Meece, Mice, Mouses...(scrollballs, wacome e.t.c)

[Pablo Ferral]

I'd like to ask the advice of the forum on input devices... What do you get on with best? A humble mouse? A Scrollball? Mind meld? Does anyone use a wacom tablet for AutoCad, and if so how do you get on without the scroll wheel?

What are your recommendations for avoiding R.S.I, right click white finger!

Are there any other input devices in common use that I plainly don't know about?

I'd welcome your recommendations,

PF

[hyposmurf]

Ive got a optical mouse with a track ball which Ive found gets everything done I need.I also have side buttons that allow me to go foward and back in explorer and my internet browser.You could even get a wireless optical mouse that will save you from having leads running all over your desktop.I Wouldnt recomend the old fashioned mouse type with a little ball undeneath,they are terrible once they get a bit older or are used on the wrong surface.As for a mouse mat Ive never used one with the optical mouse.

[Pablo Ferral]

I currently use an optical mouse and keyboard at home for that very reason! I also use a Wacom tablet and pen for photo shop and illustrator, or just to change my hand movements for a while.

I find the scroll wheel invaluable for AutoCad and I start my first full time job as a Cad operator at the end of the month... I'm just thinking ahead, a day of Cad at the moment leaves my wrist feeling like an old rope!

[Pablo Ferral]

Maybe I just need to toughen up and stop whinging..!

[congee]

i currently use a LED. been using it for years.

however, i would say my favorite is still the drawing tablet with a 4-button puck. talk about fast and accurate!

[Pablo Ferral]

LED?

[Big Mike]

I've heard good things about those track-ball devices but never used one.

I use a mouse with scroll wheel and thumb button. Once I got used to panning with the thumb button, I can't live without it.

I'd like a mouse with a few more buttons though. It would be nice to customize a few buttons to the most used commands.

[congee]

Pablo,

The laser light kind. Not the old style with the ball. I dont think you can even get those anymore.

[ORgrown]

been using a Contour RollerMouse for over a year now. best thing for hand pain from click/double click...
can use both hands and even a foot pedal! been accused of being the Bionic Designer!
http://www.contourdesign.com/rollermouse/
http://www.ergopro.com/index.cfm?obj=prodDetails&pID=352

best of luck!

[Winstanley]

I have tryed the Track balls and couldn`t get used to then i find the best device is a Microsoft optical mouse with out a mat as they work better on a flat desk top. I would say cordless is better but not to be all and end all.
But again the old ball mice are a waste of time for cad users.

[Pablo Ferral]

That roller mouse looks cool! I may have to give it a try...

Wacom have a new tablet out that has a track pad (like on a laptop) on the side. This can be set up like your scroll wheel.. this could also be an alternative for two handed operation.

I use a cordless optical mouse at home. I bought a corded microsoft intelimouse for use at work (to save having to change the batteries every day!)... it sucks!

I could have just bought a duff one, when left alone it has a tendancy to 'creep' across the screen and it didn't register the kind of small precise mouse movements that I'm looking for.

Whatever, I'm off to swap it at the weekend for a different brand. I'll see how I get on...

[Geoffers]

Can anyone update on this thread please? i am just developing a :cry: problem with 'mouse' elbow and fingers and it is getting worse.

the last post was in 2005 i think so perhaps there are more products available...

[DavidB]

wacom intuos and a ergonomic logithech mous do th trick for me.
lil trick go get a timer to force you take break. like 2 min every 15m .
that Really help trust me. there so free OOS timer around .

[Hatchetsa]

I use a Wacom tablet. It is excellent at preventing RSI, however when combined with keyboard coordinate entry it can get a bit messy, especially as I bought the A4 size.
Highly recommended especially if you use photoshop, but get a size which will work for your desk space

[Noahma]

I ise a G15 keyboard at home, regular keyboard at the office, and an MX310 Logitech optical mouse at both locations.

