mouse middle button snap/pick

I use the mouse middle button as follows:

click = toggle ortho

click/shift = per and pick

click/ctrl = cen and pick

Ortho works.   The latter two show a per or cen icon but don't actually pick in one press.  this is accomplished in acad by      "_per \"   or "_cen \" in the mouse cui

is this possible in bricscad ?

Comments

  • Hi Jay,

    To customise the middle button from the CUI you need to change the following System Variable:
    • MBUTTONPAN = 0
    • CTRLMOUSE = 0
    You can configure both of these from _SETTINGS.


    Regards,

    Jason Bourhill

    CAD Concepts


  • This may be of interest:
    http://forum.bricsys.com/discussion/18702

    Notes:
    Use the last version of Snaphelper.zip.
    CTRLMOUSE must be OFF.
    MBUTTONPAN can be ON.
  • Thanks for writing the snaphelper file,   I will play with it later

    JP
  • Thanks Roy,   I had a chance to use the snaphelper lsp routine and tested it in acad,  works well.   Will test on Bricscad today.

    Modifying the command part in the mnl as follows makes for better function.  If you miss a pick,  it does not dump out of the command.

    (IF PT (command pt) )

    Jay
  • Does not work in Bricscad,     It uses visual basic ?   I don't have that module.    Will try to figure out the lsp equiv.

    JP
  • The code definitely works in BricsCAD. It was created FOR BricsCAD. You must be doing something wrong. Please make sure that you have followed all the instructions in message #3. The modification you have suggested in message #5 is already included in the last version of Snaphelper.zip. So try using that version and try loading the partial .cui first.

    In general: Only saying 'it does not work' is not very helpful.
  • Just to be absolutely sure I have restarted BC with RunAsLevel set to 0 (=Classic). The code works just fine. There is no VB(A) involved.
  • OK,   I see it does not use VBA,  but I get a vba error.   I am trying to assign button 3 or 4 (+ shift) on a logitec mouse.  it says in the cui that Bricscad does not support buttons 3 and above.   She uses button 3 for ortho,  but it is done via keyboard assignment.   So that doesn't help with the (+ shift).

    I think logitec is sending something in VBA.

    For me,  it looks like the middle button should work.

    Will re-visit this in a week when I set up my new computer in Bricscad.   I have been using Acad for 25 years and have set up others in the office on Bricscad to use my software.   Up till now,  I have not been happy enough with the Bricscad to use it myself.  Always something that isn't quite there.  So making a big step next week hoping to abandon Acad for good.

    JP
  • Roy,  I have the snaphelper working,  but it seems cause a cancel out when using move and copy.    I worked around this but was wondering what might be happening.

    acad:
    move
    or
    (defun c:M( / )  (command "MOVE" "R" "ALL" "ADD" ) (princ))

    Workaround:
    (defun c:M( / SS)
      (princ "\nSelect Objects to move")
    (command "select" "remove" "all" "")
    (SETQ SS (ssget))
    (command "MOVE" SS "" (getpoint "\Point 1") pause)
    (princ))
  • @ Jay:
    I am unable reproduce the cancel issue you report.
    I have tried the normal _MOVE and _ROTATE commands and your (c:M) function and I have tried them with and without running osnaps. In all cases the SnapHelper works just fine.

    Your style of coding is problematic however. The problem is that the Lisp function ends before the command is completed.
    Try something like this instead:
    [code](defun c:M ()
      (command "_.move" "_remove" "_all" "_add")
      (while (/= (getvar 'cmdactive) 0)
        (command pause)
      )
      (princ)
    )[/code]

    And you should perhaps also look at the PICKFIRST variable.
  • This thread got me thinking about mice that were available back in the early days of CAD, with digitizing tablet "pucks" that had many buttons. 

    I already use the middle mouse button (scroll wheel) for PAN, so I am now looking for a cordless mouse with other programmable buttons.  I would want buttons that allow me to program any sort of text sequence, so that I can use them to indicate snaps.  I guess 2 or 3 more buttons would be sufficient for my needs.

    Can anyone recommend a specific mouse with this sort of feature that will play well with BricsCAD?

