Does anyone actually use RMB gestures? Just curious...

[Scoox]

I'd like to know if other fellow Fusion 360 users use RMB (right mouse button) gestures, the ones where you hold down the RMB and swipe in a given direction before the context menu shows up.

The idea of gestures is to access items of the RMB circular menu without actually displaying the menu. To do this, users swipe the mouse preemptively in the expected direction of the target menu item, before it is displayed. So for example, "Undo" always appears to the left of the mouse pointer in the circular menu, therefore swiping leftwards always executes the Undo command. Other common actions are Redo (swipe right) and Repeat last command (swipe up).

For me this feature poses a couple of problems:

(1) Accuracy: It's quite easy to swipe in the wrong direction when the menu is not yet visible, since there is no visual feedback of where the mouse pointer is heading. Thus, I may end up triggering Undo (left swipe) when I meant to Delete (left-up swipe) if the swipe was not upwards enough. Because I need that visual feedback, the very few times I choose to use the circular menu I usually just do a regular RMB singel-click (i.e. fully releasing the button), wait for the menu to show up and then LMB click the desired menu item. Sure, "blind" gestures would save me about 500 ms, but for me it's not worth it if there is room for mistakes. This method requires one extra click but it is accurate. I also rely on keyboard shortcuts as they tend to be very accurate.

(2) Ergonomics: I will add that orbiting is the second most frequently performed action in Fusion 360 (only a close second to selecting stuff i.e. clicking the LMB), and yet it requires the use of the Shift key and moving the index finger from the LMB to the MMB. This violates the most basic principle of ergonomics, which is to minimize displacement from the "home" position. The middle finger's home position is the RMB, so it would make sense to use that finger and that position to execute one of the most frequently performed actions i.e. orbit. RMB gestures should be optional to allow the RMB to be used for orbiting. I could be completely wrong, but I'm sure most users would disable gestures.

Furthermore, I've watched countless video tutorials by power users and I don't remember any one of them ever using gestures, they all wait for the menu to show up and then click the target item (of course this may be partly because it is a tutorial where clarity takes precedence over speed).

I'd love to hear everybody's comments, cheers!

[etfrench]

Never  I'd much prefer a standard context menu.

[daniel_lyall]

I use it, it's fine

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@Scoox wrote:

... I've watched countless video tutorials by power users and I don't remember any one of them ever using gestures, ....

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Ha!  If Keven makes a bunch of video tutorials and uses gestures - all we'll see is geometry magically appearing on the screen.  

[TrippyLighting]

I used to use this quite often, but it is so laggy even on my new high spec MacBook Pro that I stopped using it. It also only is able to reflect the commands in the current and lacking implementation of the non-context sensitive marking menu.

I have replaced all of that and use the Toolbox (S- key) now almost exclusively.

As to orbiting, this has been commented on many times previously. Again, in Blender orbiting  click on the middle mouse button and pan is shift + middle mouse button, which is more efficient, because as you've mentioned, orbiting is more often used than panning. In Blender and many other software packages I can configure all that as I wish.In Fuison 360 I cannot, which is also the reason why I asked in this thread if the key configurability also will include mouse/device buttons.

[mroek]

Nope, it's just really annoying. I'd like to be able to turn it off, it's totally useless to me.

[Scoox]

If the right click could show the context menu and the S toolbar at the same time, instead of the radial menu, that would be more useful. The only command I ever use is Repeat Last, and that's only because it's not available anywhere else. Once it can am assigned to a keyboard shortcut, I will definitely have no use for either gestures or the radial menu.

[Scoox]

*once it can BE assigned to a keyboard shortcut.

Darn auto-correct...

[mcnurlin]

I use gestures as much as possible. They, in my opinion, are a big help to productivity. 

[lichtzeichenanlage]

I'm not using them and I'll believe less people will use them if proper keyboard shortcuts are available. 

[Scoox]

Well, there are probably users who like using gestures, while others think they are a a gimmick. That's why it'd be nice if they could be optional.

[jeff_strater]

Very gingerly weighing in on this particular very religious debate...  not too far from the "Mac vs Windows" or "IOS vs Android" topics.

I am one of those who use gestures all the time.  I admit to bias, since I was around when these were first put into Fusion, and also came from another product where gestures (a different type of gesture, which used a 3x3 grid to define the gesture) were used and were popular.  So, gestures are second nature to me.

My main usage of them is OK/Cancel, and Repeat Last Command.  I like those because they limit mouse travel.  I can start a command, add selections, drag manipulators, etc, then quickly OK or cancel the command without having to go to the keyboard or the dialog.  I find it very efficient.  The most efficient usage, IMO, is the Repeat Last Command.  Say I want to do a bunch of fillets.  I can start one, select some edges, drag the manipulator, then go straight to Repeat Last Command (which does a combination of OK and re-start the fillet command) to start the next one.  I would encourage you to give it a try.  I don't generally use gestures or the marking menu for command invocation (once in a while to get to Move).

But, of course, like many preferences, these are very personal.  I understand the desire, for people who don't use the marking menu or gestures, to free up the RMB for other purposes (view rotate, or a more traditional context menu).  This is something that has been discussed.  I can't commit to it being implemented in any timeframe, but the request is valid, and is being taken seriously.

