Pan-rotation-scale - idea

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martin.proks
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Pan-rotation-scale - idea

Post by martin.proks »

Hello,

I'm a newbie with FreeCAD, I hope this post is not duplication or evergreen theme. I tried to search and I did not find it here.

I'm using CADs for many years, CAD is my key professional tool. FreeCAD i want for my hobby projects in RC-models and 3D print.

Back to the topic. There are three main operations in the 3D window with views. Pan, rotation and scale. Most of SW associate these view movements with mouse, FreeCAD include. But it leads to overloading of the right hand and fingers, the index finger especially.

One way how to solve this problem is using 3D mouse or SpaceBall or how the 3D connection called their product now. This is great solution, but most of amateurs or occasional users doesn't have this piece of HW. I saw here threads about 3D mouse.

The second way, I want to point here, is combination of keyboard keys and mouse drag. In a CAD called I-DEAS there was/is combination of F-keys and mouse drag without pressing any mouse button. (I'm not using I-DEAS some while, may be I'm not remembering the exact combinations well.) The idea is: F1+mouse drag is pan, F2+mouse drag rotation and F3+mouse drag scale. This concept spreads the fingers load between booth hands and it is much more ergonomic. But this exact binding has one big problem, the F1 key. F1 is Help key and for this reason it leads to non wanted and annoying openings of Help window quit often. In the case of a new implementation it could be good idea to shift the keys to F2+mouse, F3+mouse, F4+mouse.

It is just idea to add this mode to the 3D navigation. I'm not a programmer, I don't know the FreeCAD code and how complicated is it to implement. This is free project, so take this idea just as an idea.

Have nice day,
Martin Prokš
martin (dot) proks (at) proks-martin (dot) cz
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DeepSOIC
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Re: Pan-rotation-scale - idea

Post by DeepSOIC »

Hi!
Touchpad navigation style works almost like that, but Shift/Alt/Ctrl are being used.
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NormandC
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Re: Pan-rotation-scale - idea

Post by NormandC »

Hello Martin,

Welcome here.

martin.proks wrote: Sun May 13, 2018 8:56 am Pan, rotation and scale.
It's not scale, it's zoom. Scaling refers to modifying the object itself rather than the view of it.

martin.proks wrote: Sun May 13, 2018 8:56 am I'm not using I-DEAS some while
AFAIK it was bought by UGS (now Siemens PLM) years ago, and fused with Unigraphics to form NX. I-DEAS was probably based on UNIX? Desktops have changed a lot since then.

F2 is used for renaming files on Windows and Linux (not sure about Mac), not sure if F3 and F4 are used. Shift/Alt/Ctrl are at the bottom of the keyboard and easier to access.
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martin.proks
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Re: Pan-rotation-scale - idea

Post by martin.proks »

Hi,

Yes, zoom, sorry for my terminology. Yes, I-DEAS is owned by Siemens now but this is not important.

Important is the idea to move, rotate and zoom of model without pressing any key on the mouse. Right hand is doing many clicks and the left is much less occupied. It is ergonomy good to spread the load between booth of them and minimize the clicks on the mouse.

If it will be F2, F3, F4 combination or F3, F4, F5 (it looks good too, try to put hand there), or Shift, CTRL, ALT or different keys good accesible doesn't matter.
Martin Prokš
martin (dot) proks (at) proks-martin (dot) cz
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