Both Softimage|3D and Softimage|XSI leave the right half of the keyboard mostly unmapped so I can do whatever I want with it. I prefer to keep it in the factory default state as much as possible, so I really don't remap keys anymore.
The only keys I use on a regular basis that are currently inconvenient are X/C/V for transforms and a bit of Z for zoom, but since I use frame, frame all, and zoom so frequently with the SHIFT key, I crawl the keyboard with my fingers to find SHIFT, then feel around for the A, F, or Z key as needed. The main keys for selection and subcomponent selection are centrally located, and many of the other functions mapped to the left side have alternate functions available on the right side even if they aren't exact. For example, right-handers have S to navigate the camera, but I use the old school O and P for the same job because they are easier to reach and actually have more function (granularity). The only keys I would typically want to map are those which I use in high frequency such as transform, camera, selection, opening editors, and performing previews. All else I'll just deal with via adjusting my workflow such as paying attention to order of operations to make use of MMB on a menu to repeat last function used in that menu. The only keys I used to map were preview (J), material editor (M) and deselect all (N), and custom tools I had written myself. If I needed variations of those functions, I'd include spacebar or shift. For example, spacebar was select, so spacebar + N is deselect (using filter in XSI). J is preview all, spacebar + J is preview selected. Not only practical, but mnemonic as well. For cases where remapping was necessary, Softimage|3D was more friendly than XSI as I could use the spacebar as a combo key making it possible for me to remap any function and keep it central to the keyboard and minimize physical distance. This improves workflow efficiency because the spacebar is so large I could keep my thumb glued to it while sliding my hand left or right to find the rest of the keys in the combo. This greatly reduced physical strain by preventing situations where I'd have to contort my wrists to reach waaaaaay across the keyboard to perform a key combo, and allows me to keep my eyes on the monitor and walk the keys with my fingers. One of the very first gripes I had with, then Sumatra, was the abolishment of spacebar as a combo key. I stopped mapping keys after that because using ALT, CTRL, or SHIFT didn't really make any difference as using any of them resulted in contorted wrists, or situations where it was more difficult to find the remapped keys than using the factory defaults as is. In Maya, it's a completely different ballgame. Words cannot describe how much I hate the use of the keyboard. It seems heavily biased towards right-handed users and focused on putting common functions in the corners instead of the middle. The functions most easily accessed are to get around stupid workflow concepts instead of doing it right. For example, making spacebar for minimizing/maximizing viewport size. There are many other tasks (as listed above) that have much higher priority in workflow than minimizing/maximizing a viewport, so why give it the biggest and most easily accessible key on the keyboard? What a waste!!! When using Maya, I found myself taking my eyes off the screen very frequently, and spending much more physical effort to find and execute commands. The hotbox, or whatever they call it, kills my wrists. At first I thought it was a case of conditioning the muscles to get used to doing those types of actions, but the situation never improved even after several weeks. If I had to come up with propaganda to feed to rival developers to throw them off course and tank their own product, Maya would be the blueprint I'd give them. Matt From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Raffaele Fragapane Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2014 4:24 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Autodesk webinar Moving the keyboard to the right sorts the same effect, though you don't get to choose the spacing and rearrange the arc. Neither goes any length to addressing the fact that if you frequently both write and interact (something Matt does, I'm sure) it's not a viable solution. You need your keyboard mostly centered and your wrists more or less spaced a certain way. If you're a lefty it's not possible, currently. Does XSI fare any better for lefties? I wouldn't know, I'm properly handed :p On Thu, Mar 20, 2014 at 10:19 AM, Eric Turman <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: I just use this (http://ergodex.com/mainpage.htm) with 50 keys and call it a day :P that way I don't have to deal with remapping the applications because the device switches its keyboard mapping based on which application is active. -- Our users will know fear and cower before our software! Ship it! Ship it and let them flee like the dogs they are!
