CadMouse

Rich O Brien · 10 Feb 2015, 15:08

http://www.3dconnexion.eu/products/cadmouse

Looks like the 3Dconnexion has added to its family.

Anyone see if they've a version for lefties?

Mike Lucey · 10 Feb 2015, 15:50

I've just read about the CadMouse and viewed the videos. It ticks a lot of boxes for the SketchUp User and should improve efficiency quite a bit. Can't wait to get my hands one one and try it out.

Mmmmmm, yes lefties would have some difficulties. Maybe 3DConnexion might have a mirror version for you guys as you are at least 10-12% of the population. Even at a premium it might still be a good deal.

db11 · 10 Feb 2015, 16:43

Looks nice. I'm looking for a new mouse, and this one is definitely now on the short list.

One potential issue is that they currently list windows-only support. Given that it also uses 3dxWare (same as their 3D mouse), hopefully a Mac-supported version is in the pipeline.

KrisM · 10 Feb 2015, 16:50

This looks very interesting but you can't actually buy one yet. No date for when you can. Personally, I find this kind of marketing frustrating.

pbacot · 10 Feb 2015, 17:20

looks a little flat compared to what I am used to and I have doubts about the center button.

Mike Lucey · 11 Feb 2015, 16:37

@pbacot said:

looks a little flat compared to what I am used to and I have doubts about the center button.

I'm currently using an Elecom Scope Node (wireless) mouse which is quite 'flat' and I like it. The CadMouse has much the same ergonomics and I think it should be very comfortable to use over long periods.

Hieru · 11 Feb 2015, 17:35

Make the mouse wireless and add a double click button for your thumb and I'd be sold on it.

mo53ley · 11 Feb 2015, 21:56

@krism said:

This looks very interesting but you can't actually buy one yet. No date for when you can. Personally, I find this kind of marketing frustrating.

Hi Kris, the first CadMouse inventory hits our warehouses at the end of February. We're ramping up production as fast as possible but Chinese new year doesn't help

John
3Dconnexion

db11 · 12 Feb 2015, 00:34

@mo53ley said:

We're ramping up production as fast as possible but Chinese new year doesn't help

John
3Dconnexion

John, any date set for CadMouse support in 3dxWare for Mac OSX?

cadmunkey · 12 Feb 2015, 09:50

Looks sweet, I will be very interested in reviews after launch.

Mike Lucey · 12 Feb 2015, 12:20

@db11 said:

@mo53ley said:

We're ramping up production as fast as possible but Chinese new year doesn't help

John
3Dconnexion

John, any date set for CadMouse support in 3dxWare for Mac OSX?

Doug, its up to us OSX users to request what we want. It will come eventually but the more of us that speak up the quicker it will happen as I have been told.

mo53ley · 12 Feb 2015, 13:40

@db11 said:

@mo53ley said:

We're ramping up production as fast as possible but Chinese new year doesn't help

John
3Dconnexion

John, any date set for CadMouse support in 3dxWare for Mac OSX?

Thanks to Mike for replying too. We need OS X users to express interest in CadMouse. The main reason for no OS X driver yet is that the Middle Mouse Button (MMB) isn't used in anywhere near as many applications on OS X as it is on Windows (where pretty much every CAD application makes fundamental use of it). Obviously the MMB is very useful in SketchUp regardless of whether the user is on Windows or OS X. Despite this, the first investment a SketchUp user on either OS should make to supercharge their model / view manipulation is a 3D Mouse like the SpaceMouse Wireless or SpaceMouse Pro (wireless version also available)

pbacot · 12 Feb 2015, 16:23

Middle click is used wherever you want in OSX. CAD and 3d get high use, but power users in OSX would program as many buttons as they want (your driver DOES allow assignment to buttons?). CAD is not different in OSX this way. Why would you think CAD in OSX would be different?

I am not sure I am interested in the extra button, because I don't know why I'd want another button instead of downclicking the wheel. Do I have to cock my finger up and back to hit it? My index finger is now resting near or on the wheel all the time. I do have interest in any well-made mouse, and your scroll function and precision sound great.

mo53ley · 13 Feb 2015, 12:52

@pbacot said:

Middle click is used wherever you want in OSX. CAD and 3d get high use, but power users in OSX would program as many buttons as they want (your driver DOES allow assignment to buttons?). CAD is not different in OSX this way. Why would you think CAD in OSX would be different?

I am not sure I am interested in the extra button, because I don't know why I'd want another button instead of downclicking the wheel. Do I have to cock my finger up and back to hit it? My index finger is now resting near or on the wheel all the time. I do have interest in any well-made mouse, and your scroll function and precision sound great.