[Rainy-Day]

In regard to avoiding RSI - perhaps a dumb way to approach it, but works perfectly for me: simply stretch the fingers and hands every once in a while. When I'm walking to a store, waiting in line, waiting for a bus or a subway, etc etc, anytime and anywhere, I will stretch first the thumb on the left hand inwards - I just grab it with the other hand and pull it real hard, until it hurts. Then I do the same thing with the next finger. Then I go back to the thumb and pull it outwards - in the opposite direction, and continue with the other fingers pulling outwards; then I go to the second hand and do the same exercise. After that I take the thumb and pull it together with the palm to touch the inside of arm - it's not easy to do but I can do it finally, there's a scene in one early (extremely funny) Jackie Chan movie where his foe does the same thing to his hand. Then I pull the thumb with palm to try to have it touch the outside of hand, but it's much harder and I can't do that yet. I do this from couple of times a day to a dozen. Another thing you can do is make a fist and make it as tight as you can, then make open palm and push fingers as far apart as possible. When I started doing this I was starting to get RSI and in a very short time it was gone. Moreover, fingers feel more limber and flexible, don't get tired even when I work for a long time, and so on, and so forth. I don't think simply changing a method of input can have as much of an effect, because any computer input is pretty unnatural, hands were not meant to do this for eight or ten hours a day. Another thing that I like is keeping hands above the keyboard when I type and keeping hand above mouse when I use the mouse, but then again, when I stretch my hands and fingers often, it's much easier to do that, otherwise they get tired soon and I have to rest them on palm rest and that seems to worsen RSI (when I had it, as I don't even remember what it felt like..). HTH

[Lazer]

Optical mouse and scroll wheel, used for 3d and 2d, no need for anything fancy, I'm old school and like it that way.:wink:

[f700es]

I use a multimedis USB Dell keyboard and my old and trusty Kensington mouse. Used this combination for over 4 years. Best mice on the planet!

www.kensington.com (http://www.kensington.com)

[SLW210]

I use a Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 5 button @ work and really like it. I have a Logitech wireless at home, not sure which model.

f700es,

Which mouse do you use?

[Geoffers]

thanks to all, especially Rainy-day i'm sure youre right about execise although it sounds a bit drastic at first.

although not strictly on thread this does show up the problem of working as a one-man-band;

Wife: "you'll have to rest the arm, stop work for a day or two..."

Me: " you must be joking, i'm not an employee now, 'just have a few days sick'!, i have to get this scheme to the Client.

unfortunately mousing with the left hand is a bit slow, i will investigate a roller ball type thingy

C'est la vie.

Umm, is it possible to use two USB connected mice, simultaneously?

[f700es]

I use a Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 5 button @ work and really like it. I have a Logitech wireless at home, not sure which model.

f700es,

Which mouse do you use?

Right now I use the "Mouse•in•a•Box Optical Elite". I like the looks of some of the new ones. Might have to upgrade soon if this one ever dies. I have had this one for a long time and I am sold on them for now.

http://f700es.googlepages.com/sgb-mouse.jpg

I have a Logictech at home and it is OK.

[SLW210]

Right now I use the "Mouse•in•a•Box Optical Elite". I like the looks of some of the new ones. Might have to upgrade soon if this one ever dies. I have had this one for a long time and I am sold on them for now.

http://f700es.googlepages.com/sgb-mouse.jpg

I have a Logictech at home and it is OK.

I was looking at some Kensingtons for home. I like this setup

SlimBlade™ Media Notebook Set
http://us.kensington.com/images/Orange2.gif (http://us.kensington.com/html/13872.html)

[Strix]

I usually have an office upside down when I begin a new contract - looking for a mouse small enough for my dinky hands, then I want one that has a light touch so I don't get stiff fingers (and if it's an old fashioned ball type, it's opened up and thoroughly cleaned so it doesn't skip)

the elbow thing is a chair problem though. I have a contract quality hydraulic office chair even at home, and change its height several times during the day

make sure you have enough desk space to get your mouse away from your body and not cramped right close to you - I purchased a corner desk and extension so I could spread drawings out in their own space without crowding me

if you're trying to work from home in the smallest corner in the house, forget it. CAD work takes space - or trips to the doctors and time off

[f700es]

I was looking at some Kensingtons for home. I like this setup

SlimBlade™ Media Notebook Set
http://us.kensington.com/images/Orange2.gif (http://us.kensington.com/html/13872.html)

That does look neat.

[Galingula]

As a by product of being a flight simmer I have a setup like this at home...

http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/4705.jpg

Of course it looks weird, but what you can do with it is simply crazy. It's called HOTAS (hands on throttle and stick) for a reason. I don't recall how many things you can do with it, but as an example you can program it so you don't even need a keyboard at all.

The throttle, on the left, even has a little nib, like the old laptop nibs in the middle of the keyboard, right where your thumb would rest, that can act as a mouse if you're not happy with the joystick moving the cursor.

Of course at work I've got a two button scroll wheel mouse and a keyboard.

I'm much faster at home using the HOTAS as a button tree

[Geoffers]

some interesting info so far but.... does an Intuos tablet (A5 or A6) work with Autocad?

i have seen positive comments on another forum about Intuos 3 with REVIT but nothing about AutoCAD.

