Joystick Input (3)

Maya
1

Hi everybody.

I've been toying with the idea of using a joystick to drive some of my animations and simulations. I did a little research to try and figure this out on my own and came across some old entries on other boards for an option within Maya called to Device editor. These were fairly old posts discussing much older versions of Maya and I can't seem to find this option within Maya 2008.

Has it been eliminated? has it been moved? renamed? Has anyone here ever done anything like this before? I look forward to hearing what you guys think.

2

Window->Animation Editors->Device Editor

3

I guess this is the problem right here...

Window>Animation Editors>Device Editor ... is simply not here

I've got Window>Animation Editors> Graph Editor, Trax Editor, Dope Sheet, Blend Shape, and Expression Editor... no device editor.

4

Humm... what operating sytem and what maya version?

5

I am currently using 2008 for Mac, at the office, but I have a home version for PC, I could not find it on either of them.

6

QUOTE(CF2_aga @ 05/18/09, 12:30 AM) [snapback]307889[/snapback]
I am currently using 2008 for Mac, at the office, but I have a home version for PC, I could not find it on either of them.

Yes yes but WHAT VERSION of maya, complete or unlimitted.

theres a alternative path to this its Panels -> Panel -> Devices

try running:

CODE
findMenuItem;
searchAllMenus("device");

It is also possible somebody removed it form your maya menus on purpose. So try:
CODE
DeviceEditor;

7

Okay, I was able to find the device editor on my home system... The next trick might be a little more difficult though. I'm going to try and do a little more research into it, but your input would be greatly appreciated.

I've heard that a simple, almost generic joystick would work, but my joystick is a little more advanced. It's a Saitek X45 flight stick. with a seperate throttle, and over 20 buttons. I'd really like to use this as an input device, but the device editor currently doesn't recognize it. It just lists my Mouse and pen tablet.

My ultimate short term goal here is to be able to use the joystick to control the animation of a plane or starship. I'm toying with the idea of linking it to dynamic properties, but I'll settle for just getting it to work anyway I can.

8

Okay, got it working... sort of..

I've got the the X axis of the joystick controling the Left and Right movement of my object. The Y axis controling the Pitch, and the R axis cotroling the Yaw...

That all works great. My current dilema is the Thrust Control. I've got thrust linked to Translate Z. This would be perfect if Z translated on the local level, unfortunately it's only acting on the global level. I've tried changing it's settings in the Move Tool options, with little effect. The axis is displayed as local now, but the movement is still global.

This is similar to a problem I've encountered in dynamics as well. I can't seem to get the X Y and Z impulses to be relative to the orientation of the object... any suggestions?

9

QUOTE
That all works great. My current dilema is the Thrust Control. I've got thrust linked to Translate Z

matrix multiply your traslation matrix swith your thrust vector and add that to the traslate values.

QUOTE(CF2_aga @ 06/08/09, 04:53 AM) [snapback]309077[/snapback]
This is similar to a problem I've encountered in dynamics as well. I can't seem to get the X Y and Z impulses to be relative to the orientation of the object... any suggestions?

Matrix multiply the vector with your matrix.

PS: oh yeah accoriding to the manual mac does indeed NOT have device editor because you can not attach motion controll sto it apparently