OpenSCAD User Manual/Input Devices
Introduction
[Note: Requires version 2019.05]
The inputdriver allows a user to use input devices, such as a gamepad, or a 3D mouse in OpenSCAD.
Currently, the following drivers are in development:
- HIDAPI - Used on MacOS and Windows - needs the USB IDs / it works on Linux too, but needs additional privileges, so it's not ideal for the user
- Joystick driver - uses the Linux joystick device (currently fixed /dev/input/js0)
- SpaceNav driver - using the spacenavd daemon
- DBus driver - Linux only / not for actual devices but for remote control
- QGamepad - used for cross-platform joystick support - This seems to require some additional configuration on Qt level currently, so it needs some more work to make it easy to use
The default axes mapping is for 3D mice.
How to try it out
The inputdriver is currently part of the current development snapshots and nightly builds.
These builds can be found here: http://www.openscad.org/downloads.html#snapshots
Joystick and gamepads
On Linux, you have the option to use a native joystick driver or the cross-platform QGamepad driver. The native Joystick driver is recommended.
On other platforms, OpenSCAD is limited currently to QGamepad.
Joystick driver
linux
Notice the increased dead zone due to worn out joysticks.
Axis 5 and 2 are triggers, they have a trim of 1 applied as their ideal value is typical -1.0 and are mapped to zoom.
The JoystickInputDriver uses the device /dev/input/js0.
With Ubuntu, you need to have the joystick package installed to enable joystick support.
QGamepad driver
QGamepad can used with Windows and Linux.
The QGamepad driver makes assumptions about the gamepad that might not be true. Using a Xbox 360 or compatible controller works best.
Other controllers might be limited by QGamepad. (e.g. unable to map buttons and/or axes)
QGamepad treats the D-Pad of the Xbox 360 Controller as buttons.
3D mouse
Linux
On Linux, the easiest way to use the Space Mouse Wireless is, interestingly, to go though the Joystick driver that is normally enabled on most systems.
Spacenav
Spacenav is also supported. http://spacenav.sourceforge.net/ https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/3D_Mouse#Open_Source_Drivers
sudo apt-get spacenavd
On Debian:
sudo apt install libspnav-dev
(requires restart)
HIDAPI
In order to use the HIDAPI with Linux, OpenSCAD needs to be able to access the system with root privileges. This, however, is not recommended, because it gives OpenSCAD too much access to your system, but it may be helpful for temporary troubleshooting.
The recommended approach is to figure out which vendor ID and product ID your device has and then add a udev rule that allows regular users (i.e. your user account) to use the device.
To figure out your product's IDs, you can use the lsusb command. This is how a relevant line of lsusb output might look like:
$ lsusb [...] Bus 002 Device 006: ID 046d:c627 Logitech, Inc. 3Dconnexion Space Explorer 3D Mouse
Both the vendor and product IDs are contained in the string ID 046d:c627. The vendor ID is the first part, 046d; and the device ID is the second part, c627.
This Stack Overflow answer has an example of what the resulting udev rule could look like. You can also refer to the Arch Linux Wiki entry for 3D mice and creating udev rules for regular users.
Windows
OpenSCAD interacts directly with the 3D mouse using the HIDAPI.
Therefore, the device manufacturer's driver is not required.
Disabling the device manufacturer's driver
If the device manufacturer's driver is installed, the driver has to be stopped before it can be used in OpenSCAD.
There are different ways to stop the driver:
- In your Start menu, you should have a folder called "3Dconnexion". Open the "Stop Driver" item from that folder.
- You can also try to run the following command:
"C:\Program Files\3Dconnexion\3DxWare\3DxWinCore64\3DxService.exe" -shutdown
Using a wireless receiver
The wireless version (3DX-700066) of the 3D mouse has a receiver that registers multiple HID devices - you might need to disable some of them ('HID-compliant vendor-defined device') in the Device Manager to get it to pick up the correct one.
If your 3D mouse works when it is connected via the cable, but not via the wireless receiver (and OpenSCAD detects a 3D mouse, but doesn't detect any input), this is potentially the problem you're having.
macOS
As with other platforms, you have to disable the native 3DConnexion drivers completely, as OpenSCAD does not use them.
To enable the built-in driver for the SpaceMouse, go to Preferences → Axes, turn on the HIDAPI setting, and restart OpenSCAD.
The following devices have been tested and are known to work with OpenSCAD on macOS Mojave:
- SpaceMouse Compact (USB)
- SpaceMouse Wireless
DBus
The D-Bus driver can be used for remote controlling OpenSCAD. This is mainly intended for programmers. It can for example be used to write a custom input driver.
Debug and testing
For debugging and testing, D-Feet can be used. OpenSCAD can be found on the Session Bus under org.openscad.OpenSCAD.
qdbus is NOT recommended, as it has issues with some of the more complex data structures.
Example
An example for QT/C++ can be found on this page.
Camera System
Note that OpenSCAD's camera behavior and system does not operate in a standard way. Via DBus, you are directly interacting with OpenSCAD's camera. Note that the camera system and its interface could be refactored at some point in the future.
Actions
Please note that the actions exposed via DBus are mostly the ones from OpenSCAD's menu bar. Keep in mind that the menu bar might change at some point and that compatibility with the DBus driver is not a priority for development.
FAQ
Which button is which?
Open the preferences, then go to the button tab then press the button you want to assign. The text next to the relevant ComboBox appears in red, bold text.
View is drifting
If your view is drifting, please re-calibrate the neutral position and deadzone of your input device. This can be done within OpenSCAD or with the tools of the operating system.
Where are my settings stored?
Y+Viewport-rel-translation (VRT) Channel is not responding to input
You are in orthogonal view. Please change it to perspective to see what it does.
Or look in the bottom left corner, where translate = changes. This is not a bug, this is a very specific feature. When you map zoom to one axis and Y+Viewport-rel-translation to an other while in perspective view, you should get the vertigo effect.
Most users use zoom as it works in both orthogonal and perspective.
Before you wonder why you can map two axis to zoom: Many game controllers have two analog shoulder triggers.
Yes, this has little to no real world use, but the inputdriver is about giving as much control to the user as possible.
Category:Book:OpenSCAD User Manual#Input%20Devices%20