Spaceball 3003 Flx Drivers For Mac
I thought this was going to be about something else 'I see your Schwartz is as big as mine' I've never been into the spaceball. I had one at Boeing that I never used. I'm left handed. And with CATIA v4 zooming up and down was done witht the arrows.which I could do with my right hand quite comfortably. (and pan was button 3 and rotate was button 2+3). So I really could achieve whatever I needed without the spaceball.
Input subsystem a collection of drivers that is designed to support all input. SpaceTec SpaceBall 2003 FLX and 3003 FLX are not supported yet. For the multi-touch trackpad on the new Apple Macbook Air and Macbook Pro laptops. The Spaceball 3003 FLX is the is the most widely used 3D motion controller in the automotive, aeronautic, and consumer design industries worldwide: Improved 4th generation contactless and wearless FLX PowerSensor improves spring technology by 50x: Improved 10-bit electronics reduces noise, producing a driftless technology. Welcome to the 3Dconnexion archived software page. Please select your product and operating system from the drop down list.
I've just gotten used to it. RE: Spaceballs (3d mouse) (Aerospace) 13 Jul 05 10:44. After looking in the 3Dxware help, I found that Office is only supported for the USB versions -not the serial versions-of the spaceball 4000/5000-maybe that applies to IE also.
I have a serial spaceball 4000FLX and love it! I've had it for 4 years. I find it much easier to navigate Solidworks than using the mouse and keyboard.
I use it for both 3D modeling and 2D detailing. It also works great in Acad, though I wish it would work in IE or Office. Kevin RE: Spaceballs (3d mouse) (Mechanical) 14 Jul 05 16:08. I have a CadMan that will continue to rotate after I've let go. A 'Zoom To Fit' corrects it, although temporarily. I've contacted support previously and had no solution at the time.
Time to try again. Ewh, Does your model just start rotating for no good reason? I had this happen and tweaked and updated my drivers to no avail. I called 3dConnexions and they emailed me a new firmware update for the 5000.
They said some of the first 5000's would rotate part's with no input from the user. Scorch RE: Spaceballs (3d mouse) (Automotive) 14 Jul 05 17:50. I have a SpaceBall 5000 that sits like a $500 piece of art on my desk.
I have tried and tried to be productive on it. I have followed engineers who use them to examine the work-flow. For some reason I cannot beat the speed of the keyboard and Wacom pad. Granted I cannot zoom and pan at the same time but my work-flow does not suffer. Perhaps my muscle memory is used to years of working CAD with a keyboard and mouse/wacom stylus.
The only reason I keep it connected is that my managers can stand behind me and intuitively swirl around the mouse from their vantage point. This is one advantage of the Spaceball- you dont have to take the drivers seat to effectively view the model RE: Spaceballs (3d mouse) (Mechanical) 18 Jul 05 08:18.
It took me a week or 2 to get the hang of it. I was motivated to make it work - but I was still clumsy with it.
The best tip I can give you is to make good use of setting the center of rotation as you work. It's a real pain to try to zoom in on an extremity when the center of rotation is still set to the 0,0,0 origin. Program that feature into one of the buttons. Give it one more try. $500 is a lot to pay for a knick-knack. SolidWorks 2005 SP03.0 SpaceBall 400 FLX Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer Windows 2000 Professional RE: Spaceballs (3d mouse) (Computer) 2 Aug 05 10:08. Currently using a 4000 and I could not imagine working without one.
I started out with a 2000, at least that's what I think it was. I wasn't sure at first so I looked around for the cheapest one I could find. I paid about $20 on ebay for and used it for several years. I gave it another engineer when I got my 4000, which was also from ebay for $100, and he also can't imagine using SW without it. Since they are so cheap on ebay, and readily available, you should just get one and see. Worst case your out $20, and best case your more productive then before. For those who are looking for older drivers you can also try IBM and HP sites.
I think 3D connexion makes all the units but they are marketed and sold by IBM and HP as well. I found the drive for my 2000 at IBM that still has all the older drives. RE: Spaceballs (3d mouse) (Industrial) 3 Mar 06 08:49.
All of the engineers here (3, including me) have been using a Spacepilot since we started using Solidworks about seven months ago. As I already had some experience with these things from a couple of years back (with UGS) it was simply a MUST-HAVE for me with my colleagues being slightly sceptical about it. We got a pretty good deal on them with a free-trial period but now nobody wants to do without them anymore. Design Engineer Solidworks 2006/DBWorks 2006 user Special electric motors & centrifugal fans RE: Spaceballs (3d mouse) (Mechanical) 15 Aug 06 10:15.
