Tablet-driven Max7

pior · Nov 2005

Hello there

I was trying to get Max working with a tablet and came accross a weird issue.

Everything is fine on the modelling side, yet problems occur when it comes to viewport navigation.

I can make a shortcut for 'orbit', but it just won't work in subobject mode...

Or maybe a wacom can be set so that the eraser button acts as the middle mouse click? This way I could use that with alt, ctrl aso to pan and orbit.

Any idea/experience?

skrubbles · Nov 2005

Yo man, I use my wacom in Max too. The way I have it set up is so the upper portion of the duo-button (on the side of the pen) is the middle click. This way I can just hold down the alt key, and the upper duo button and just hover my pen above the tablet... don't press the pen on the tablet though. You have to hover or else you'll be left-clicking.

I also have the lower portion of the duo-button set to right-click so I can get to my quad menus.

Hope this makes sense and helps ya out.

3D + Wacom = awesome

It'll take a bit to get used to the pen, but when you do you'll notice that you're workflow moves along faster.

rawkstar · Nov 2005

I've been using this for years... hehe only my button config is different from skrubbles, lower button = middle click upper button = right click. lower button is easier to reach with ur index finger and you have to middle click much more often than right click, unless ur workflow revolves around the quad menus... but yeah what skrubbles described is basically how it works, how I work at least, its really fast

and much much easier on ur hands.

ScoobyDoofus · Nov 2005

I use my Wacom about 50% of the time when modeling. Lately I've gotten into the habit of using the 3d paint functions of Epoly in Max. Its sorta like the poor mans Zbrush (only without the ultra details).

I have my pen buttons setup like Skubbles, and I'm very happy.

Fuse · Dec 2005

set up the same as you guys .. i've started modelling with a wacom a month ago or so .. and i've never looked back !

Prs-Phil · Dec 2005

yeah, I have it set up the same as rockstar and it works really fine.

At first I noticed the difference in workspeed but I have to use a mouse at work so I don't see the speed difference any more and my wacom is borked anyway atm *sad*.
Still is much more intuitive with one.

pior · Dec 2005

Hell yeah I ended up using Skrubb's setup and was thinking about switching the upper/lower pits of the side button too just like Rock* suggests

Yet I was wondering...

Have you guys ever tried Amapi? It's viewport navigation relies on a very clever idea : the arrow buttons (that one hardly ever uses while modelling) are set as rotation keys.

The closer thing I can think of in order to translate that to Max would be the fps camera scripts... Or maybe a script can be done to make Max acts just like Amapi?

Or maybe one keystroke to enter rotate mode, instead of having to use a alt-something thing.

And another idea popped too. What would you think about a tablet+trackball combo? Like, movig verts and modelling with the tablet, and rotating/zooming with the trackball. That'd be such an ultimate setup.

Is that even possible to do? (that would mean, making two mice acting differently)

Thanks for the help!

robioto · Dec 2005

Applications that support wacom tablets (deep paint for example) can be set up so that the wacom pad is mapped to use both the wacom mouse and stylus. The mouse is used to rotate/translate the object and the pen is used to edit/paint.

Speve-O · Dec 2005

Why haven't I tried this before? 5 minutes, and I'm hooked.

I'm using Rockstar's config, it works best for me. It's so much better than using the mouse! Doh!

ScoobyDoofus · Dec 2005

[ QUOTE ]
And another idea popped too. What would you think about a tablet+trackball combo? Like, movig verts and modelling with the tablet, and rotating/zooming with the trackball. That'd be such an ultimate setup.
Is that even possible to do? (that would mean, making two mice acting differently)

[/ QUOTE ]

I use a logitech trackball in conjunction with my Tablet, however the way the Wacom driver works is that the tablet overrides the mouse. I cannot use them simultaneously, but I use them alternatingly. Frequently I'll use the trackball for viewport navigating & even menu navigation.

Slum · Dec 2005

I have my set where the lower button (nearest the tip) is middle click,upper button is right click,and tip is left click. I do a lot more middle clicking in max than right clicking, so the closer button makes more sense.

A friend of mine uses a weird setup. He has the tip set to middle click, so when he presses down he'll control the viewport, and then the bottom button is set to left click. Strange...

Eric Chadwick · Dec 2005

I haven't tried my tablet in Max, sounds promising.

This had me wondering if anyone's been able to get Max to recognize their pen's tilt angle.

Slum · Dec 2005

Max is pretty tablet-savvy. I know with the paint deformation it reads pressure sensitivity, but as I have a Graphire, I don't have tilt to try that out.

thomasp · Dec 2005

[ QUOTE ]
And another idea popped too. What would you think about a tablet+trackball combo? Like, movig verts and modelling with the tablet, and rotating/zooming with the trackball. That'd be such an ultimate setup.

Is that even possible to do? (that would mean, making two mice acting differently)

[/ QUOTE ]

sure, that's what 3dconnexion's spacemouse and spaceball input devices are for. navigate the view with one hand, manipulate objects with the other simultaneously - at quite a price. in any case, spacemouse is the way to go, spaceball's ergonomy sucks.

pior · Dec 2005

Ha yeah thanks for the info Thomas.

What about that one? Looks dead simple and not *that* expensive... 199 that is.

Anyone ever used that thing?

Toomas · Dec 2005

Isnt this thing basically a very limited use joystick that costs 10x more than more complex joystick would??

thomasp · Dec 2005

pior, i can't say, never tried that one. but: spacemouse is "unkaputtbar", means it's durable as hell, so if i were you i'd start looking at used ones - ebay is full of 'em. a spacemouse classic goes for under 100 and is just fine - as long as you have a serial port on your box.

toomas: maybe so but like with most things you're paying essentially for the software functionality. a joystick driver won't work for what pior has in mind. also, these devices support more axes than a joystick and feel MUCH more accurate.

i'm not advertising the 3dconnexion stuff, btw. i had a spaceball and still own a spacemouse but hardly ever use it, especially not for modeling in max or whatever. keyboard+mouse somehow suits me better.

ymalaika · Dec 2005

I tried the space traveller once at a show, but after a few minutes it became clear that the spacemouse had much better ergonomics. For me, it felt much better suited to long term workstation use.

-Y

hawken · Dec 2005

wacom suggest that you use the other buttons on the pen with your thumb

skrubbles · Dec 2005

that's actually how I use 'em... thumbin'!!!

Tablet-driven Max7

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