Hello,
Does anyone know of a way to connect and use a gamepad controller with Microstation v8i? I have a an older Logitech Dual Action gamepad, and I was hoping I can map it to Microstation's Walk ability.
If it can be mapped like the movements usually seen in a game I think that would be helpful, especially to some of the younger users when they need to fly around in their models.
Ideally, I would like to have some kind of file (MDL, VBA, Function key definition, etc?) that I can load onto a computer easily. I think it would add a nice touch to some of our long model review meetings.
Thanks!
Andre
I may be onto something...
I downloaded the 'Logitech Gaming Software' to allow the buttons to be customized. With it I am able to map keyboard buttons, commands, SHIFT, CTRL, etc to the buttons on the gamepad.
After customizing various keyboard buttons to the gamepad, I can now 'walk' 'fly' 'pan' and 'look' around my model. By holding the bumper buttons (Shift / CTRL).
Is it slow? You bet! At this point, the mouse is still faster, but I am hoping I can find a way to replicate the mouse movements into the X-Y axis of the joystick. I'll turn this thing into a flight sim yet.
Does anyone know what sets the rotation speed? There are various key-ins but to set the speed of forward/back, slide left/right up/down, but nothing for turning or rotating the camera through the keys. Not even the "Other Speed" from the Navigate Camera tool has an effect on rotation.
Wish me luck,
Unknown said:Wish me luck
Good luck!
Regards, Jon Summers LA Solutions
Regards
Frank
since 1985: GIS, CAD, Engineering (Civil) Senior Consultant : [Autodesk Civil 3D , Esri ArcGIS, VertiGIS: in previous days : Bentley MS V4 - V8i, GeoGraphics, Bentley Map V8i, InRoads, HHK Geograf, IBr DAVID] : Dev: [C, C++, .NET, Java, SQL, FORTRAN, UML][direct quote by: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmut_Schmidt]: "Wer Kritik übel nimmt, hat etwas zu verbergen"Wer Grammatik- und/oder Rechtschreibfehler findet, der darf sie behalten :-)
I made some progress on this. I found a way to map the mouse movements to the stick. There is an option in the X and Y axis for the controller profile. Sees image below.
I also added a custom Function key command that starts the camera navigation, and mapped that to the 'start' button on the controller. I also mapped the accept / reject (left/right) mouse buttons, and two buttons for speed up (+) and speed down (-).
The +/- buttons help to account for model size, so for large models, I can hold the "+" button and the speed will drastically increase to hundreds of kmh/mph making the flying much more bearable.
At present if I want to switch between pan and look, I have to hold the corresponding SHIFT and CTRL button (mapped to the shoulder buttons on the game pad). The real trick will be to find some way to use both sticks at the same time so I don't have to use the shoulder buttons. One for movement, the other for looking. At present I have no idea how to do that, since this current control setup literally mimics the mouse. Just a little more fun.
The mouse continues to be the more efficient way to fly around in a model. I don't think the Logitech profiler and MS together will give me the result I need. I might have to go into something else. Probably programming of some kind, which I have limited background in. On a side note, one that that absolutely bugs me is when I am flying around in a model, and the cursor leaves the view and hovers on a menu or anything else that isn't the 'view', all motion pauses. Who thought that up anyway? Is there a way to turn that off?