Participant

Question

How can I get my 3D mouse to pan and zoom with Photoshop CS6?

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
January 6, 2018
4 replies
12903 views

Hello everyone,

I purchased a 3DConnexion mouse (the Navigator model) to use with Sketchup (which works fine) and Photoshop CS6 (which I can't get to work).

I would like to use the 3D mouse to pan and zoom, mostly to spot heal and repair old scanned photos.

I don't have the 3D version of PS6 and I don't need to use the 3D mouse to tilt or rotate.

I've looked for "The Plugin" but can't find it.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get this working?

This topic has been closed for replies.

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

I have a 3DConnexion Space Navigator. It is a blooming wonder to use with SketchUp, but totally useless with Photoshop. In fact the 3DConnexion plugin that is _supposed_ to make it work with Photoshop is a huge PITA, and uninstalling it was akin to stopping banging your head on a wall. This article discuses using a Pro version with Photoshop, and some people talk about it here but they all went completely mad.

JJMack

Community Expert

SketchUp is a 3D application where Photoshop is a 2D application with a limited 3D feature addon. Photoshop's 3D UI controls are only active when some tools are active and a 3D layer is the Active Photoshop target. The 3D mouse manufacture's Photoshop Plug-in and the 3D mouse device driver seems to have problems with Photoshop. They may be because of Photoshop UI changes with Active tools and layers. The OP stated that he contacted the manufacture asking for better Photoshop support. And received a reply that they asked Adobe for some API. So when hell freezes over you may see thing get better. The OP also does not like how Adobe supports the Microsoft surface Dial. Photoshop is a very complex application supporting new devices I'm sure is not a simple undertaking.

JJMack

Z

Zeeto

Known Participant

JJMack wrote
The OP stated that he contacted the manufacture asking for better Photoshop support. And received a reply that they asked Adobe for some API. So when hell freezes over you may see thing get better.

Yes, I believe they (the manufacturers) need some access to be able to translate the angle of the knob to the angle of the clone source (for example). I think Adobe did just that for Microsoft Surface Dial and allowed tablet manufacturers to translate the pen pressure, angle to control 'things' in Photoshop, so who knows maybe there is rink in hell already.

JJMack wrote
The OP also does not like how Adobe supports the Microsoft surface Dial. Photoshop is a very complex application supporting new devices I'm sure is not a simple undertaking.

If you mean me (I'm not OP), I didn't say I don't like how Adobe supports Ms Dial, I said

I have to admit, it was a little bit disappointing when I saw Adobe introduced support for Microsoft Surface Dial, but 3DConnexion mouse which is far more advanced (than Ms Dial), is still not fully supported.

JJMack

Community Expert

All you can do is suggest to the maker of your 3d mouse to add the support you want to thire Mouse device driver and Photoshop Plug-in.

JJMack

Z

Zeeto

Known Participant

Actually, I did and they told me that they really wanted to enable all capabilities of their device like for example rotating knob movements to be supported by Photoshop, but to do this they needed API from Adobe, but apparently Adobe wouldn't reply to their requests.

WILLB

Inspiring

I agree with you on this, I own 3D Connexion Space Mouse and I would love to use it on Adobe Applications, but it seems like for some reason, Adboe is not cooperating with 3D Connexion, perhaps some kind of history behind these two companies? i don't know..

Wouldn't a company shoud try to help the custoemrs(users) to try out other Accessories as needed?

after all, providing API is not a big deal.. either for ADOBE,

rather than saying "Using Converrntional Mouse You can achieve the same"

would be better "We are here to help which ever method you find useful adding value to your workflow" for adobe customers.

JJMack

Community Expert

You do not need a 3d Mouse for those feature. If an image can be panned with a normal mouse all you to do is hold the space bar and pan the image by dragging it about with a normal mouse. Zooming in and out can be done with a normal mouse wheel. With the rotate tool active you can temporary rotate the canvas with a normal mouse. You rotate a layer using transform and a normal mouse. Most likely your the 3D mouse Photoshop plug-in add support for manipulating Photoshop 3D object with the 3D mouse..

JJMack

Z

Zeeto

Known Participant

Hey JJMack,

Thank you for your reply.

Well, that's the point, I believe like most retouchers I don't use mouse to work in Photoshop... I use pen and tablet.

Forgetting convenience features like zoom, pan, rotating objects, which yes you can do with pen, still there are a lot of possibilities for 3D mouse / rotation knobs to enhance Photoshop 2D workflow.

Compare rotating knob vs hitting 3 keys repeatedly back and forth, to adjust the angle of the clone source or angle of the brush...

rayek.elfin

Legend

Zeeto wrote
Hey JJMack,
Thank you for your reply.
Well, that's the point, I believe like most retouchers I don't use mouse to work in Photoshop... I use pen and tablet.
Forgetting convenience features like zoom, pan, rotating objects, which yes you can do with pen, still there are a lot of possibilities for 3D mouse / rotation knobs to enhance Photoshop 2D workflow.
Compare rotating knob vs hitting 3 keys repeatedly back and forth, to adjust the angle of the clone source or angle of the brush...

Doesn't your tablet have touch support and physical controls to do exactly that? I rotate the canvas with the ring or use two fingers to rotate and/or zoom the canvas in Photoshop CC. And other features are supported as well.

Not sure about the old CS6 version, though. I do wish Photoshop would FINALLY support the middle mouse button to pan the view, like most other non-Adobe design applications do.

JJMack

Community Expert

Did you try searching?

Re: 3DConnexion Hardware ?

https://forums.adobe.com/search.jspa?place=%2Fplaces%2F1413024&sort=updatedDesc&q=Connexion

JJMack

J

johnerbesAuthor

Participant

Yes, I actually did a search before posting.

I found the post you tagged and one other.

I have PS CS6.

I do not have the PS CS6 Extended version which, apparently, does support some functions of the 3DConnexion mouse.

I was hoping that SOMEONE out there has gotten this to work.

JJMack

Community Expert

Photoshop CS6 3D support in a CS6 extended feature. Photoshop CS6 3D feature is not enabled installed with a CS6 Standard licence serial. Creative Cloud CS6 is a Extended CS 6 version. How do you want to use your 3D mouse in your 2D Photoshop application X Y plane? Elements in your image may have a 3D appearance they however, they are not 3D objects.

JJMack

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