We just purchased a 3dconnexion (Logitech) “Space Pilot”, http://www.3dconnexion.com/products/3a4.php [3dconnexion.com], for use with the CSG package SolidWorks. The 6 degree-of-freedom controller for the viewport is absolutely awesome. 3dconnexion's web site claims native support for 3DS Max, Maya and Xsi but no mention of Houdini. With this glaring omission ;-) , I sent an email to the support desk only to get the following fob-off:
Darran,
At this time, Side Effects Houdini is not on the 3D Connexion Supported Applications list. Should this change, I will contact you.
Peter
Technical Support Help Desk 3Dconnexion, Inc. A Logitech Company (800)344-1609 helpdesk@3dconnexion.com
Is anyone else interested in this device for use with Houdini? It's unlikely that 3dconnexion will bother unless inundated with requests from potential buyers and SESI themselves …
Of course, we can probably make it happen by funding the necessary programming. Any companies willing to contribute a couple of thousand dollars towards this?
Perhaps there is a way to write your own support? Perhaps SESI could be convinced to provide a python callback in their event loop, etc, which could be user tailored?
Perhaps SESI may have some alternative ideas on how this might be doable?
Has anyone heard the latest status on whether Side Effects and 3D Connexion is working on SpacePilot support within Houdini? I'm hoping that this is in the works!
I was hoping that support for 3DConnexions hardware would be built-in as well. There is an SDK available from 3DConnexion though, that would enable SideFx to incoporate support themselves into Houdini. I for one would be thrilled about such support
New Reality Company Stereoscopic displays, software, solutions, products.
It is up to SideFX to provide support for them. I have a Space Pilot and I would greatly appreciate this as well. 3d Connexion offers the SDK for free on their website. They want companies to use it.
The ironic thing is, I have a group of friends who use Maya for everything. I finally got them to switch over to Houdini for particles and fluid simulations. About a month ago they used my Space Pilot and loved it so much they bought one (navigators and so on, not all pilots). Unfortunately, because of that, they once again never use Houdini. It's a downhill battle I tells ya!
Maybe 9.6 if we are super lucky. More likely it will be 10 or X or whatever they decide to call it.
Dear Frank Firsching, I only noticed your post just ow, I'll test it out as soon as I can! It certainly sounds good, especially as there's still no official support. (What a shame.)
Yeah…I was looking at Houdini, and trying the Apprentice version to get up to speed, and I am sorely disappointed to find a lack of support for these devices. They are VERY common in this industry, and it blows me away to see a major 3D app like Houdini just blow this off, like it's nothing.
It's a BIG something to me. All my 3D software apps support 3dconnexion devices, and after using my SpacePilot in them for years, I don NOT want to take on an app that doesn't offer this support. It's like being forced to leave your Corvette at home and take a horse and buggy to work, instead.
This Python script is too complicated for me. I'm not a programmer/code monkey and shouldn't have to rely on some complex scripting workaround. SESI should have offered this support years ago.
I remember speaking to a Houdini rep a couple years back about the space navigator, and he said he would put in a word with the higher ups. I was disappointed when the next version of Houdini came out without space navigator support. But now I see that people have been asking for space navigator support for 9 years now since 2006, lol.
I seriously wonder why some 3D companies are so adamant in refusing to provide space navigator support for years and years, even though it apparently not too difficult to implement, and so many people absolutely love it and can't live without it. I guess it costs way too much to assign a programmer to the task for a week? Or maybe there hasn't been a free programmer for 9 years? I really don't get it.
Maya, 3DS Max, Modo, 3D-Coat, Blender… all of them implemented space navigator support years ago. But now my main problem with using those software is that I simply cannot use any software that doesn't implement space navigator support. That's how utterly and addictively convenient using a space mouse is.
I guess 3D Connexion created both a blessing and a curse when they released their product, lol. I simply am too spoiled now to use some arcane keyboard/mouse finger ALT-double-mouse-hold acrobatics just to navigate my viewport.
I stopped by the site today to get more info about Houdini Indie but lost interest again.
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