Any comments?

[Vince0115]

I've heard good things about those track-ball devices but never used one.

Unless you have a STEADY hand (I don't) stay away from trackballs. Also, it's much easier to drag things with a mouse than with a trackball. After trying them all, I have settled on optical mice at work and at home. (I like Logitech.)

[Geoffers]

after reading that some prefer a simple mouse i have just pinched my wife's Dell corded optical and it is so much lighter than my cordless Dell which is like a brick in comparason. this might relieve the rsi problem a bit while i finish investigating pen and tablet which is where i think i will end up.

[BigShot]

Thought I'd chip in...
I have a Logitech MX 5000 desktop which came with an MX1000 laser mouse.

As far as ergonomics go it isn't a fancy one specifically for avoiding RSI and the likes, however it is pretty big. I find it is much more comfortable to use a mouse that fills my hand than something tiny.

Now, Logitech use many different versions of their set-up software depending on the model of mouse you buy - so some aren't as customisable out of the box as others are.... However...

This is where the fun starts. A clever chap figured out that they all used basically the same software and created a package called Uber Options which I highly recommend. The MX1000 mouse has 3 buttons under the thumb, left and right buttons, scroll wheel with click and tilt function and also an up/down switch above and below the wheel...

That gives you effectively a 10 button mouse with a scroll wheel – using Uber Options you can program every button on the thing to do different functions. I've not settled on a favoured set-up yet, but I find it so much easier to use AutoCAD this way. Take regular button 1, 2, and 3 function and that leaves you with space for putting your 7 most used functions all on your mouse. Brilliant.

I had a wireless receiver break on me (entirely my fault) and Logitech didn't hesitate to replace it. They didn't even ask me whether it was in warranty or not.
Good customer service and I'm currently persuading myself that I actually don't need to upgrade to one of their fancy new mice – some of which look really quite good, and are (I believe) meant to be more ergonomic too.

I strongly suggest that all users of Logitech mice that use Set Point as their settings software download and install Uber Options – the extra functionality it adds to the mouse genuinely makes me wonder why Logitech even bother cutting down the standard software that ships with their products.


I'm looking into alternative methods of input at the moment.
I've thought of some of the non QWERTY keyboards that are on the market, tablets and the likes too. I'm not sure what I'll try, as experimenting seems to be an expensive game to play, but I'll post up in here if I find anything that excites me.


Hope this helps in some way.

William

[BigShot]

Just to add.....
UberOptions can be found here... http://www.mstarmetro.net/~rlowens/uberOptions/ (http://www.mstarmetro.net/%7Erlowens/uberOptions/)

One other feature Uber Options enables is something limited to just some of Logitech's mice. Program Specific setups...

You can get your mouse to do all manner of crazy things (including keystroke macros) in AutoCAD, and still have it function normally in other programs. Simply set up the mouse for the software you want specific function with (choose it from drop down menu in your UberOptions version of SetPoint and assign button functions for that program) and it will revert to normal function for any software you don't set up specifically.

Enjoy.



EDIT...
Apparently he's got uber options working for Logitech keyboards now too. I've not tried setting up my keyboard with it - but I can definitely see scope for using the otherwise useless (to me) media controls as functions in AutoCAD.

[bngm]

hi all! first time poster, long time listener.
good ol' microsoft optical 5 button intellimouse. very light, floats on the mousepad, fits the hand well and button pressure is just right.
but it's my fave because i never find myself straining hand or wrist muscles.

http://cybermarche.ca/images/web/659556621940.jpg

[Geoffers]

had the Intuos A5 wide tablet for a few days now; ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, just beautiful, i do recommend it, i'll never go back to a mouse.

it will hurt a bit when i settle the credit card for it but i know ive done the right thing.

[CADgirl]

So what brand would you guys say is the best overall? People seem to be talking alot about Kensington and Logitec.

[JD Mather]

If you do 3D work get one of the input devices from http://www.3dconnexion.com Ambidextrious, simultaneous zoom, pan and rotate with the left hand while using the mouse in the right hand to select stuff.
You can get the basic model for $59 at http://www.journeyed.com

They say it will take half the clicks off of your right hand distributing to your left.
I have been using for about three years and feel like one hand tied behind my back whenever I am on a machine without it.

[chulse]

Has anyone used this one? I find my hand going numb from the basic Logitech mouse I have now, so I'm looking for something more ergo-friendly...


http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=086&active_tab=overview


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