http://developer.x-plane.com/2012/04/manipulators-and-the-scroll-wheel/#comments



^ wait...what?

Sorry, but this has been working great for years in the MSFS series. It's not perfect, but it's way better than 'rubber banding' your autopilot settings. They're literally trying to re-invent the wheel here. I suspect they can't pull of the scroll-speed-scaling (ie. i turn the scroll wheel faster, it moves in higher increments,turn slower and it becomes more precise), otherwise this would be an option for the user, rather than a bone-headed enforced decision by the developers.

Now more than ever, the series must make >every< effort to make the transition from FSX to XPX an easy one. XPX will only succeed in laying the MFS series to rest if it can get out of it's own way.

what about click (hold) and drag?

The only reason I'm opposed to this is that you can sometimes be at the limit of your screen and drag off the monitor. Also..when you release you have to head back over to the instrument for further fine tuning or changing another setting.

I think the mousewheel is a pretty good system in MSFS.. I'm not a big fan of the manipulator system in X-Plane..

No reason that the screen frame limit has to prevent you from continuing to command a knob turn. The mouse can still give the input "more left" even if the cursor is pegged on the left edge.

Also the cursor shouldn't move on click-n-drag motions. When you click-n-hold the cursor is frozen to that position and the mouse input is applied to the knob directly.

Id rather they not use the mouse wheel for anything other than Knob turning. I think it works great in FSX and if they want to attract people to try XP, then they should change it. the current system is clunky to use.

Rob

Hate it! Making small change with it is a nightmare. IRIS C-27 use this methode for its A/P knobs, the reason why I never bother flying it on autopilot. Scroll is also no good in FS9 VC, since it will also zoom the view. "Left side click to reduce value - right side click to increase" is the best option for me. It works everytime, everywhere.

Or be at the end of the mouse pad Mouse wheel works great for me, hold left/right button is a second. Click and drag I find very uncomfortable.

...and it sucks big time on ALT, HDG or SPD knobs. I am much quicker with the mouse wheel than pinning down or, worse, endlessly mashing the left or right button.

On knobs with less than, say ten possible positions (ex. autobrake) it's a viable option though.


Click and drag should only be used for elements of secondary or tertiary importance, like cockpit windows or similar, as it's highly view-angle dependant.


And as for camera manipulation, the "ALT+[Mouse]" combo suggested in the first commentary is just fine.

who uses a mouse pad anymore? and why?
Optical mice don't need 'em.

LOL..I do still use one. My desk has a keyboard tray with holes in it and I do <heart> my gel wrist pad...