Setting up your 3DConnexion 3D mouse for Fusion 360

[schneik-adsk]

A 3DConnexion 3D mouse can be a great time saver and productivity boost. It allows seamless navigation of designs and access to quick tools. Moving your non-mouse hand off the keyboard and onto a 3D mouse increases productivity.

It can be an even bigger productivity boost if you take a little time to customize the experience using tools offered by 3DConnexion.

Launch the 3DConnexion settings. On OS X you will find these in the system preferences.

Select Autodesk Fusion 360 so that your are configuring your settings specifically for Fusion 360. If you make changes in Any Application it will change the settings across all applications and if you use multiple CAD tools like I do, that can be an annoying mistake.

To create some Fusion 360 specific customizations switch to the macros tab. In the macros box click the + to create a new macro.

Let's name the first macro Hide Pallets. In the macro steps click +  add two Keystroke steps.

The first is keystrokes to hide the Browser Pallet: Press CMD + OPTION + b

The second is keystrokes to hide the Comments Pallet: Press CMD + OPTION + a

Next create a second macro Data Panel. In the macro steps click + an add two Keystroke steps.

The keystrokes to hide the Data Panel: Press CMD + OPTION + p

Last create a final macro Full Screen. In the macro steps click + an add two Keystroke steps.

The keystrokes to swap into and out of Fullscreen: Press CMD + CONTROL + f

Now switch to the Radial Menus tab.

Click the + to create a new radial menu and call it something distinctive. I used F360.

Select the top 12 o’clock well. Under Mapping choose Run Macro. Under Macro choose Full Screen.

For each well set them as show in the next image. The 6 o’clock well use mapping of 3D Mouse and Command to Virtual NumPad.

Now we need to map this to your buttons.

For my device, I like to set the radial menu to Button 2. I make one other change... Many devices with > than 2 buttons have the virtual numpad set to button 1. I have button 1 set to a new feature not yet available in production but coming November 15th . With our custom radial menu we keep access to the numpad, it is just a click away.

Limiting my customization to button 1 and 2 makes it really easy to switch between my travel 3D mouse and my desktop 3D mouse. Besides, most of the out of the box customization on my desktop 3D mouse feels good once I made these small changes. I just don't feel the need to change much more.

When using Fusion 360 you can click Button 2 and get your special tools right at your cursor.

I hope this helps make Fusion 360 and your 3D mouse an even better combination.

[scruff.r]

So did I. I intended to reply to @jasonhomrighaus but pressed the wrong Reply button :blush:

[jasonhomrighaus]

Try adding it as a suggestion, IE that they provide a list of macro key combinations for commonly used features such as this so that people can use keyboard shortcuts. Just go to the idea station area under fusion 360.  you'll get kudos from me on that.

[scruff.r]

Done!

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-ideastation-request-a/add-keyboard-shortcut-for-quot-set-o...

[Bruceiwish]

Ah good idea.

[marco43X56]

Need desperately to find out how to map views to this as I cant even get an answer from the people that make, which says a lot about them.
Prob one when I press iso button used to go to home view but now goes to Y up when it used to be Z up.

Is this solved? I've the same problem 😞

Thanks Marco

[Bruceiwish]

No

It never rectified itself, there is no provision to set a key to a view that
you would like to be say X front etc.

[Sw3De]

I have this exact problem as well, and have had it for years. I've been waiting for an update either from fusion team or from connexion.

Is there a fix? Maybe I'm doing something wrong. I currently have a 3D spacemouse PRO from connexion but I had the same problems when I had my "laptop" 3D mouse, can't remember what it was called, from connexion as well.

/Micke

*edit

I'm using a Mac now, but had similar problems with my former windows machine

[TheCADWhisperer]

I didn't read the entire thread (it probably would have been best to start a new thread stating the exact problem statement and link back to this thread for reference), but this is what I see when I click the right button on my Space Navigator...

Mapped Views

[Bruceiwish]

I continually updated all on pc and removed a thousand times and re
installed and eventually it work correctly, heaven knows as I don't know
exactly what I did, beets me though no matter how many times you talk to
connexion they never ever answer ignorant bastards they are.

[stephen_mcmillan]

How to set up "Constrained Orbit"?

In F360 preferences there is constrained or free orbit. Constrained is great as it always keeps Y axis straight up. Looks way cleaner and I don't like having my models tip over sideways. It's the default orbit for mouse control.

I just want the same thing with the 3DConnexion mouse. I know it's unlikely, but it would be good.

Cheers,

Stephen

[stephen_mcmillan]

Sorry, I see this was discussed here:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-ideastation/constrained-orbit-with-3d-connexion-space-mice...

[fraser]

How do I get fusion to recognise movment from the space mouse on windows? Works in the 3d connexion trainer but fusion not recognising the mouse anywhere?Cheers

[MRWakefield]

I've had to roll back my 3DConnexion driver to 10.6.1 as neither 10.6.3 or 10.6.5 work with Fusion 360 or my 3D printer slicer software (Formlabs Preform) on my system.

[Phil.E]

UPDATE:

For Windows* there is a new 3Dconnexion experience in Fusion 360.

• Constrained orbit
• Full command support for custom buttons

Here's how to enable it:

1. Install the latest 3Dconnexion drivers

2. Start Fusion, open Preferences > Preview

3. Tick Spacemouse (windows only)

4. Restart Fusion 360

For constrained orbit (Lock Horizon)

1. Open 3Dconnexion properties

2. Go to Advanced settings

3. Enable Lock Horizon**

* macOS support is in development

** known issue: currently, changing the view cube "up" direction will not set a new horizon for Lock Horizon

Let us know how you like it!

[stephen_mcmillan]

This is great news. A fantastic upgrade.

Many people are likely unaware that this was even an issue, but when you get used to using the spacemouse with constrained orbit, it's a really nice way to navigate your model. Very natural because, like the real world, we tend to be aware of gravity and our vertical orientation. 

So this is 99% perfect.

Only suggestion is the small icon/tool at the bottom of the screen to switch between constrained and free orbits seems to not operate a well as possible. To switch modes, I have to use my cursor to select the little down arrow next to the icon, NOT the icon itself. Then pick a mode. Then the cursor changes to a weird orbit symbol, and I have to click "Esc" to get back to normal. Something is not quite right there. 

Suggestion: even better, since there are only two modes, clicking on the icon itself should function as a toggle, switching between the two states, and displaying the current state. That would be an elegant implementation.

Otherwise thank so much for this upgrade.

Keep up the good work,

Stephen

[brett_smith5AWPF]

brooo.  Are you really using a MAC for CAD. Thats weird. You must be an architect huh?

[TrippyLighting]

5 seconds of very basic research would have prevented an ill informed post to a truly ancient tread 😉

https://www.linkedin.com/in/schneiderkevin/

[jasonhomrighaus]

Why wouldn’t you use a MAC. Incredibly powerful and streamlined machines, little to no virus issues, super tight integration of graphics processing and a great UI and ecosystem for everything else you need to do.

I’ve worked on both and Apple is just smoother and less clugey in my opinion.