CompuServe Thread

#Wacom Woes

7 messages in this thread
#116700From: Cindy ReedAug 6, 1994 11:11 AM
I just purchased 3D Studio r3 at SIGGRAPH and I'm trying to get it to work with my Wacom UD-1212 tablet. I was wondering if anyone else had similar problems and (hopefully) solved them. I've tried 3 different ADI drivers with no real sucess. The DGPWACOM.EXP driver that comes with 3ds is actually for the SD series tablets and won't even load. I downloaded the DGPWACU.EXP driver from Wacom which is supposed to be for the UD tablets, but all it will do is toggle back and forth between the 3D editor and the 2D shaper with no visible cursor. The SD driver, DGPSD.EXP that came with the tablet, sort of works but it only gives me about a 9 inch square working area that "floats" around as I move the cursor. That's enabled me to play around with 3Ds a bit, but I can't imagine doing any real work that way! I'd sure apprecate any help I can get on this problem. Thanks Cindy Reed
#116742From: John TissavaryAug 6, 1994 3:17 PM
Your best bet is to use the Wacom in mouse emulation mode for 3d studio. ADI drivers are notoriously poor in 3D Studio, even though they're billed to work. Also, make sure you're in "relative" mode, not "absolute" when you do the mouse thing. John Tissavary (LUNA cie, inc)
#116767From: Cindy ReedAug 6, 1994 6:03 PM
Ugh. Mouse mode. I was afraid I might have to do something like that. I'd sure like to be able to use my digitizing tablet to digitize! Thanks! Cindy
#117343From: IgnacioAug 9, 1994 9:41 PM
Cindy, I have an UD 0608R, smaller but the same series than your 1212. May be you'll find the same problem I have when using the Wacom in mouse mode with 3DS. If you set the tablet to non-pressure mode, just approaching the stylus to the tablet is read as a left-click, so you cant control the cursor. If the tablet is in pressure mode (wmouse /p) the cursor works fine, but then the stylus button won't right-click. The only way I've found to make the mouse mode work properly is running WTEST.EXE and making a pressure mode test (F1) after loading WMOUSE and before entering in 3DS. WTEST was supplied with my UD0608, maybe you have something very similar. This operation takes about 15 seconds and requires your attention, (WTEST needs you to press some keys and use the stylus), but I think it worths the time, it's much more precise (an old or dirty mouse can make a 3D session a nightmare). If you find no problems (I hope so) with Wmouse, please let me know. Perhaps I've done something wrong installing my drivers, but believe me, I've tried _everything_. If you have problems, I hope this helps you. Bye!
#117604From: Cindy ReedAug 10, 1994 6:54 PM
Actually, I'd really like to avoid mouse emulation altogether if I can help it. I'd like to be able to use my tablet to digitize logos and stuff. I know ADI drivers are a problem, but there really ought to be a solution to this problem. I called the Wacom bbs and noticed that other people are having the same problems so I'm hopeful that somebody is working on it. I'll let you know if I find anything out. Cindy
#117630From: IgnacioAug 10, 1994 8:59 PM
Of course, I'd love to use the Wacom as tablet with 3DS too. But it's not possible today and while someone fix those ADI drivers. But IMO, Wmouse is much better than the mouse, so I'm using it. You can digitize your logo with any paint program and then draw splines over the resulting image using the See Background option in the 2D Shaper. An advice: Start drawing with the default viewport size, as it is when you enter in 3DS, and first of all, save the view. This way you can always recall the view you used. Nice day!
#117690From: John TissavaryAug 11, 1994 1:51 AM
If you want to digitize logos your best bet is really to use a package other than 3DS (Corel Draw!, AutoCad, etc…) for the 2d part of the process, or you can use a "proxy" image projected to the b.g. of the shaper and manually trace right inside 3ds. I have used tablet mode successfully with R2, and found it highly annoying and not as good as relative mouse mode anyway. Mainly because one has to do so many arm gymnastics to work quickly between all the modules and user windows. John Tissavary (LUNA cie, inc)