I had a logitech trackball i got for christmas in 2000. Back when many/most/all? mice were still using balls on the base instead of direct lasers.
I don’t remember why but the trackball ended up sold at a garage sale and I went back to the standard mouse. But I wasn’t doing any CAD at all. So I’m really interested in trying one again.
What’s been your experience? Can a good mouse make a difference in sketching? My current mouse is a very entry level microsoft 4000 wireless. But it serves quite well. It would be cool to try a better, maybe higher accuracy mouse.
Laser vs LED? What is the difference? Is my microsoft mouse laser or LED? LED is claimed to be more accurate for cad. Any inexpensive 50 to 75 dollar recommendations?
I think I’d like the middle track ball rather than the thumb. The muscle memory from using a standard mouse would probably make the transition much more intuitive. And yes, i do realize the laser vs LED question only applies to standard moveable mice. The stationary trackball just uses a laser tracking the ball…i think.
It’s my understanding that most prefer a mouse, however I use the Logitech M570 and love it. It takes up less real-estate on the desk and is easier on the wrist. I did 3D print a “wedge base” for it so it sits at about a 10 degree angle, a bit more ergonomic.Track-Ball-Stand.skp (400.6 KB)
I have been using the Logitech M570 for a while now and I wouldn’t change it. I used to get mild RSI with a standard mouse. I find using the trackball with my thumb really easy leaving the index finger free to use the scroll wheel. But the other big advantage of this mouse is that it has two programmable buttons on top which I have mapped to double and triple clicking, something you have to do repeatedly in SU.
My only criticism doesn’t apply to me - there is no left handed version!
I’m left handed and don’t have a problem with the M570, Space and Esc sound like a good option for the buttons.
What finger do you use on the M570 trackball? I didn’t think it would work for lefties because I find my thumb is FAR more dextrous for fine trackball movements than any other finger. And since my RIGHT thumb is on the left, it’s seems natural for the trackball. But for a leftie? The LEFT thumb is on the right - opposite the trackball on the M570!
OK. Just got the Logitech M570 in the mail. Awkward for an hour or so but getting the hang of this so quickly that I will probably not get much use out of the mouse again. I’ll have to see if the combo, as suggested here, will enhance Sketchup.
Clearly I have to relearn some muscle memory. I keep trying to slide the M570. Also, I’l leave it unmodified for a week but eventually I’ll to want disassemble it and attempt to dampen the ball movement with a little felt glued in the right place. The ball is heavy enough to build it’s own
momentum as you roll and extremely sensitive to movement. Enough that it’s difficult to ‘land’ the cursor on a very specific spot or line. If you move the ball with any speed at all and try to land on a spot or line the balls momentum overshoots the mark a tiny bit. The ball rolls with nearly zero drag. With a tiny bit of damping, but still free enough to spin across the page, it would be perfect. In a week I may change my mind a bit, but I still want to attempt it.
Thanks for the advice here. It was the reason why I order it:))
I hope someone here can help. Logitech community forums cannot. Logitech tech support cannot.
How can I assign typical right click functions to the right button? The left click functions like any other mouse I’ve owned. The right click does nothing. Logitech tech support, an agent plus her supervisor, insist that there is no option on this mouse to assign both buttons to separate functions…only to ‘swap’ duties leaving the one or the other entirely functionless.
I am 99.999 percent certain they are mistaken. But I cannot find a way to do it. The Logitech “setpoint” download opens a gui that only seems to confirm what Logitech support tells me. Choosing the “right click” or “left click” options only offers “swap”
If right click does nothing with the 570 and your old mouse works normally, one would come to the conclusion the 570 is defective. Does it work correctly when the logitech software is removed from your computer? Is there any other mouse software on the computer? Sometimes there may be a conflict. Does the 570 work on another computer?
The left and right buttons are standard, they can not be changed other than swapped one for the other (left or right handed) By default, the left button is the main mouse button, and is used for common tasks such as selecting objects and double-clicking . The right mouse button is often used to open contextual menus, which are pop-up menus that change depending where you click. There are however three other buttons on the M570 Trackball that can have different functions or specific keystrokes assigned to them; the Middle Button (or scroll wheel), the Forward Button, and the Back Button. Open Logitech SetPoint settings to “program” the TrackBall
