Mouse binding

snead hearn · 30 Apr 2012, 15:18

I discovered Sketchup in 2001. A brilliant, simple, intuitive, precise, flexible software but
frustrating in one aspect: uneditable mouse bindings. Because of this I put it aside and went on to other softwares. I have come back a number of times over the years but still the same stumbling block.

All the other programs that I use, Silo, Blender, Hexagon, Modo, Moi allow editing of mouse binding for navigation. My preferences (a modification of Maya bindings): Alt lmb-orbit, mmb-pan (hand), scroll-zoom has become ingrained in muscle memory.

Recently, I investigated Bonzai and Form Z since they incorporate some tools that are evocative of
Sketchup. Both allow editing of mouse bindings but for other reasons I find these programs frustrating to use.

To make a long story short, after searching forums and the web and finding no options for editing
the Sketchup mouse commands, I ask here if any of the script and plugin authors who frequent this forum have thought about this situation. Is it possible to write such a acript or plugin and if so would one of them undertake such a task?

Roger · 30 Apr 2012, 16:30

Use dental floss and tiny little knots.

tadema · 30 Apr 2012, 17:20

"tiny little knots"

Krisidious · 30 Apr 2012, 18:16

oh sorry I thought I was in the Rodent Bondage Thread...

on another note... I urge you not to search for Rodent Bondage on Google.

Roger · 30 Apr 2012, 21:14

Kris, we have the identical rodent minus the bondage. We had a mouse in the house and in addition to traps we figured the large stuffed rodent might be intimidating.

Gaieus · 30 Apr 2012, 21:19

Oh, come on guys. Here is a member posting the first time an you make fun of him.

@snead: I do not think that "mapping" (as I would call it) mouse commands is possible in SU. They are all hard coded. You have probably discovered the shortcuts panel but (of course), there's nothing there. Unfortunately, what I know of the ruby API (about - nothing much actually), it does not allow such modifications either.

Roger · 1 May 2012, 03:10

Snead, I apologize. Gaius, I admit that I made a Mickey Mouse comment.

Krisidious · 1 May 2012, 04:44

oh sorry Snead... didn't realize this was your first post.

Gaieus · 1 May 2012, 08:42

Okay guys (and the same time I have to admit that I also had some giggle moments)

snead hearn · 6 May 2012, 21:14

Oh, dear. Look here, Minnie.
I return here after a week and all I find are a few human droppings.
Oh, dear. Oh,dear.

jeff hammond · 6 May 2012, 21:29

what about your mouse driver?
some of them (Logitech for example) allow for customization that way.

Krisidious · 7 May 2012, 06:05

@unknownuser said:

Oh, dear. Look here, Minnie.
I return here after a week and all I find are a few human droppings.
Oh, dear. Oh,dear.

Roger · 7 May 2012, 07:32

Clearly Snead is in the spirit of the moment.

jaceguay · 7 May 2012, 19:58

I recommend Autohotkey for this type of customization, If you tell me what you are you trying to achieve I´ll help you make a script.

snead hearn · 7 May 2012, 21:07

Jacequay-

I investigated Autohotkey, but did not go further because it wasn't clear
if it would allow changing the mouse inputs for only Sketchup and not for
everything on my computer.

For all the other 3d software that I use, the following mapping has become
ingrained in muscle memory:

Orbit = Alt + Lmb
Pan = Mmb
Zoom = Scroll wheel

If Orbit and Pan could be reset for Sketchup only, I wouldn't be tripping over
them all the time.

Your help is most welcome.

Snead

jaceguay · 9 May 2012, 02:57

Hi, the script follows, it changes the orbit and pan as you describe, to use it just install autohotkey, after you run it for the first time it will create a template script on your documents folder, you can open it with notepad delete what´s there and paste this.
The IfWinActive, SketchUp ensure that it will only be active in the sketchup window.

#SingleInstance force
#NoEnv
#Persistent
#ErrorStdOut
SetTitleMatchMode 2
#IfWinActive, SketchUp
;-------------------------
*MButton;;
SendEvent {Shift Down}{MButton down}
KeyWait MButton
SendEvent {Shift Up}{MButton up}
return
;-------------------------
*!LButton;;
SendEvent {MButton down}
KeyWait LButton
SendEvent {MButton up}
return

snead hearn · 9 May 2012, 23:43

Thank you for your response and guidance, jaceguay.

I installed the script as you indicated. Upon opening Sketchup it worked beautifully.
All was well until I closed Sketchup and turned off the computer. Upon reopening the program,
Sketchup had reverted to its default Orbit and Pan.

After going back through the installation steps and checking the AutoHotkey help files,
and making no progress in finding an answer, I tried Start > AutoHotkey > Open. Nothing
visible happened. However, when I opened Sketchup again the script was working. It appears
that shutting down and restarting the computer is the problem.

This is beyond my abilities to solve. Do you have any ideas or suggestions?

jaceguay · 10 May 2012, 03:44

Autohotkey must be running to make the modification work, the installation don´t make it start automatically with windows, so you can start it yourself every time you want to use sketchup or to make it easier you should put autohotkey as a start up program. After you start Autohotkey to ensure it its running see if you can find a green "H" beside the clock on the taksbar.

snead hearn · 11 May 2012, 17:03

jacequay,
Again, thank you. It is now working as I wished.
Jeff Hammond,
I had previously checked Logitech drivers. However, they do not allow modification of
the primary mouse buttons.
Thanks to all.
Snead