New user and thoughts about navigation modes

[kdtop3]

Yep...RTFM
(And, yes, I'm guilty of not doing that on occasion. )

Thank you all for the feedback, and I hear what you are saying. But to be honest, to an outsider, it sounds like Steve Jobs telling me that I'm not holding my phone correctly.

The part of my initial question that wasn't touched on was if there would be opposition to having this as an available feature. I am tempted to wade into the code and see if I could achieve it. But wondered about being dis-appreciated for the effort.

Kevin T

[chrisb]

There have been requests for different mouse models before, so it seems reasonable to have ot configurable, possibly with just one mouse model and several predefined configurations.

[drmacro]

...
The part of my initial question that wasn't touched on was if there would be opposition to having this as an available feature. I am tempted to wade into the code and see if I could achieve it. But wondered about being dis-appreciated for the effort.
...

Well, I use one mouse model in FreeCAD, the default. I don't switch. In Blender, I use Blender mouse model default. In LibreCAD, Inkscape, GIMP, any program really...I use the default, because I'm too lazy to figure out what I changed when the software is updated.
(Actually, I don't even think about mouse models.)

Others may find it a useful feature.

I doubt anybody would "dis-appreciate" the effort though.

[triplus]

I have found the documentation page (https://wiki.freecadweb.org/Mouse_Model), but I dislike having to keep going to the manual rather than it being intuitive.

Note that if you will hover over the navigation indicator for a bit, with mouse, some clues should emerge.

[Darktrax]

The navigation modes are hardcoded in C++ files that must be compiled. There is no interactive editing at the moment. Would it be possible to dynamically change? Maybe, maybe not. The 3D view is a complex thing that handles selection, rotation, and things like that. I don't know if it can be designed in such a way that the navigation styles can be changed at runtime, or if there is a technical reason that prevents that.

I also do just enough RTFM to then get on with what I really want to be doing.

I don't aspire to a complete free-for all in mouse configuration options. They can remain "hard coded in C". What I would like is a better access to to them, be able to switch them. A keyboard shortcut, or macro, or something? Inventor navigation suits me just fine when not in the sketcher. Once in the sketcher, then CAD mode is much the most convenient. I keep having to close a sketch, and go across to the model tab, and change to CAD, and then return to the sketch. Editing sketches in 3D is, as yet, a bit advanced for me.

Best of all would be a way to configure a "default" navigation mode per workbench, with ability to change to any other from within the workbench.

Since these navigation modes, even though hard coded, are already available in these workbenches, there may be a way to set the navigation mode desired for any workbench. To be able to change navigation mode once in the workbench can be seen either as "second best", or as a nice feature.

Maybe these things are already possible (not seen in RTFM so far). I am not so skilled at programming as to be able to write amazing macros like those posted here.

[drmacro]

The navigation modes are hardcoded in C++ files that must be compiled. There is no interactive editing at the moment. Would it be possible to dynamically change? Maybe, maybe not. The 3D view is a complex thing that handles selection, rotation, and things like that. I don't know if it can be designed in such a way that the navigation styles can be changed at runtime, or if there is a technical reason that prevents that.

Actually, @vocx wrote that not me...

...
A keyboard shortcut, or macro, or something?

I'm actually a bit surprised there is nothing like this available. I poked around a bit for a macro or even keyboard shortcut to the navigation style dialog...

Inventor navigation suits me just fine when not in the sketcher. Once in the sketcher, then CAD mode is much the most convenient. I keep having to close a sketch, and go across to the model tab, and change to CAD, and then return to the sketch. Editing sketches in 3D is, as yet, a bit advanced for me.

Best of all would be a way to configure a "default" navigation mode per workbench, with ability to change to any other from within the workbench.

I see this as a way to much confusion for me...but, I tend to like consistent behavior, i.e. I don't want to have to think which button to use between workbenches. When I use Blender, my mind knows to use Blender navigation, in FreeCAD, FreeCAD navigation, in AutoCAD, or whatever use that style.

It's basically muscle memory for the currently active tool. But, that's me, I don't even bother changing desktop backgrounds etc. ...mostly because, I get really annoyed because when an update comes along I have to remember (or it's been so long that I have to research) how I changed things. I have better ways to spend my time.



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[chrisb]

In the bottom of the screen you see the navigation style. Click on it and change it to your liking. No leaving of Sketcher necessary.

[drmacro]

In the bottom of the screen you see the navigation style. Click on it and change it to your liking. No leaving of Sketcher necessary.

Totally forgot about that...as I noted I never change it.

[chrisb]

as I noted I never change it.

I think it is very uncommon to change the mouse model between workbenches.

[TheMarkster]

I prefer Blender navigation mode, but if I have to use a notebook with one of those awful trackpad things I can't use that navigation mode with it. So, having the option of different navigation modes is definitely a plus.