The way I get around that in SketchUp is to left mouse drag while holding control and command, for orbit, and also shift for pan
IMHO, there are some issues with the shortcuts.
First, the “Control + Command + Shift + Click & Drag” shortcut is not ergonomic and is difficult to use, as it requires holding three modifier keys at once. From my experience, navigation tools (orbit, pan, and zoom) are among the most frequently used, so their shortcuts should be as easy to use as possible. For such frequently used shortcuts, a maximum of two modifier keys should be required.
Second, there doesn’t seem to be a shortcut for zooming.
Navigation Control
Shortcut
Evaluation
Orbit
Command + Control + Click&Drag
OK
Pan
Command + Control + Shift + Click&Drag
too difficult to use, not ergonomic
Zoom
doesn’t exist
I’d like to request the implementation of better navigation shortcuts.
Navigation Control
Shortcut
Evaluation
Orbit
Command + Control + Click&Drag
OK
Pan
Command + Shift + Click&Drag
OK
Zoom
Command + Option + Click&Drag
OK
This way, there will be shortcuts for all three essential navigation operations, using no more than two modifier keys to ensure ease of use. They will provide convenient 3D navigation with any pointing device, such as a digital pen, a mouse (with or without a middle button), a trackball, etc.
Please clarify how these would differ from the existing shortcut targets Camera/Orbit, Camera/Pan, and Camera/Zoom, which can be assigned whatever shortcut keys the user chooses?
One way I can imagine is that those commands activate the associated Tool, which must then be cancelled with esc to return to whatever it suspended (unlike when using a 3-button mouse or touchpad, where releasing the button (or keys) does the return). But it does seem like a simple ‘H’ (default for pan) is easier than any multi-key chord.
Command-shift-key is used by macOS for various things. Command-shift-5 for screen recording for example. I suspect that control is needed to make it easier for SketchUp to intercept.
The key presses can be done in easier ways, like the way I use them. I would do this:
control-command-click and drag
let go of the two keys
tap shift to go in and out of pan
I’m ok even with control-shift-command-click and drag, release the three keys, but then I’m right handed. It would be harder if you’re left handed.
These shortcut keys are to give you the temporary orbit and pan that you get with a multi-button mouse. Very handy even for mouse users when in a narrow seat on a plane.
Would it be possible to at least add the missing temporary shortcut for zooming? Any shortcut. For example, something like ‘Ctrl + Command + Option + Click & Drag’.
Alternatively, could you implement a feature similar to Photoshop’s, where you can temporarily activate a tool by holding down its assigned key?
For example:
Press and release ‘Z’ to permanently activate the Zoom tool.
Press and hold ‘Z’ to temporarily activate the Zoom tool while the key is held. Once released, the previous tool is reactivated.
@colin
I didn’t understand your answer.
A trackpad isn’t a keyboard. That is inconsistent. I don’t have a trackpad on my desktop computer; I use a drawing tablet with a pen and a keyboard.
3D Navigation Control
Shortcut
Orbit
Command + Control + Click&Drag
Pan
Command + Control + Shift + Click&Drag
Zoom
???
So, is it possible to implement a keyboard shortcut for temporary zooming, similar to the ones for orbiting and panning?
I hadn’t realized you were talking about a stylus, and not a trackpad. What I usually talk about is how I manage to use SketchUp only using a trackpad. With that I don’t need a keyboard shortcut to temporarily give me zoom.
The request was for a temporary zoom. That is, when you stop pressing a key you are back in the middle of another tool operation. Much like happens when using middle mouse button to orbit.
@colin
I’m talking not only about a drawing tablet, but about any pointing device – whether it’s a mouse (with or without a middle click, like the Magic Mouse), a drawing tablet with a pen, etc. All pointing devices have one thing in common: they click (or tap). So, if there were a set of modifier key shortcuts for quick navigation (orbiting, panning, and zooming), it would be possible to use them in conjunction with any pointing device (especially with a drawing tablet).
There’s only one shortcut missing: a shortcut for temporary zoom.
By the way, regarding the Zoom tool (the permanent one), it currently seems to work counterintuitively. When you select the Zoom tool by pressing the Z key or clicking its icon in the Large Tool Set, you have to click and move the mouse or drawing pen away from yourself to bring 3D objects closer , and click and move it toward yourself to push objects further away .
There’s a setting for the scroll wheel to invert it.
The first change I make every time I install SketchUp is go in and check the Invert box, so that mousewheel-like scrolling does ‘natural’ scrolling, and pushes things away from you.
Both mousewheel and zoom are moving the camera. When mouse wheeling you’re not really aware that you are modifying the camera, you think you are moving yourself through the scene. It’s disturbing if you try to push the scene away from you and it comes forward.
With the zoom tool, it’s more directly controlling the camera, and so I cope with the way that it works.
Blender has an option to emulate a 3-button mouse, allowing users to work with a drawing tablet and pen or a mouse without a middle button (such as the Magic Mouse). When this option is enabled, a modifier key (like Alt/Option or Command/Windows) can be used to temporarily activate orbiting, panning, and zooming. It works as follows:
Navigation Tool
Shortcut
Orbit
Opt/Cmd + Click&Drag
Pan
Opt/Cmd + Shift + Click&Drag
Zoom
Opt/Cmd + Ctrl + Click&Drag
I think SketchUp should add a similar feature to support any pointing device, including drawing tablets with a pen.