    -Joe
  • Thanks again Roy,   I'm not sure why,  but all the youngsters like to noun/verb,  which is fine till they erase things by mistake.   So I essentially override the pickfirst setting with the big lisp file.   I did notice some non-clean exit behavior on those commands,   will look into it.

    Jay

    Joe,   some in our office use logitec's having extra buttons.  works well with acad,  can't speak to brics,  as I just use 3 buttons on my Logitec.
  • Wacom tablets are good IMHO, and some models have keystroke programmable buttons on the tablet face. Or can even use the old 'underlay' system I think.

    You can use either stylus or mouse with many of them.

    Because of arm pain I bought it for the stylus, but it still slightly stressed my forearm and you have to put it down or lug it for some keyboard operations.

    While very quick and quite accurate I was inclined make some 'mousing mistakes', mostly outside of CAD work.

    A firm trackball user now, I use a logitech marble mouse with a second device under the other hand for the zoom wheel mostly and to spread the hand/arm work.

    The second device could be a mouse or controller with buttons (the marble's 2 auxiliary buttons are like tyrannosaurus arms) - I tried one by Genius, it was good but too tinny and out of production now I believe.

    I found many choices of buttons often a distraction and a pain to migrate. Now I try to keep it fairly simple.


  • @ Jay:
    To deselect a preselection you can use (sssetfirst nil nil):
    [code](defun c:M ()
      (sssetfirst nil nil)
      (command "_.move")
      (while (/= (getvar 'cmdactive) 0)
        (command pause)
      )
      (princ)
    )[/code]
  • Thank you all for the suggestions.  My own choices are more limited because I often use my left hand for the mouse. Multi-button mice are often not ambidextrous  

    And since I mentioned  ambidextrous    I will mention that this is a good way to avoid hand/wrist repetitive-stress injury.  For me, it still took time to get used to using my left hand for the mouse, even though I write with my left hand.  I was motivated to do it when I started feeling a bit of soreness in my right hand.  Then, I realized that occasionally switching hands is a great way to avoid problems.  

    I now work from home, but when I was working at an office, I deliberately used the opposite hand at home from what I used at work.  And, perhaps once a year I would swap the hand I used at each location.

    Mr. Gaunt mentioned switching to a track ball.  I think anything that changes your hand position is a good thing.  Aside from track balls and the digitizing tablet Mr. Gaunt mentioned, there are also mice that have vertical grips.  Search Wireless Vertical Mouse at Newegg and there will be ones as low as $16.

    -Joe


  • A number of devices have 'programmable buttons', but they don't all let you type whatever you want as functions or text strings.

    It can be simpler to have keys set within the device, rather than another layer of complication in the CAD menu - I have migrated versions too often to spend hours reconfiguring menus.

    My LH device is a RH thumb drive trackball, which I dislike for my main (RH) use. But the ball works pretty well with the little finger and the stationary zoom wheel is good.

  •  I did find the $45 Cooler Master Storm Recon Gaming Mouse - Avago 3090 at TigerDirect.com.  It has internal memory to store the macros for the 9 buttons.  It is ambidextrous   But, alas, it is wired. There were no hits for a wireless macro mouse.

    I also noticed that a lot of gaming keyboards have macro features.  Though, because of my practice of occasionally switching mouse hands, they won't be convenient half the time.   I may consider a programmable numeric keypad type of arrangement   Some of them can have macros programmed into the various keys.  They seem to start around $60.  This way I can swap hands with it when I want to.

    -Joe
  • I've made use of a gaming keyboard for macros  for quite a while

    http://www.cadconcepts.co.nz/macros-in-cad-is-games-play/

    You can even use in conjunction with AutoHotkey
    http://youtu.be/gEBnQPDRmhA

    Key advantage to gaming keyboards is generally cost, and they're easy to come by. They do have an acquired taste in the looks dept, they aren't so great to type with (key spacing), and don't expect to use one on Linux. Generic Macro keypads are harder to get, tend to be more expensive, and can be difficult to program.

    3Dconnexion SpacePilots are now also an option.

    Yes, other than perhaps the Spacemouse, wireless options seem to be non-existent.

    Regards,

    Jason Bourhill

    CAD Concepts

  • The gaming keyboard looks really good, I have hardly seen them around.

    I have had it with wireless devices.

This discussion has been closed.