Setting the pivot position whilst orbit'ing

[philip.millard]

If you hold down F4 to orbit in 3D (equally press the Orbit button under view on the ribbon) you can temporarily set the orbit pivot position by left clicking the mouse.
I have a 3D mouse (3dconnexion spaceball 5000) installed on my workstation so can perform the same view manipulations without technically having to enable the orbit command. But I can't change the pivot position unless I activate the orbit command and then left click - making the main advantage of a 3D mouse for me a bit of a nonsense..

Does anyone know the command/key combination that allows me to setup a custom button to set the orbit pivot position?

[saeplY470]

Go into the 3d connexion control panel and then button configuration click on custom functions...and then new. call It orbit and then click in the User Macro box and press the following keys on your keyboard: alt v b enter Save it and then when you go into the options for the button your macro will be there for you to assign to that button

[-niels-]

No need for a custom macro, the inventor button mapper has that option built in.

There is no way, that i know of, to get a new pivot point using only the 3D controller, you'll always have to click the point you want to pivot around.

But setting the orbit command to one of the buttons does make it easier.

[cwhetten]

Hi niels, how do I find the editor you showed?  Is that a separate add-in, or is it part of the 3Dconnexion software that installs with the drivers?

I have used the macro method that splett mentioned, but my button mapping doesn't seem to stick.  Every time I launch Inventor, I have to re-map (even though I have saved the button configuration in the 3Dconnexion properties).  It's too much of a pain, so I stopped doing it.  Now I just reach over to my keyboard, press F4 and pick a new orbit center.

Cameron Whetten
Inventor 2014

[blair]

Select the 3D Connexion icon in Inventor in the Add-Ins Tab

[cwhetten]

---

@Blair wrote:
Select the 3D Connexion icon in Inventor in the Add-Ins Tab

---

Oh!  There it is!  I guess it pays to snoop around the ribbon once in a while.

Thanks!

Cameron Whetten
Inventor 2014

[saeplY470]

That's great!

So much better than a macro.

A note: you have to be in an assembly for the free orbit option to appear in the list

[blair]

Not your fault, they (3dConnexion) should make their icon look more like their icon in the notification bar

[cwhetten]

---

@saeplY470 wrote:

That's great!

So much better than a macro.

A note: you have to be in an assembly for the free orbit option to appear in the list

---

Also, I noticed that it has different settings for different document types.  So, if you set it up while an assembly document is active, you will need to set it up again when a part document is active.

But, yeah, so much better than a macro.  (Give niels and blair some kudos for the great info!  )

Cameron Whetten
Inventor 2014

[cwhetten]

---

@Blair wrote:
Not your fault, they (3dConnexion) should make their icon look more like their icon in the notification bar

---

What is that icon supposed to be, anyway?  At least the notification icon looks like a stylized logo...

   <---- ?

Cameron Whetten
Inventor 2014

[blair]

I don't have the foggiest, when you hover the mouse over it, it only states button mapping and nothing about 3dConx. That's why I said it's not your fault, I actually had someone from 3dConnexion show me one time.

[-niels-]

Sorry for not replying, but i usually don't visit the forum over the weekend.
Blair jumped in and explained nicely though.

As for the icon, i guess it's supposed to resemble the device a bit.
At least the Spacepilot i have with the LCD display at the top "kinda" resembles the icon, if i squint and tilt my head 😄