#Winner SpaceMouse Pro Review

mo53ley

Oh this is awesome. love the radial menus. The software recognition. Very nice.

What is the number of combinations possible with the radials? 15x4=60?

Great to hear you are liking it! Yes, in practical terms a 15 button device could have 15 different radial menus assigned (i.e. 60 different commands). However, you can actually assign a radial menu within a radial menu so the theoretical possibilities are endless...

Krisidious

I'll stick with 60 for now, my brain to finger synapses are already trying to carry enough information...

Mike Lucey

Thanks for this very informative and well written review Kristoff.

You certainly are able to bring your experiences to paper (screen text) and delve into the ins and outs of a product

Well done.

Mike

Charlie__V

Very nice write up Kristoff

I have the 3Dx Spacemouse Pro's little brother.....3DX SpaceNavigator.
(I voted "I have one"....I know...what a rebel)

After having it for 6 years or so, It's like not having my left arm if I am without it.
(Edit: actually I have 2 of them...one for laptop/one for desktop)

Charlie

pbacot

Thanks Kris. I haven't read it all but will... so far thanks for convincing me to buy another gadget. And it will look so impressive whether I figure out how to use it or not!

Rich O Brien

Make sure you grab the 20% discount

olishea

Can we all take a second to appreciate Krisidious wrote #Winner

haha

Krisidious

@Oli... lol.

@Charlie I think any of them count...

@Mike Thanks, it was my pleasure.

@pbacot It's pretty awesome, and now with this new driver and software I'm super excited. it multiplied the customization of buttons and shortcuts by a zillion.

Krisidious

Thought I would add a few notes.

Some people may have issues with shortcuts and button configuration. If shortcuts are not sticking you may need to run 3DxWare as 'Administrator'. I think most people will not have this issue, my permissions in Sketchup were messed up so I gave it super access.
SpaceMouse Pro allows you to move the model while in a dialog window that would normally lock you out of 3D navigation. example you can rotate your view etc. while in the Preferences Window.
Using the Fit button is some kind of anchor for rotation. If you come into sketchup and find the center point of rotation seems to be aligned out of view. hitting "Fit" will not only fit the view to the screen but it will also recalibrates the center point of rotation, making it more relevant to the object. Get used to using this fit button early.
A nice bonus is the ability to be in mid command and change your view. You can be making a copy and moving it to a new position and have free movement at the same time. It's some what challenging, but you'll get the hang of it and it's surprisingly helpful.
I have not been able to do this, not sure if I'm just not seeing the path or what. Shift and Ctrl need to have alternate control over the other buttons on the SpaceMouse Pro. This would multiply the number of functions that could be added by at least 3, if each button had this power of changing the "Mode" of the controller when used in conjunction with another button it would substantially increase the usability of the device.
Layout doesn't seem to recognize SpaceMouse Pro or 3Dconnexion doesn't work in Layout. One way or the other someone needs to talk to someone.

Krisidious

As Rich mentioned... 20% off right now from SketchUcation. Here's the link.

SketchUcation

SketchUp, 3D Connexxion and SketchUcation resources that lists helpful links and explanations to important SketchUp related topics.

(sketchucation.com)

mwm5053

Thanks Kris you did a great job here.

Hadn't used mine much until I read your review and got into mapping the buttons the way I wanted with shortcut keys now my hands hardly on the keyboard I think thats the whole key to using it just messing around with the radial menus after earlier mention of them by mo53ley. The only thing was "undo" command wasn't working so I actually made a macro for it and works just a few more buttons and would be totally confused.

Heres what I came up with so far, for button 1,2,3 for macros and used the ESC for one RM Tools and CTRL for RM Views and ALT for RM Pro and the View buttons on the right left default. Now I got make a cheat sheet to remember what they all do.

Again Thanks to SCF and 3d Connection and Kris

Krisidious

Glad you liked it Walt. I think the new driver really increased the usability of the device.

I think SU doesn't allow some shortcuts to be changed. Like Ctrl V can't be reassigned to Paste in Place.