SolidWorks Plug-in ReadMe

1 Plug-in Description
2 Setting the Rotation Center
- 2.1 Rotating around the Scene's Origin or the Camera's Focal Point
- 2.2 Rotating around Arbitrary Object Points
3 Moving Objects
4 Menu Items - Summary
5 Change Log

1 Plug-in Description

This plug-in enables you to move the scene, parts in an assembly and even cameras in SolidWorks with the SpaceControl 3D input devices. Furthermore it incorporates SolidWorks' menu items in the SpaceControl Panel's Key Configuration Dialog for easy mapping of menu items to the SpaceController's function keys. Supported versions are SolidWorks 2009 to 2018, supported operating systems are Windows XP to Windows 10, 32 and 64 bit. If using SolidWorks 2008 you have to download the older driver version 2.4.1.

The plug-in integrates its own menu and toolbar into SolidWorks:

The menu's and toolbar's elements are doing the same and are described below.

The plug-in is a DLL ("SC_SwAddIn_32.dll", "SC_SwAddIn_64.dll", resp.) which is loaded by SolidWorks at start-up. In rare cases it may happen that SolidWorks won't do this automatically. If this is the case open the "Add-Ins" dialog in SolidWorks by clicking on menu item "Tools/Add-Ins..." and make sure that both check boxes of the "SpaceController AddIn" entry are activated:

2 Setting the Rotation Center

There are some possibilities how you can rotate an object with the SpaceController. These differ in the center point of rotation and how the user can select it.

2.1 Rotating around the Scene's Origin or the Camera's Focal Point

Basically you can change between the "scene" perspective (moving the cap seems to move the scene you are looking at) and the "camera" perspective (moving the cap moves the virtual camera looking into the scene). Further settings control the rotation center, switch a special hover mode on and off or lock the horizon. All this can be configured with the SpaceControl Panel's Advanced Configuration dialog in the Move Mode panel:

See chapter Advanced Configuration in the SpaceController's user manual for details.

Not all modes listed in the dialog are supported by the plug-in due to some restrictions in SolidWorks' programming interface:

Camera Mode: Rotate around Camera will rotate around the origin in SolidWorks' parallel mode and will show unexpected behaviour in SolidWorks' perspective mode.
Hover will not work in SolidWorks' parallel mode; in perspective mode the camera stops near the scene's origin.
In SolidWorks' camera mode's right window the rotation center has a fixed position on the SpaceController's z-axis. The corresponding moves of the camera in the left window are a little shaky because it is necessary to refresh the window twice per data packet.

2.2 Rotating around Arbitrary Object Points

If rotation around the scene's origin or the screen's midpoint is not sufficient you can set your own rotation center.

If menu item "Rotate Around Highlighted Object" is active you just need to move your mouse above the object until the mouse pointer changes to one of these shapes defined by SolidWorks:

Mouse Pointer	Description
	vertex selector
	edge selector
	face selector
	rotation mode selector

If this happens SolidWorks selects a point (marked by a small cross), and the SpaceController will use this point as rotation center. As soon as the mouse cursor changes to its normal arrow shape (

) by moving the mouse over the background area the rotation center switches back to its normal position (scene's origin or screen's midpoint).

If menu item "Rotate Around Selection" is selected the rotation center is the selected object.
If menu item "Rotate Around Selected Edge" is selected the rotation axis is the selected edge.

3 Moving Objects

In assembly mode you can move parts with the cap. To do this activate menu item "Activate Object Movement" and select the part you want to move. Restrictions defined in SolidWorks receive attention.
The menu items "Check for Collision", "Stop Movement on Collision" and "Sound on Collision" are self-explanatory.

4 Menu Items - Summary

Toolbar Icon	Menu Item	Explanation
	Rotate Around Highlighted Object	Rotation center is the the highlighted object underneath the cursor.
	Rotate Around Selection	Rotation center is the the selected object.
	Rotate Around Selected Edge	Rotation axis is the selected edge.
	Scroll Trees and Lists	Enables scrolling in trees and lists with the SpaceController or GEN.
	Activate Object Movement	Allows movement of a selected object in the scene.
	Check for Collision	Checks for collisions while moving an object.
	Stop Movement on Collision	Stops object movement if a collision is detected.
	Sound on Collision	Makes a sound if a collision is detected.
	Reset to Defaults	Sets all options to the default values.
	Toggle Toolbar	Hides or shows the SpaceControl toolbar.