MEGCLAY, To get what you want in terms of Shade Display which are usually icons. 3DX may have these programmed for the different softwares but if not you can do the following. Hold down the Alt key and look for the underlined Characters. Go to Configuration and Select new command. Enter a descriptive title VIEW: Display - Shaded or Wireframe, Hidden, No hidden etc.
Click in the User Macro area and then type the key sequence and it will record as you type. If the display otpions are available in the Right Click Pop ups yu can try the Menu keyboard button which will show as when you type it in. Solid works Shaded Alt + V D S Wireframe Alt + V D W I've done this for UG but don't know if I created the Display Types. Michael RE: Spaceballs (3d mouse) (Computer) 17 Oct 06 12:53.
Yep, they are all that and a bag of chips IMHO. I bought 2 from eBay. Yes old indeed. However, they both worked fine.
They have 9 buttons that as stated are 'document sensitive'. So you reall get 27 buttons depending on how you set the device up. As stated you will need a day or 2 to 'train the mind' to use both hands. However, after you get over that hill I suspect you will wonder how you ever got by w/o one. I managed to get both of mine for $30.00 each. These things go way beyond just being able to rotate and select at the same time.
You can: rotate, pan, zoom AND select at the same time. As well as move parts in asm's on the control of the spaceball. Also is my favorite, you can grab something and drag with the mouse AND move with the spaceball. How many times have you had to click and drag something to some place not visible on the screen (due to zoom or whatever)? I can grab something and while holding the item to drag can pan/zoom the model as needed.
W/o spaceball you would have to possibly, gab drag to edge of screen then zoom out, and do it all over again. This feature alone makes it very worthwhile IMHO. This situation happens a lot when sketching in/on large models. Working in one area and suddenly you need to drag something to the other side of the model. W/o spaceball/mouse. After I had mine set up. I got to the point where I only use the keyboard to enter numbers.
Regards, Sean F There is 1 to many l's in the email. Fix to respond. RE: space ball 3d controller? (Mechanical) 19 Feb 03 13:18. Scarecrow- I highly recommend it!
I purchased mine through E-bay also and would not go back. I am currently using the Spaceball 4000. I to was experiencing wrist strain and had developed tendonitis from a standard mouse. Over the past few months the strain and tendonitis has disappeared. Another benefit was that once I stormed past the initial learning curve, I was able to really put it to use and increased my productivity. It helps so much when rotating parts and assemblies. I have the buttons mapped so I rarely use my keyboard shortcuts.
Hope you enjoy! RE: space ball 3d controller?
(Mechanical) 25 Feb 03 09:14. I've been using this Spaceball 4000 FLX for 5 days. I'm able to manipulate my model as I want - although a little clumsily. I'll use it for another week, before I send it back to my VAR - it's borrowed. At this point I can say - sure, it'll spin and pan that model like nobody's business. But I can't honestly say that it'll do it faster than my IntelliMouse. Yes, I'm getting better with it, but even considering the learning curve, I don't think this will ever reach a point where I'm faster with the SpaceBall.
I'm trying to be fair - because I am a gadget guy and I'd love to be able to justify the $$$ of one of these. Maybe I'll get a older model anyway, just for the fun of it.
Spaceball 3003 Flx Drivers For Mac
Well folks, I purchased a used spaceball 3003 from ebay ($82), and it works fine. I have been using it for about 5 days, and here are my thoughts: I find it easier and more natural to use the big rubber ball to rotate and pan my model than the mouse. The first few days were pretty scary, but once you configure the beast correctly it's great.
My only reason for purchasing this device was to reduce wrist strain and work load on my right arm. I am begining to notice a reduction in wrist and tendon pain. Hopefully this will continue to improve as time moves on.
I plan on upgrading to a newer model when the budget allow's it, but for $82 how can you go wrong? Thanks for all the input from you. Next report in 3 months. Gerry Bolda RE: space ball 3d controller? (Mechanical) 25 Feb 03 11:19. Question for y'all pro-SpaceBallers: What mouse were you using before and how did you have it configured?
Mine - for example - is a Microsoft Intellemouse Explorer (optical & wireless). I have the small thumb button (STB) set-up for SPACEBAR (View Orientation) and the large thumb button (LTB) for CNTL.