Jeff

[lichtzeichenanlage]

If redo last command is a gesture too then I have to change my no into a
yes. That's one I'm using a lot. A fraction of the time, perhaps 1/5 of the
time it frustrates me, because I would like to have the possiblity to
exclude some actions to show up in this item. But still, I'm using it.

Would I like to replace it with a Excel-Style Ctrl+y... Perhaps.

[Scoox]

The Redo last action item is undeniably useful. However that is not the point. If it was a button on the toolbar, it would be just as useful. If it was a keyboard shortcut, it would be useful too.

What I'm weighing this against is the ability to orbit with the right mouse button, which is a far more frequent action than any of the available gestures.

In modelling CAD software such as Fusion 360, it is quite common for users to favor a workflow whereby the left hand does keyboard work the whole time, while the right hand does mouse work most of the time. The regular QWERTY keyboard does not encourage this workflow in Fusion 360. For example, the Esc key is assigned "Cancel" hand the Enter key is assigned "OK". The Esc key, being in the top-left corner of the keyboard, can be operated by the left hand (although not without unnatural contortions of the wrist). The Enter key, however, is on the far right of the keyboard. Some users will hit this key with their right hand thumb while the hand remains on the mouse, but this is not ideal, so Fusion 360 developers provided the "Create and Continue" button:

If, say, the Caps Lock key was remapped to be Enter, then the Create and Continue button would be redundant. In fact, it can get in the way some times if it appears on the spot where the user intends to click to continue sketching the next segment.

It really helps if you own a real ergonomic keyboard such as the Ergodox EZ. By real I mean one without staggered columns and fully programmable with multiple layer support. The Ergodoox EZ does all of that, and any key can be configured to be anything you like. On mine, I have Escape, Enter, Tab, Backspace, etc all under the left hand. I can also type all numbers with just my left hand (I hold down a thumb key to enable my custom Numbers Layer, at which point the left half of the keyboard turns into a numeric keypad). This is great for typing in dimension values.

If you bring AutoHotkey into the mix, you can even get fancier: LMB + C to copy, LMB + X to cut, LMB + Z to undo. In other words, you can press C while clicking on stuff to copy it, etc, this works everywhere not just Fusion 360. I'm not a software developer but it took me only a few minutes to figure this out because the AutoHotkey help file is very... helpful. Here's my AutoHotkey script:

#NoEnv
#SingleInstance Force

CapsLock::Enter ;Remap Caps Lock to be Enter
~LButton & c::SendInput {LButton up}^c ;copy
~LButton & x::SendInput {LButton up}^x ;cut
~LButton & v::SendInput {LButton up}^v ;cut
~LButton & z::SendInput {LButton up}^z ;undo
~LButton & d::SendInput {LButton up}^d ;delete

Save that to a text file, change extension to ".ahk", install AHK (can also run portably), double-click the .ahk file and you've just got a kick-ass keyboard. This is completely free and will work even if you don't own an Ergodox EZ or similar keyboard. It will work on all applications, not just Fusion 360. Mac users will be at a loss here though as AutoHotkey is Windows-only.

If you own a fancier mouse with additional buttons, you could map those buttons to the above commands.

Now that Fusion 360 will get user-defined keyboard shortcuts (thank you Autodesk!), things will change. Hopefully Autodesk will be kind enough to make "Repeat last action" a keyboard-mappable action, rather than making it available only through the radial menu or gestures. Yes, this will undermine the time and effort previously invested into developing the radial menu because a lot of users are using it just because of this one command that can't be found elsewhere, but I think it's important letting users choose their preferred workflow.

[Scoox]

Just submitted a feature suggest on Idea Station, please vote if you are interested: Right click for orbit & disable gestures  Thanks!

[davebYYPCU]

Your last statement is not correct, I could nominate two users that regularly use gestures, in tutorial type screencast in here, 

the majority use the circular menu for teaching users in the follow me - method.

indont use it so much, except in the rinse and repeat workflows.

[TrippyLighting]

Voted for!

I used to use the radial menu and gestures as well, but both are clunky and frustrating once a user gets to be more comfortable with Fusion 360.

Gestures are very laggy and get in the way even on the most recent high spec MacBook Pro.

The radial menu is not context sensitive and not configurable and as such is really only of very limited use.

Just as in other areas of Fusion 360, either implement it correctly and completely, or get rid of it!

[mroek]

My vote has also been cast in favor of this, but I fear that Autodesk couldn't care less. But I hope to be wrong, and in the very best case the new upcoming functionality for keyboard mapping also includes the ability to do some custom mouse button mapping.

[Scoox]

I use the circular menu—some times—, but I don't use gestures. To bring up the circular menu, you simply right-click, therefore my feature suggestion can live in harmony alongside the circular menu. As you can see, gestures is not for everyone, so it would be nice if it was made optional.

And since you mention the circular menu, it would be nice if the menu items could be customized. My main use for the circular menu is to Cancel out of whatever tool I'm using. Otherwise I really don't use it. The regular menu below it does contain a bunch of useful commands such as 'Locate in browser' which I use a lot.

[MrJRabbit]

Nevermind. I didn't realise this was about Fusion 360.