3D Connexion - What we found.

[alh-telesis]

For the past month, three of our four users with 3D Connexion Space Pilots have been having issue.

But none of the issue seemed connected. The first affect AutoCAD Mechanical directly.

1. The 3D mouse didn't want to work correctly in AutoCAD Mechanical 2013 , but worked fine in AutoCAD 2013.

a. We installed the HOTFIX, but it didn't solve the issue.

b. Then , our most technical wizard, noticed that when AC Mechanical was started with the Start Menu short cut the 3D Mouse worked, but the desktop shortcut didn't. Under Properties of both short cuts we found a difference on the security tab. The desktop shortcut was missing a user account called "Users". When it was added both shortcuts allowed the 3D mouse to function in AutoCAD Mechanical. It didn't function well, but that was a driver issue.

2. The 3D Mouse software wouldn't load all of the drivers (*.dll) during Windows 7 (64 bit) start up.

a. We tried  adding exceptions to the Symantec antivirus / Firewall. It didn't help.

b. We turned off the Symantec. It didn't help.

c. We un-installed every Adobe Acrobat related. Mostly because it would hang trying to load the 3D PDF drivers for a 2D PDF image. It didn't help.

d. We un-installed all of the add-ins from the 3D Connexion driver. It didn't help.

e. We adjusted the "Startup order" and adjusted permissions on folders, files on the hard drive and keys in the registry. That didn't help.

f. We asked Autodesk for help. THAT was a waste of time.

g. We called 3D Connexion and THEY help right away. They issued a new driver on 2/1/2013 to resolve these dll startup issues. This fixed our errors during startup.

h. That fixed the issues with an older Space Pilot and two newer Space Pilot Pro.

3. 3D Connexion drivers are half 3D Connexion and half Autodesk.

a. As we have come to learn, 3D Connexion controls the hardware, startup software and add-ins for software other than Autodesk products.

b. Autodesk controls the drivers for the Autodesk products.

c. When you sent a Subscription Request for help, you may or may not get a reply. The relies we got left us with the feeling that our emails and request were not even being read. We got canned responses that didn't apply to our issues.

d. One phone call to 3D Connexions "FREE" support, was answered quickly. 2/4/2013 They also asked us to call back in immediately if the new drivers did not solve the issues so they could walk us through each workstation and find a solution. That gave us a warm fuzzy.