And I ZOOM with the WHEEL and PAN with LTB/WHEEL. The only downside is sometimes I have to roll the wheel a few times to get the ZOOM I need. Still, this is pretty doggone fast. What were you doing before that makes the SpaceBall so much faster by comparison? I just don't see it. Chancey, Yes you will need drivers.
If you are talking SldWks they can be had here: The 2 driver files will be all you need. Everything is pretty straight forward for setting it up.
If you have any direct questions post here or email me direct if you get one I will help you with any questions if I can. There are some 2003's selling now from 'connectcomp' and some 3003's if I remember right(looked yesterday). I got both the 2003's that I have from connectcomp and would recomend them, both the 2003's for more buttons than a 3003 and connectcomp for not selling me junk, and shipping per my requirements. Item was in the mail quickly.
I would buy from this outfit again. You want to make sure you are getting a power cable setup with it as well. If not I will say that 3Dconnexion sent me one for free on request.
For a model that someone bought at a local auction(not ebay). The hook-up on most 2003's and 3003's is serial I am pretty sure. So you will need a working and open serial port. Regards, Sean F 1 2 many l's in email RE: space ball 3d controller?
(Mechanical) 28 Feb 03 10:24. I have not read all the inputs but can offer mine as I have been using a Space Mouse Plus for several months now. I was motivated to consider it due to serious strain issues on my right wrist from all day SW driving. I wanted to spread out the load. My SW VAR gave me a good deal on one so I sprang for it.
(I am self employed so what ever I spend at work does not make it home.) I am now so dependent on my Space Mouse that I find it almost unbearable to work with only a mouse at home. Any one who uses SW for more than a few hours a day is doing them selves a grave disservice by not employing this wonderful device.
Yes, it has reduced the burden on my right hand (and I have since added a Logitech cordless Trackman (trackball)), but more importantly the Space Mouse provides an enormous boost in productivity. You won't believe how natural and cool it is to manipulate your models with mere pressures of your left hand while doing picking and commanding with your right.
There are nine buttons arrayed around the puck that you can program very simply with included software to do just about anything. I have added a 'ctrl' key, zoom to fit, mates, etc. To my buttons. The 'sub part toggle' when in assemblies saves tons of right wrist steps all by it self. The unit is extremely well made.
The Plus is USB and sets up with no trouble. Most of the units on eBay are the older units that are serial devices. I can't comment on them but the ergos are a bit different and I had heard from a former user that there were occassional hardware issues. I completely recommend it with out reservation. It is a must have. I am a second for my home machine as soon as my hardware budget builds up a little. Put it on your credit card and don't look back.
RE: space ball 3d controller? (Mechanical) 3 Mar 03 16:38. Sean F, One of my associates gave me his SpaceBall 4000 FLX without the drivers.
He lost them. I down loaded the drivers from; I have installed 3DxWarev3-1-11win32.exe and 3DxSolidWorksv2-2-6win32.exe. 3Dcontrol add-in does show up in the SolidWorks Add-Ins. When I start SolidWorks, it tells me the “SpaceMouse/SpaceBall driver not found. Please start the SpaceMouse/SpaceBall driver now. You do not have to shutdown SolidWorks”.
Do you have any reason this does not work? Bradley RE: space ball 3d controller? (Mechanical) 4 Mar 03 08:02.
Bradley, I would start by checking the taskbar for a 'cube icon'. If the driver is running you should have such icon. If you didn't select 'start driver with winblows' when you installed the driver, then you will have to make sure you start it yourself / or put the startup command for the driver in your startup folder. Now, if you don't see the driver icon: START-PROGRAMS-3DConnexion-3DXware-Start Driver That will start the driver. Now with that said, if you then get a message that 'Device such&such can not be found' that is a hole different can of worms.
However, hardware problems aside, that should get it going. Regards, Sean F RE: space ball 3d controller? (Mechanical) 4 Mar 03 12:00. Hi Brad, i get this error as well. After a number of different tries i find the best sequence is this: start your pc load the software program you will be using for the day, in my case solidworks.
It will say no driver loaded. Ignore it and open any part.
Now go to the windows start menu and open the connexions tab and start the driver. Nine times out of Ten it will load fine. If if try to load the bugger before solidworks i get no device found everytime. A weird windows thing. I am using win 2000 with S/W 2003.