Thanks pbacot, can you give some specific examples of the MMB functionality in CAD apps on OS X (apart from SketchUp)? Our core market (and therefore knowledge) is mechanical CAD (SolidWorks, Inventor, Catia etc) and these are all Windows based. In these applications, the MMB performs a variety of functions such as pan / rotate / confirm selection (depending on the application). If we can pinpoint some specific examples of the MMB's role on OS X we can raise the priority of developing the CadMouse OS X driver.

Our driver does indeed allow button customisation. Hopefully the link below works as it shows an example of our nice and clean driver interface.

3DxWare 10 driver interface
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jbr0oza1leeb7r2/Image1.png?dl=0

Regarding the dedicated middle mouse button (which you refer to as "the extra button"), it sounds like you've misunderstood its location on the CadMouse. It's actually a full size button, sitting between the left and right buttons. Your middle finger rests very naturally on it and after a couple of days of use you'll find it's MUCH more comfortable than pressing the scroll wheel. Again, click the link below for a (rough) image illustrating the position of the 3 primary buttons (left, middle, right).

Illustration of MMB
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tj4jj653sd4eq77/CadMouse_Front_Up_RGB%20-%20mouse%20button%20pointers.png?dl=0

The button sitting behind the scroll wheel opens (by default) an application specific radial menu. Simply swipe the mouse cursor up / down / left / right to activate a command (you can easily customise these radial menus too)

Gesture / radial menu button

Sorry for the long post but hope it clarifies a few things and I am looking forward to learning more about the MMB functionality on OS X.

Hieru · 13 Feb 2015, 14:10

Is there no customisation for the 'fast zoom' button? Personally I'd like the option to switch that to a 'double click' function.

mo53ley · 13 Feb 2015, 17:59

@hieru said:

Is there no customisation for the 'fast zoom' button? Personally I'd like the option to switch that to a 'double click' function.

Hi Hieru, you can customise the thumb buttons (they are the ones shown on the driver GUI with the triangle symbols (as these are the symbols on the actual buttons).

3DxWare 10 driver interface
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jbr0oza1leeb7r2/Image1.png?dl=0

However, at the moment the driver doesn't allow you to assign a double click BUT don't worry, CadMouse isn't even available until the end of the month so we have this request on the list and will work out a sensible way of making it possible. The challenge is where to stop in terms of making commands available. For example, if we make double click available, why not Ctrl+LB, Alt+LB, Shift+LB, Ctrl+RB, Ctrl+MB, etc etc. The list is kind of endless and we don't want people to be overwhelmed when they browse for available commands. Anyway, thanks for the suggestion and as mentioned above, we expect to make it possible to do what you want, we just need to figure out the most practical way for the user

pbacot · 13 Feb 2015, 18:22

I don't use all different CAD softwares, but in PowerCADD I use the middle button in switching layers--but it can be used for a number of things, according to the user. I use it in Firefox to slow scroll (just press and start to move a little up or down). But as I noted, even if there were no specific standard use in ArchiCAD Revit, VectorWorks, Form-Z, AutoCAD... and all the other Mac CAD packages, professional users are sure to assign one, so no need to halt short of Mac for that reason. I like your radial menu ideas. We have that already in PowerCADD but this adds functionality that could be used in any app.

Hieru · 13 Feb 2015, 22:05

That's great Mo53ley and thanks for taking the time to respond - although I was talking about the fast zoom button (between the forwards and backwards buttons)

I would still like to use forwards and backwards, but then use the fast zoom button for a double click as it makes navigation easier and takes the strain off your index finger.

mo53ley · 16 Feb 2015, 15:18

@hieru said:

That's great Mo53ley and thanks for taking the time to respond - although I was talking about the fast zoom button (between the forwards and backwards buttons)

I would still like to use forwards and backwards, but then use the fast zoom button for a double click as it makes navigation easier and takes the strain off your index finger.

Hi Hieru, there may be some confusion as there is not a "fast zoom button (between the forwards and backwards buttons)"

As you can see from this picture, there are two thumb buttons (like on some other mice) and these (by default) provide the QuickZoom functionality when you are in a CAD application.

So, despite not having the extra button you are looking for (to assign a double click to), we think you'll find using CadMouse to be a very comfortable experience, not least because its full-size design supports your hand (and fingers) very nicely

Hieru · 16 Feb 2015, 17:48

Thanks for the explanation and clearing things up for me