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Mouse Wheel Zoom - Is it backwards for you?

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kineoptics

Senior Member
Mouse Wheel Zoom - Is it backwards for you?

As a new user of AD Pro, I find the mouse zoom wheel backwards to other CAD programs I've used. Is there a way to reverse this in the program or the mouse software? Logitech MX 500. It would also be nice to have the zoom be at the cursor location, not the center of the window.
 
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rbrian

Senior Member
Re: Mouse Wheel Zoom - Is it backwards for you?

kineoptics said:
As a new user of AD Pro, I find the mouse zoom wheel backwards to other CAD programs I've used. Is there a way to reverse this in the program or the mouse software? Logitech MX 500. It would also be nice to have the zoom be at the cursor location, not the center of the window.
Click to expand...
Ctrl+R is one tool (Menu -> View > Rotation Points). Select Origin (Default) - or Center of Volume / Center of Mass.

However - I find it dificult to understand how to add a new point(s) Name!! ( Nice if there was a (?) Button here! )

Also- sometimes - I think Snap to Grid Affects Zooming! (I know it affects trimming of small line bits - so I deselect it for that when I need to) Robert
 
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kineoptics

Senior Member
Backwards Zoom? Is it or not?

I see many looking at this topic but not responding. I use other programs that are the other way. Push forward on the mouse wheel to push the model away, pull towards you to bring the model to you. Pro-E, SW, Concepts, Ashlar Cobalt, etc. This seems the most natural to me and the industry standard. If you would like to see this switchable in the future, please comment so development can hear it.
 
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gjordan

New Member
Re: Backwards Zoom? Is it or not?

kineoptics said:
I see many looking at this topic but not responding. I use other programs that are the other way. Push forward on the mouse wheel to push the model away, pull towards you to bring the model to you. Pro-E, SW, Concepts, Ashlar Cobalt, etc. This seems the most natural to me and the industry standard. If you would like to see this switchable in the future, please comment so development can hear it.
Click to expand...

That begs the question -- do those other programs allow you reverse the mouse wheel zoom direction :?:

I happen to be comfortable with the current zoom functionality. "Natural" for me is having the zoom function like I'm looking through the lens of a camera. Roll the mouse wheel forward to "move" the camera closer to the object. This is the way the mouse wheel zoom is used in 3D modeling programs such as Rhino3D, TurboCAD and Blender.

But it's for this very reason that I also feel that zoom direction (also rotate pitch/roll) should be a toggle option. When it comes to visual preferences like rotate/zoom, modern software should accomodate the user, and not the other way 'round. Not everybody views the 3D world in the same way :)
 
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moyesboy

Alibre Super User


Initially to me it seemed the wrong way round. I'm used to PTC and autocad.
But you adapt very quickly because the response onm the screen is instant, so it is a minor problem.
 
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kineoptics

Senior Member
Mouse wheel Zoom - Is it backwards for you?

It is a minor problem if you switch programs. I unfortunately have to use several programs, Concepts Unlimited, Pro-E, and Alibre. It's real hard to switch back and forth. Also, Chief architech's zoom is like Alibre.
 
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Gaspar

Alibre Super User


Hi,

Some other people (me included) have posted about this in the past, but as Moyesboy pointed out, you adapt very quickly. Today I can toggle among programs without problems. Any way, making it an option would be really nice :D

What are not minor (and yet seem so easy to solve) are:

:arrow: Cursor centered zooming
:arrow: "On the fly" rotation points

I really wonder how AD has come so far in complex features leaving those two in the trunk :?
 
Mibe

Mibe

Alibre Super User
Re:

Gaspar said:
Hi,

Some other people (me included) have posted about this in the past, but as Moyesboy pointed out, you adapt very quickly. Today I can toggle among programs without problems. Any way, making it an option would be really nice :D

What are not minor (and yet seem so easy to solve) are:

:arrow: Cursor centered zooming
:arrow: "On the fly" rotation points

I really wonder how AD has come so far in complex features leaving those two in the trunk :?
Click to expand...

Have you tried to double click on an enity when the "Rotate Tool" is selected? That will give you rotation points "on the fly"...

It will NOT work with a Spacemouse or double mouse buttons though...
 
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Gaspar

Alibre Super User


Thanks Michael,

There are a couple things I just don't understand about the rotation tool (that's why I don't use it):

1) The only reason that would make me want to change a rotation point is if I pan the model. When the rotation tool is selected, you can't pan :? (honestly, I can't figure this one out).

2) Correct me if I'm wrong, but by a factor of at least 10, the most common task for any designer is to navigate your design (navigate = zoom+pan+rotate). Why am I able to zoom and pan directly with mouse+keyboard controls and I can't pick where to rotate from unless I open a window and save and name a point (or recall it, in the best case).

:arrow: In summary, I can hardly think of a situation in which the rotation point shouldn't be centered in the current screen view. If the screen view changes when you pan+zoom I just can't figure out why doesn't the rotation point change automatically (ideal) or at least why isn't the user allowed just to select the new point by clicking on something (no windows or icons, just a key+click thing).
 
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MilesH

Alibre Super User


This is a quickish way of moving between custom rotation points.

Select the first custom point and name it 1

Thereafter:

Pick/Ctrl R/Return/2/Return
Pick/Ctrl R/Return/3/Return.....etc etc

I just leave the dialog box tucked away in the corner and click the part window to re-focus. If you want to close it use - Ctrl R again (after re-focus).

This only works in part workspace, of course, because selecting vertices doesn't work when creating a part within an assembly.. groan..moan.. hint hint Alibre...


Miles
 
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MilesH

Alibre Super User


Sort of on this subject. I wish the default selection filter was faces/edges*and*vertices. Or at least if there was a way to set this to stick.

Miles
 
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Veness

Member


I have become accustom to the way the mouse zooms now, I thought it was backwards as well (used Pro/Desktop for a few years). Only problem now is when I have to go back to those old drawings in Pro, now it seems backwards.
 
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KirkKelsey

Member
Mouse Wheel workaround

I too find the Alibre mouse wheel backwards to other programs I use. While quick to adapt, I often start zooming the wrong way and have to change during a zoom.

I agree there should be a toggle for the zoom in Alibre, as there is not a toggle on for the mouse wheel in any of the Logitech or Microsoft drivers for my mouse/trackball.

My workaround is the Belkin Nostromom n52 SpeedPad for my left hand. I have programmed the scroll wheel on that device to zoom the direction that I desire. The scroll wheel on the SpeedPad CAN be configured to reverse the direction of the scroll wheel. You can then configure a profile for each program you use to zoom (or any function) consistantly. Profiles load automatically for the current program running. The SpeedPad is marketed as a game controller and meant to be configurable and auto-load the configuration for every game.

While it is no spacemouse, it is not a bad tool for only $35 with shipping.

I am glad I found a way to configure the software for my preferences, rather than having to wait for the program to change to suit me.
 
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DP4027

New Member
Hello,
I agree, Push forward on the mouse wheel to push the model away, pull towards you to bring the model to you. I think it should be an option like AutoCad has for Inventor users. It's a variable called "Zoomwheel", you set it 0 or 1 which changes which way the mouse wheel zooms the view.
 
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