Let us know if this works for you? Gerry Bolda RE: space ball 3d controller? (Mechanical) 4 Mar 03 16:38. My suggestion is start looking at any modems you have. I had to disable the modem in this box I use @ work. Modems seem to conflict with the driver. I am sure it's probably a 'serial thing'.
At any rate disable any modems you have in the device manager. Then attempt to start the driver. If you can then get it going you at least know who to blame 'per-se'. However, for some living w/o a modem can be a pain. TGFBB (thank god for broad band).
On a lighter note. If disabling the modem works, you should then be able to assign hardware related to the modem in such a way that the two can live in peace. Let me know how it goes. If it worked on 'box X' and it don't work on yours. My first bet is a modem. Now that the driver is running. Also, I concurr with the above post in that starting the driver w/winblows is not the way to go.
I just start it when I need it. If winblows is going to flake-out. It will usually be on boot IMHO. So the less that happens on boot the better. Regards, Hope this helps. Sean F RE: space ball 3d controller?
Spaceball 5000 Usb Driver
(Mechanical) 4 Mar 03 17:06. Bradley, Ok, make sure the box does not have an onboard modem. If it does disable it in the BIOS.
Spaceball 5000 Windows 10 Driver
Also, check bios setting to confirm that the com/serial port you are using is enabled, and set up correctly. Then make sure the com's are set up properly in windows. Now, with that said. Do you have the external power supply for this unit?
The way that it was explained to me is that, some serial ports run a bit more power than others. If the box the unit in question came from had a stronger com port then that could be a reason for the unit not being detected on the new box. The power supply for one of these should jump into the com lead for the spaceball. The 2003's that I have will not run w/o an external power supply on any of the computers I have.
If you do not have the power supply, I would call 3Dconnexion tech. They sent me a power supply for a serial model for free. I would assume if you were nice they would do the same for you.
Really, if it worked on the other computer, and it never got 'dropped' when it was moved from one to the other, then outside of a com port conflict or power supply issue there is no reason it should not work. I really suspect a com port issue before power supply on the newer unit you have. Make sure there is nothing else in the system using the com port. If you had some serial device installed and removed it w/o uninstalling the drivers for it then possibly that is what is causing the conflict. The drivers for that 'other' device may still be mucking up the com port for the spaceball. The 4000FLX model is hella newer than mine so they may not require the external power supply. I don't really know.
If possible, I would call this guy: Contact for Technical Support: Ken Denton Tel: (888) 247-9545 Fax: (248) 331-1399 Email: He was a big help to me. As well as the person that saw to it that I got a free power supply to see if that would get the unit working. I was very impressed by the level of service that I received from him. Hope this helps, Sean F 1 2 many l's in email RE: space ball 3d controller? (Mechanical) 6 Mar 03 14:02. OK - I'm sold. Not because I think my efficiency/productivity will increase, but because this thing is so darned cool.
To recap: I've borrowed a Spaceball 4000 FLX from my VAR. I'm not going to buy this - too much $$$ - but I think I'll get an older model off ebay. My questions: Aside from the buttons or lack thereof, are there any other differences between the 3003 & 2003 models?
I'm thinking the 2003 has a bigger footprint. Are the drivers equally available for SolidWorks 2003? Is there a chance that the 2003 will become obsolete before the 3003 - in terms of drivers for future SolidWorks versions? I wonder if I could mod one of these things - maybe a glowing ball or light saber sound effects.
TateJ, 2003 vs. 3003, well neither has enough buttons for me so I coded my own popup box for SldWks that is 'doc sensitve' that I use to provide endless buttons and functions. Drivers, same for all spaceball models. To the best of my understanding the 2003 will be supported as long as the 3003 is. Same drivers for all models. The driver 'detects' the model you have.
It then configures the driver for that model. Both models work the same. Minus the number of buttons.
The 'way' they work is exactly the same. As far as the footprint, you are correct.
2003 is bigger. However, I like it as that makes the unit VERY stable on the desk. Modding, the 3Dconnexion SDK is a free d/l from the 3Dconnexion site. As far as 'glowball' and sound effects goes, good luck:) However, the sound effects I would bet are possible via the Connexion SDK. Glad you like the spaceball. You would have to 'pry mine from my cold dead hand':) Regards, Sean F 1 2 many l's in email RE: space ball 3d controller?
(Computer) 10 Mar 03 05:34.