SpaceNavigator

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What is it?

The 3DConnexion SpaceNavigator is a 3D mouse with 6 degrees of freedom which can be used in conjunction with Second Life's Joystick Flycam. It's officially supported from version 1.20 and up.

How do I make it work?

• Install the drivers and calibrate. (For setup on Linux, see below)
• In Second Life, make sure to do this:
  • Go to Edit menu > Preferences > Input & Camera tab.
  • Click "Joystick Setup" and click "Enable Joystick" in the upper-left. If it's grayed-out, make sure your SN is connected properly.
• Confirm Preferences and click OK.
  • Avatar mode - Move the SpaceNavigator cap. You should see your avatar move around.
  • Flycam mode - Press the left SN button, and move the SN to control your camera. (Note that tiny white "Flycam" text no longer appears in the lower-right.)
  • Build mode - Rez an object, and while it's selected, twist the SN. You should see the object spin.

• To learn more, see the Joystick Flycam page and watch video tutorials (these were filmed in an earlier version of Second Life, so some details have changed since then):

<videoflash>gEAyMDDSh5g</videoflash>

Linux

Linux users may need to do the following. These instructions have been confirmed for Ubuntu Karmic and SL Viewer 1.x.

1) Uninstall any 3Dconnexion company supplied Linux drivers as they conflict with the one built into the kernel. The SpaceNavigator shows up as a HID device that Second Life can use.
2) Create some udev rules if they are not supplied with the distro (e.g. Ubuntu and Gentoo don't supply them). You probably only need to add the third one of the three following KERNEL lines.

cat << EOF > /etc/udev/rules.d/91-spacenavigator.rules
KERNEL=="event[0-9]*", SYSFS{idVendor}=="046d", SYSFS{idProduct}=="c603", SYMLINK+="input/spacemouse", GROUP="plugdev", MODE="664"
KERNEL=="event[0-9]*", SYSFS{idVendor}=="046d", SYSFS{idProduct}=="c623", SYMLINK+="input/spacetraveler", GROUP="plugdev", MODE="664"
KERNEL=="event[0-9]*", SYSFS{idVendor}=="046d", SYSFS{idProduct}=="c626", SYMLINK+="input/spacenavigator", GROUP="plugdev", MODE="664"
EOF

3) Create some HAL policy rules to prevent the SpaceNavigator from being used as a mouse with hot-plugging on x-org. Only needed if you find the joystick controlling the mouse.

cat << EOF > /etc/hal/fdi/policy/3Dconnexion_SpaceNavigator.fdi
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<deviceinfo version="0.2">
  <device>
    <match key="info.product" contains="3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator">
      <merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string"></merge>
    </match>
  </device>
</deviceinfo>
EOF

Related resources

• Consult the official documentation (obvious yet true).

• Join an inworld group like "3DConnexion Space Cadets" to chat with other SN fans.

• You can also ask on our forums and see existing matches for "SpaceNavigator".

• Interested in the more technical aspects? Join SLDev and ask there.

• Demo video by Beast Linden.

• Demo video by Tenebrous Pau.

Bugs

• Experiencing a bug? See if it's already been reported or fixed @ VWR-6363.