GstarCAD Plug-in ReadMe

1 Plug-in Description

This plug-in enables you to move objects in GstarCAD 8 to GstarCAD 2017 with the SpaceController.

The plug-in comes as the files "SC_GstarCAD8.grx" and "SC_GstarCAD2016.grx" and is located in the SpaceControl software installation folder, usually "C:\Program Files (x86)\SpaceControl\GstarCAD\win32\" or "...\win64\" resp.

Supported operating systems are Windows XP to Windows 10, 32 bit and 64 bit.

2 Loading the Plug-in

Open GstarCAD's dialog for loading applications by clicking on menu item "Manage/Load Application" or by typing "appload" into GstarCAD's command line.
Click on the "Load" button and navigate to the plug-in "SC_GstarCAD8.grx" or "SC_GstarCAD2016.grx" in one of the folders mentioned above.
"SC_GstarCAD8.grx"is for GstarCAD 8 to GstarCAD 2015,
"SC_GstarCAD2016.grx"is for the newer versions.
Add it to GstarCAD's Startup Suite as well if wanted.

3 Setting the Rotation Center

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

3.1 Rotating around the Scene's Origin or the Screen's Midpoint

There are some possibilities how you can move and rotate an object with the SpaceController. Basically you can change between the "scene" perspective (moving the cap seemes 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 or lock the horizon. All this can be configured with the SpaceController Panel's Advanced Configuration dialog in the Move Mode panel:

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

The mode Camera Mode: Rotate around Camera will not rotate around the camera but the origin, and Hover is not supported at all due to mathematical restrictions.

3.2 Rotating around Selected Objects

There are two special functions available in GstarCAD which can be used when they have been assigned to a key or the Wheel Function Launcher. To activate them open the Function Assignment dialog, open the branch "GstarCAD/SpaceControl" in the function tree and drag the functions therein to the function keys:

Pressing the SpaceController keys will toggle the function now. The following functions are available:

Use Selection as Rotation Center:
Select an object in your scene. If Use Selection as Rotation Center is executed once the rotation center is changed to the center of the object, overriding the setting in the Advanced Configuration dialog described in section 3.1 above. Executing the function a second time switches back to the rotation center defined in the Advanced Configuration dialog.
Use Selected Line as Rotation Axis:
Select a line in scene. If Use Selected Line as Rotation Axis is executed once the rotation is restricted, and you can rotate around this line only. Executing the function a second time switches back to the normal rotation behaviour.

4 Change Log

6 November 2017, Version 2.9.0:

Performance is enhanced a little.

8 November 2016, Version 2.8.6:

The plug-in is aware of the new device functions "Back", "Left" and "Bottom". By default you can trigger them by double pressing the device keys FRONT, RIGHT and TOP.

11 July 2014, Version 2.6.3 beta 2:

First published release. The version number is not 1.0.0 because the plug-in comes with driver version 2.6.3 the first time.

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