I work for a company specialized in interior architecture and event design, where we primarily use SketchUp and AutoCAD for the technical side of our projects. After using both software for a long time, I found Rhino to be more practical. It allowed me to avoid constantly switching between the two tools and eliminated the need to redraw the same thing in 2D and then in 3D, or vice versa.
Following this discovery, the company decided that all employees would also switch to Rhino. A training program was put in place, but in the end, few people actually use Rhino. This is because itâs not as intuitive as SketchUp, especially when it comes to navigating in 3D.
I noticed that this causes difficulties, particularly for commercial profiles who mostly need to extract information from the 3D models. They have trouble navigating in 3D space and taking measurements.
I believe a solution would be to add easier navigation. For example, a camera target point that follows the mouse cursor and automatically positions itself on the projected surface. If this feature were highlighted, along with the âpush-pullâ function, it could really attract new clients.
May I suggest trying out the SpaceMouse by 3DConnexion. Itâs so intuitive that you have learned it in literally 5 minutes and then it just becomes muscle memory. We all use it in our office and could not use Rhino without it.
Rhino has its own built-in driver, which is excellent, so you donât need to install their 3DxWare driver, which can get really annoying.
It of course also works in other programs, but I think it actually works best in Rhino.
You donât need to bother with the larger Pro and Enterprise models, just get the cheapest one, which is the SpaceMouse Wireless or the newer Compact.
You can set options for it in Rhino by typing âSpaceMouseâ and then its easiest to just click on the first option (Popup_Menu). We have found using Object Mode with Lock Horizon to be the most ânaturalâ.
No amount of clever mouse tricks and modes to navigate the camera will be as natural, direct and fast as using a SpaceMouse and more importantly you can get one now.
Not really. Using a SpaceMouse is superior in almost all ways I can think, because you have 6 degrees of freedom instantly, which the mouse can never give you. Also you can navigate and still use the mouse at the same time.
So in my opinion its just an extension of the toolkit. $169 is not a lot for something that will improve the way you navigate the software and be intuitive enough for people not familiar with the navigation.
I mean, what are the alternatives:
switch back to another software: that is definitely going to cost more than $169 per seat
wait for McNeel to implement a new way to navigate, again not really a solution
force people to just get used to the way it is in Rhino currently, also not that great
So if OP wants a possible solution, then the SpaceMouse is one of them.
I think there is a good reason that McNeel actually still mentions the SpaceMouse an âoptional requirementâ (which kind of doesnât make sense, but okay). It just makes so much sense to use one and by the looks of it McNeel tends to agree..
I didnât know the script âDIG_SetTargetToCursor.rvbâ existed. Itâs exactly whatâs needed, especially when assigned to the middle mouse button.
The real issue is for my colleagues, who just need to navigate easily within the software and arenât doing any actual drawing. Theyâre often out on the field, working on a laptop balanced on a piece of wood or wall. A SpaceMouse is a good idea, but not practical on a construction site.
I think this navigation challenge mostly affects those working in interior architecture.
It may sound trivial, but Rhino would really benefit from including this feature by default and promoting it â itâs one of the things that made SketchUp so successful.
I agree 100%.
Of course everybody is free to disagree, but imho if you are making money using 3d software and you are not using a Spacemouse, you are doing it wrong.
Of course everyone is different and prefer different ways of working. We actually use the SpaceMouse not just to navigate but also to record camera movement. No amount of foot pedals or mouse movements will allow you to do this in one go, because a mouse has 2 degrees of freedom, 3 if you want to count the mouse wheel. SpaceMouse has 6, plus you can still use the mouse at the same time.
I find moving between the SpaceMouse and keyboard with my left hand to be very natural. I also dont JUST use the SpaceMouse for adjusting the view, I still use the mouse as well. But if you want to either find a good vantage point, just fly around your scene or find camera moves, there is nothing like it.
That being said, I am all for improving mouse based navigation in the viewport.
i have a spacemouse one of the minis, it was a nice experience but i did not see it improving my workflow anyhow specifically in regards of the 6 degrees of freedom you mention. in fact the rotation around the object rather than bobbing up and down is more sufficient because you are locked tight and can swivel around as you need without becoming space pilot
for recording camera paths that is an amazing tool for sure, but in rhino i perceived the space mouse to be more of a toy that feels nice but thats it.. ok now go kill me all.
Have been able to mostly solve this by using a mouse with so many buttons that all the most frequent keyboard commands are available at the twitch of a thumb :
Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V, Space, Esc, Delete, Alt-Tab, PrntSrc, Shift-Space, Ctrl-W, (+ a few more that I donât remember, but are embedded in muscle memory).
Totally. In my experience the transformative use-case of the spacemouse practically speaking is (using 3DConnexion âObject Modeâ) being able to simultaneously maneuver the model with the left hand and manipulate things in the model with the mouse cursor with the right. So much more like working in reality with our two hands, than simply modelling the single-chopstick of mouse-only. Itâs literally one hand holding the object, the other wielding the tool.
Rhino was originally created for industrial design (allegedly). Maybe they should have a mouse design competition to create the ultimate âRhino Mouseâ - prizes and everything. Lots of other companies are creating their own hardware/peripherals. Itâs getting relatively easier.
