22 ms·

this 6dof "joystick" has been around for decades: https://3dconnexion.com/nl/spacemouse/ https://3dconnexion.com/nl/spacemouse/

by navane 3y ago

two_handfuls 3y ago
This. Sadly the drivers suck.
- Isthatablackgsd 3y ago
  Would it help with scripting macro software such as AutoHotKey? I imagine it wouldn't pick up some inputs due to proprietary driver. It have the same issue for my Logitech G600 that it can't pick up some inputs. I set up the macros in LGHUB with keystrokes (multiple modifiers with keys) and use AHK to grab those and expands the capabilities of my G600 than what LGHUB offers.
  - two_handfuls 3y ago
    Exactly, the inputs aren’t exposed as extra axes so those tools don’t see them.
    - Isthatablackgsd 3y ago
      Could it help if the driver have those axes assigned to a different key to allow AHK to pick that up and AHK can change it as axes? I done that with my XP-PEN AC-19, I assigned the dial wheel to different keys in XP-PEN software and AutoHotInterception with AHK to pick that up. Then assigned it with wheelup/down depending on what active window I am on.
      - two_handfuls 3y ago
        It does not expose it as a key either. You must link their proprietary driver (and sign some legal document) that then gives you an API you can use to read the position of the spaceball.
        Isthatablackgsd 3y ago
        Really? That sucks. I guess it would be better to get a custom keypad with rotary encoders that would expose itself. I found it interesting how companies invest heavy in hardware and don't bother to improve the software side.
- abe_m 3y ago
  There is an opensource driver package for Unix type systems[1]. I find them to be pretty reliable. The stock Windows drivers do leave something to be desired. [1] https://spacenav.sourceforge.net/ https://spacenav.sourceforge.net/
- radarsat1 3y ago
  I've always found it fascinating that companies that makes specialized hardware devices like this lean so hard into proprietary software, as if that's the thing that gives them the edge on the competition. If anything the hardware is the hard part to copy and open source drivers could do nothing but benefit them and ensure wide platform compatibility and longevity, and yet so many companies like this insist on closing things up and forcing hackers to reverse engineer everything. It's bizarre logic to me.
marcosdumay 3y ago
I've never found an explanation of what exactly is in that. Is it a track-ball, a rotary encoder, and a 3D stick?
- abe_m 3y ago
  I don't know exactly, but using one, it has the sensation of using the trackpoint on a Thinkpad. The puck you push, pull, and twist to make the motion is a bit springiness. The harder to push it, the faster the motion happens in the software on screen. When you release, it springs back to neutral. The old ones (late 90's vintage) had trouble coming back to center, and there was a hot key to rezero it if it was starting to drift. The newer ones don't seem to have the issue.
- lambda 3y ago
  There's a picture on the Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3Dconnexion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3Dconnexion and there's a patent you can look at: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20050172711A1/en?oq=20050172711 https://patents.google.com/patent/US20050172711A1/en?oq=2005... It's flexible, and there are LEDs and linear optical sensors set up with an occluder in between that casts a shadow (or passes a light through a slit, according to the patent). The sensor detect where along the sensor the shadow or light falls, which indicates how much you have translated or rotated the control in a particular axis.
- Doxin 3y ago
  Imagine a 3-axis joystick that can also sense translation. So aside from pitch/roll/yaw you also get the linear up-down/left-rigth/forward-back axises.
  - imsaw 3y ago
    I can see how pitch roll yaw would work, but I can't imagine how linear movements are made on the same joystick? Maybe up and down is push and pull but what about the other directions? Do you push the device itself?
    - 3y ago
RF_Savage 3y ago
And it works surprisingly well for Descent. The original 3dconnexion one worked first try on linux too.
oceanghost 3y ago
Yup. Use one every day for Fusion360 and Blender.

this 6dof "joystick" has been around for decades: https://3dconnexion.com/nl/spacemouse/ https://3dconnexion.com/nl/spacemouse/

by navane 3y ago

this 6dof "joystick" has been around for decades: https://3dconnexion.com/nl/spacemouse/ https://3dconnexion.com/nl/spacemouse/

two_handfuls 3y ago

This. Sadly the drivers suck.

Isthatablackgsd 3y ago
Would it help with scripting macro software such as AutoHotKey? I imagine it wouldn't pick up some inputs due to proprietary driver. It have the same issue for my Logitech G600 that it can't pick up some inputs. I set up the macros in LGHUB with keystrokes (multiple modifiers with keys) and use AHK to grab those and expands the capabilities of my G600 than what LGHUB offers.
- two_handfuls 3y ago
  Exactly, the inputs aren’t exposed as extra axes so those tools don’t see them.
  - Isthatablackgsd 3y ago
    Could it help if the driver have those axes assigned to a different key to allow AHK to pick that up and AHK can change it as axes? I done that with my XP-PEN AC-19, I assigned the dial wheel to different keys in XP-PEN software and AutoHotInterception with AHK to pick that up. Then assigned it with wheelup/down depending on what active window I am on.
    - two_handfuls 3y ago
      It does not expose it as a key either. You must link their proprietary driver (and sign some legal document) that then gives you an API you can use to read the position of the spaceball.
      - Isthatablackgsd 3y ago
        Really? That sucks. I guess it would be better to get a custom keypad with rotary encoders that would expose itself. I found it interesting how companies invest heavy in hardware and don't bother to improve the software side.
abe_m 3y ago
There is an opensource driver package for Unix type systems[1]. I find them to be pretty reliable. The stock Windows drivers do leave something to be desired. [1] https://spacenav.sourceforge.net/ https://spacenav.sourceforge.net/
radarsat1 3y ago
I've always found it fascinating that companies that makes specialized hardware devices like this lean so hard into proprietary software, as if that's the thing that gives them the edge on the competition. If anything the hardware is the hard part to copy and open source drivers could do nothing but benefit them and ensure wide platform compatibility and longevity, and yet so many companies like this insist on closing things up and forcing hackers to reverse engineer everything. It's bizarre logic to me.

marcosdumay 3y ago

I've never found an explanation of what exactly is in that. Is it a track-ball, a rotary encoder, and a 3D stick?

abe_m 3y ago
I don't know exactly, but using one, it has the sensation of using the trackpoint on a Thinkpad. The puck you push, pull, and twist to make the motion is a bit springiness. The harder to push it, the faster the motion happens in the software on screen. When you release, it springs back to neutral. The old ones (late 90's vintage) had trouble coming back to center, and there was a hot key to rezero it if it was starting to drift. The newer ones don't seem to have the issue.
lambda 3y ago
There's a picture on the Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3Dconnexion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3Dconnexion and there's a patent you can look at: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20050172711A1/en?oq=20050172711 https://patents.google.com/patent/US20050172711A1/en?oq=2005... It's flexible, and there are LEDs and linear optical sensors set up with an occluder in between that casts a shadow (or passes a light through a slit, according to the patent). The sensor detect where along the sensor the shadow or light falls, which indicates how much you have translated or rotated the control in a particular axis.
Doxin 3y ago
Imagine a 3-axis joystick that can also sense translation. So aside from pitch/roll/yaw you also get the linear up-down/left-rigth/forward-back axises.
- imsaw 3y ago
  I can see how pitch roll yaw would work, but I can't imagine how linear movements are made on the same joystick? Maybe up and down is push and pull but what about the other directions? Do you push the device itself?
  - 3y ago

RF_Savage 3y ago

And it works surprisingly well for Descent. The original 3dconnexion one worked first try on linux too.

oceanghost 3y ago

Yup. Use one every day for Fusion360 and Blender.