left/right option, it's much easier to handle.
Now I need a third hand at the keyboard... :cool:
Click to expand...

Ahhh, that looks good. Where is this setup diaglog in sys prefs or C3D?
 
joost said:
Nice, cool, I'll be ordering my self one today!
Click to expand...

Hello,

I'm extremely interested in a 3Dconnexion device. Did you ever get around to playing with it in Cheetah3D? What are your experiences in using it?
Click to expand...

Currently using the latest 3D Connexion SpaceMouse Wireless with Cheetah3D, works awesome. Special Thanks to Martin for the integration!
 
Last edited:
CpH said:
Hello,



Currently using the latest 3D Connexion SpaceMouse Wireless with Cheetah3D, works awesome. Special Thanks to Martin for the integration!
Click to expand...

Yeah, finally got around to getting this puppy for myself. Like it a lot, much better moving around in Cheetah3D (or other CAD software) with two hands and the 3D mouse specifically to move around specially.
 
joost said:
Yeah, finally got around to getting this puppy for myself. Like it a lot, much better moving around in Cheetah3D (or other CAD software) with two hands and the 3D mouse specifically to move around specially.
Click to expand...

Hmm, I am having some trouble with the space navigator staying connected to Cheetah3D. It appears that after a render whenever I activate the render manager window, the connection is lost and i have to restart Cheetah3D.

Does anyone else have this issue?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top