[rescue] IRIX: SpaceMouse, SpaceBall, Tablet & Co.

[Joshua Boyd]

On Thu, Mar 18, 2004 at 07:56:30PM +0100, Jochen Kunz wrote:

> I have an old SGI dial box and will get a button box soon. It would be
> nice to get a tablet and a SpaceMouse / SpaceBall to. But input(7) is
> not very helpful about the particular models that are supported. Google
> was not very helpfull either.

Spaceballs 2003 and 3003s should both work.  I don't know about the
4000s, and I doubt the 5000s work.

Lots of companies rebadged the 2003s and 3003s, like Compaq, HP, IBM,
etc.  My understanding is that if it looks like a 2003 or 3003, then it
should be compatible with a 2003 or 3003, reguardless of the name and
part number on it.  For instance, an HP A4360 is just a rebadged 2003,
etc. 

The IBM model you mentioned is I think a 4000, and I don't know if they
work on Irix.  Probably, but I wouldn't want to spend the money to be
wrong. 
 
> There are lots of Wacom tablets on epay and a web site [1] gives some
> hints on Wacom tablets. But "not an Intuos or Graphire" isn't very
> enlightening. What about Calcomp? Any particular knowen to work models?

> [1] http://www.rootprompt.de/wacom_irix/

As the name of the site indicates, it is about wacom tablets.  Don't
bother trying to use any other sort of tablet.  

Basically, any vaguely modern serial wacom should work. I recommend
something like an Artz II 6x8 (part number UD-0608, I think) as being
best bang for buck, but anything from that line should work fine.

The Artpads are usually small, but they should work fine as well.

I thought that it was just the Intuos2s and Graphires that didn't work,
but to be on the safe side, don't go for an Intuos.
 
> What software can make use of this devices? It would be nice to use the
> tablet as mouse replacement. Visitors will be able to use the SpaceMouse
> / SpaceBall to get the "feel" of this device. So somthing simple like
> powerflip would be sufficient.

The Gimp could be nice for people to play with the pen.  Thing is, I've
heard complaints about the gimp not supporting presure sensitivity on
Irix for some reason.

I don't know what to recommend for the space ball off the top of my
head.  Perhaps VTK would support them?  Perhaps you have a copy of Iris
Explorer, and perhaps it supports them?  I don't know.