I think I've been doing too much 3D CAD lately

I have a dual monitor setup and have been spending a lot of time doing 3D CAD in AutoCAD 2011. After a couple of hours of working on a project that has a lot of small pieces which must fit together precisely, I switched over to a web browser window and found myself trying to grab and rotate the view of the window, as if it had a "back side". For those who've used AutoCAD, it's when you're holding down shift and the mousewheel at the same time to rotate your view… I'm accustomed to holding down the mousewheel for scrolling up/down pages in browsers and other software, for a minute my brain short circuited because nothing was rotating.

cool story.

blog?

HAhaha I am sure we have all done some thing like it before. May it be switching from CAD to other software like photoshop or just trying to use different key board short cuts in different software.

You do CAD for work or for fun?

For work, right now I'm designing an earthquake rated battery shelf for a 48V system.

I've done the same thing after working on surpac for hours.

I always get screwed by the different location of the cmd button on a mac and the ctrl on a pc.

everybody who does anything in 3D should have one of these babies:

cool story.

600,000!!

that thing looks expensive, how much does it run?

I'm doing OK with my Logitech MX518 "gaming" mouse, it has buttons above and below the scroll wheel to increase or decrease sensitivity. When moving tiny things around at a high zoom factor being able to click the negative sensitivity button is really helpful.

what where you hoping to find on the back side of the browser?

Doing 3d in autcad is like trying to cut a steak with a spoon. You'll get there eventually but it is absouletly the wrong tool.

I'm sure you're stuck with what you have, but if you can get inventor. Its 10x the program for detailed assemblies. Or just draw in 2d if you aren't doing compound mitres fitting components together 3d is a time waster.

But yes I agree more programs need that tactile zoom and rotate function

Gaming mouses are the tits for cad!

that thing looks expensive, how much does it run?

I'm doing OK with my Logitech MX518 "gaming" mouse, it has buttons above and below the scroll wheel to increase or decrease sensitivity. When moving tiny things around at a high zoom factor being able to click the negative sensitivity button is really helpful.

it is expensive, but very, very worth it.
There is a more basic model, which is what I have. only two buttons on it. but all the motion control goodness:

I think it's about 90 bucks

Doing 3d in autcad is like trying to cut a steak with a spoon. You'll get there eventually but it is absouletly the wrong tool.

I'm sure you're stuck with what you have, but if you can get inventor. Its 10x the program for detailed assemblies. Or just draw in 2d if you aren't doing compound mitres fitting components together 3d is a time waster.

But yes I agree more programs need that tactile zoom and rotate function

bah, get Solidworks. Inventor is not as good at sheetmetal(it's catching up), or assemblies. I miss Solidworks.