All menu items can be assigned as usual to a SpaceController key or to the Wheel Function Launcher by means of the Function Assignment dialog:

5 Change Log

7 December 2017, Version 2.9.0:

Minor bug-fix.

8 November 2016, Version 2.8.6:

The plug-in supports the driver's new functions Back, Left and Buttom for the view. They can be triggered by double pressing the device's FRONT, RIGHT and TOP keys.

2 November 2015, Version 2.8.2:

Some of the menu items (see section 4) has not been saved when closing SolidWorks.

1 September 2014, Version 2.7.0:

Rounded objects like cones or cylinders could show ugly artefacts in display modes with edges when rotated. This is fixed.
Sensitivity of the z-axis (zoom) reduced.

15 July 2014, Version 2.6.3:

The plug-in is unchanged, this is a new build with updated versions of the SpaceControl DLLs.

4 October 2013, Version 2.6.0:

The plug-in is unchanged, this is a new build with updated versions of the SpaceControl DLLs.

20 March 2013, Version 2.5.1:

Zooming into drawings with large assemblies left the window in a very pixelated state. The window is redrawn now when releasing the cap.

14 January 2013, Version 2.5.0:

All move modes listed in the Advanced Configuration dialog (see above) are supported.
Rotation around a selected edge is possible.
Parts can be moved in an assembly. Collision detection is implemented.
SolidWorks cameras can be moved.
You can scroll in trees and lists with the cap when the mouse pointer is positioned on them.
The plug-in incorporates its own menu into SolidWorks' menu bar and its own toolbar.
Plug-in is completely revised.

11 December 2012, Version 2.4.1:

According to a customer report the plug-in could not connect to SolidWorks in the morning after the computer has been switched off over night. This could be cured by a delay time. In file "C:\Users\<User Name>\SpaceController\Applications\solidworks_plugin.ini" you can configure the parameter "connectDelay" now. The plug-in will wait this time (in seconds) before it connects itself to SolidWorks.
A screen refresh is added after releasing the cap. Seems that in some cases this is necessary to avoid that SolidWorks remains in the "reduced detail" mode when moving large assemblies.

18 April 2012, Version 2.3.1:

If you are a left handed person you've probably swapped your 2D mouse's keys. The plug-in is aware of this now and will not block the movement when the right mouse button is pressed any longer.
Performance is enhanced when moving small objects.

18 January 2012, Version 2.2.1:

Performance is enhanced when moving objects with visible reference dimensionings.

20 October 2011, Version 2.2.0:

The plug-in is unchanged, this is a new build with updated versions of the SpaceController's DLLs and configuration files.

17 June 2011, Version 2.1.0:

The plug-in is unchanged, this is a new build with an updated version of the SpaceController's DLL.

10 March 2011, Version 2.0.1 beta:

Presssing the left mouse button in the working window does not stop the movement with the SpaceController's cap any longer.

15 February 2011, Version 2.0.0:

Rounded objects like cones or cylinders could show ugly artefacts in display modes with edges when rotated. This is fixed.
Large assemblies do not switch into the shaded display mode any longer (this was done to achieve higher frame rates) but into the reduced detail mode as SolidWorks does when moving such objects with the normal mouse.
The stored rotation mode (Object or Screen) was not updated when loading a new configuration.
The plug-in is incorporated into the driver's new, single installation file now.

20 August 2010, Version 1.4.3:

A bug caused SolidWorks to slow down its performance. This is fixed.

9 July 2010, Version 1.4.2:

If the frame rate for rendering decreases the plug-in caused SolidWorks to switch into its display mode "Wireframe". This is replaced by the display mode "Shaded" since this mode proved to be more efficient in most cases.

14 April 2010, Version 1.4.1:

The plug-in works with SolidWorks 2008 again. The Problem was caused by a compatibility problem with its older API.

27 April 2010, Version 1.4.0:

The rotation center can be modified by the user. See above for details.
The plug-in switches SolidWorks into wireframe mode when the frame rate is too low. See above for details.
Minor bug-fixes.
Attention:
This version needs a driver version 1.4.0 beta or later and will not work with prior driver releases.
This version uses a new configuration file format. Configuration files created with prior versions can not be used.

30 November 2009, Version 1.2.3:

The installation folder was not removed when deinstalling the plug-in. This is fixed.

23 November 2009, Version 1.2.0:

This version supports both Windows 32 Bit and Windows 64 Bit.

5 April 2009, Version 1.1.0:

Minor bug-fixes.

9 March 2009, Version 1.00:

First published release.

SpaceControl GmbH & Co. KG, Am Technologiepark 10, 82229 Seefeld, Germany