Part Rotation Using 3D Mouse

[Anonymous]

When manipulating parts/sub-assemblies in a larger assembly, the 'Rotate Component' feature is useful.  

However, it would be greatly enhanced if Inventor allowed a 3D mouse to also control this function.  If there was a way to toggle between view control and part rotation with the 3D mouse, it would allow quick part insertion and alignment (instead of pressing 'g' and "pulling" the part into a correct alignment).  I'd really appreciate this feature when working through fitment issues in assemblies.

Users rejoice, productivity increases, profits skyrocket.

[PaulMunford]

Hi. How about mapping one of the programmable buttons on the 3D mouse to the command you want to use?

[Anonymous]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the suggestion, but mapping a programmable button doesn't allow the functionality I'm describing above.  I'd like the single component to be rotated by movement of the 3D mouse.  If I mapped a button, I'd still be calling the "Rotate" command which requires using a normal mouse to drag across an axis of the 3D Rotate symbol in Inventor.

[DRoam]

Manipulating a part with the 3D mouse would be extremely handy. Here's a video demonstrating what @Anonymous is suggesting:

(all movements are made using a 3D mouse joystick)

[Anonymous]

This would greatly enhance overall performance.

[Anonymous]

Good to see someone else already came up with this idea! I came here to post it, but you have my vote.

This could be integrated in the existing Free Rotate/Move command.

I even suggest a special selection mode where objects can be manipulated right after being selected, just as illustrated in the movie above.

This would save the user having to click on the Free Rotate command repeatedly.

[Anonymous]

Up for this idea

[jonathan]

I'd say I'm late to the party except that the party hasn't started yet. This would be a fantastic utilization of what I can easily say has been the most valuable piece of computer peripherals I have ever purchased. Got my vote and this needs to get many more votes.

[Anonymous]

I support this move. I want to be able to rotate a part within an assembly independent of the assembly view using a 3D mouse. Life would be even better. 

[Anonymous]

I also support this idea (which, by coincidence, has been submitted by me years ago... ;-))

[Anonymous]

Lets make this happen. It has been that long. This is obviously not a priority. 

[nielsLMB3J]

So, kinda a work around that seems to work for me: I've bound a button on my 3D mouse to 'Zoom selected'. This will zoom in the selected part in an assembly, and set it to the 'rotatable part'. 

[emolven]

I support this idea.

[jonathan]

Honestly the fact this hasn't been done or made a priority leaves me kind of dumbfounded. This is a 3D modeling software, yet there is no way to freely manipulate a part in 3 dimensions at once.  3D Mice allow for user input of all 6 degrees of freedom at once, yet they are being leveraged only minimally.Many people use 3D mice to massively increase ease of 3D viewing. But right now you can only move a part in up to 2 dimensions at a time, using conventional mice ("mouses" what is the plural for computer mouse?). This means your view point must always be orthogonal to the direction you wish to move a part, this is extremely tedious especially if the direction is not aligned to a principle plane, and usually results in an iterative movement process. Obviously for actually assembly we are going to use constraints, but often it is nice to simply move parts around and get a general sense of fitment and space, or perhaps you are trying to demonstrate how something moves or will go together.

I feel like the logical next step after basic 3D mouse support for camera angle would be part manipulation. This could be another option in the "Position" banner, where you select a part and the 3D mouse changes from camera manipulation to part manipulation.

FYI, Solidworks apparently has this feature, called "Toggle Sub-Part Movement"

[xenocatalyst]

Please make this happen. 

have the ability to toggle between orbit view and rotate component.

[mikeh2]

While we're at it I'd like the 3D mouse to manipulate the component that we're inserting into an IAM via the standard Inventor insert commands as well as the command with in Vault "Insert into CAD".

[sloganU9DA3]

Let's keep pushing this- it would be an incredibly useful feature!

I would use it to help visualise assembly. To take it a step further you could even have collision detection to simulate the positioning of a component in a tricky assembly (though this may be more Unity/Unreal territory). Even just the manipulation of a part in 6-axis would greatly improve our DFA! Saves time and money on prototypes to check fit and ease of access.

[xenocatalyst]

I agree, This would be quite useful.

[dphelps]

This would be an excellent addition!!!

[lukas.pichlerZKM73]

I agree, This would be an excellent addition!!!

[stepenDRAK9]

I have been swirling the camera around to select constraint geometry for over ten years and this would be amazing! The things you don't realize you are missing because you're used to the status quo...