Free camera movement

Free camera moves and turns the camera without orbiting a scene pivot. The Python, TypeScript, C#, and C++ demos can demonstrate both behaviors with the same Navigation adapter. Rotatrix computes the movement; the application still answers fact queries and applies camera.pose through its existing NavigationSession.

One profile, two camera modes

All four viewers always publish demo-3d-services. F adds or removes navigation.hint.free_camera, selecting a camera branch inside that same shared navigation profile (selected by the navigation capability):

Preference	Camera tags
Orbit (initial)	demo-3d-services
Free camera	demo-3d-services, navigation.hint.free_camera

Rotatrix’s default navigation profile handles both camera modes and object edits. The following device controls are customizable Rotatrix mappings; neither the SDK nor the demo defines them. Check Rotatrix for the active bindings. With default controls, Shift translates an object and button 3 toggles world snapping. Camera activation temporarily overrides object input; releasing it resumes the edit with its snap state retained. On macOS, orbit uses Ctrl and free camera uses Cmd.

These tags describe preference and context. The user profile still owns camera mode, constraints, mappings, and speed. No client-side movement math is needed.

def _tags(self):
    camera_tags = ['navigation.hint.free_camera'] if self.app.free_camera else []
    return ['demo-3d-services'] + camera_tags + (['interaction.object.rotate', 'interaction.object.translate'] if self.app.operation else [])

In Python, the application stores free_camera and emits on_navigation_changed when F changes it. The integration routes that event to _metadata_changed, using the same metadata refresh path as focus changes. Each snapshot includes the complete tag set, capabilities, and focus. Reconnection reads the current preference, including changes made while disconnected. Shutdown detaches the callback. See Application context and focus for that lifecycle.

The status line displays the application’s preference. Rotatrix keeps the user’s shared navigation profile selected in both modes; no demo-specific import is needed.

Translation distance

All four demo query adapters supply the same characteristic distance in world units:

if name == 'navigation.translation_scale':
    return 4.0

The C++ demo returns the same four-unit value from its fact callback.

Rotatrix interprets this as four world units per quarter turn of the ball at unit gain in position mode. The demo grid lines are two world units apart, so this spans two visible grid squares. User gain changes the distance; Alt’s rate mode instead continues movement over time. Orbit keeps its pivot/projection-based translation scaling. The value is an application fact answered when requested, not a profile tag or client-side pose multiplier.

Demonstrate it

Run any of the 3D app demos with Rotatrix running, then focus its window. Use perspective projection for a clear travel demonstration (O toggles projection).

1. Start in orbit and navigate around an object. Notice the scene pivot.
2. Release navigation controls, press F, and confirm the free-camera preference in the status line and the matching profile in Rotatrix.
3. Hold Win on Windows, Cmd on macOS, Super on Linux, or button 4. Roll to travel and twist to turn. Move past the objects using the ground grid as a reference for distance.
4. While activated, hold Shift/button 2 to look or Ctrl/button 1 to change height. Add Alt for continuous rate movement; release activation to clear the rates. These are the built-in profile’s controls and can be customized.
5. Release controls and press F again. Orbit resumes from the current camera pose. R resets the scene if you travel out of sight.

The existing mouse navigation remains available. During an edit, the same object rotation, translation, snapping, and accept/cancel controls work in both modes. Hold a camera activation control to navigate, then release it to resume editing.

Verify the integration

Toggle while idle and confirm that demo-3d-services stays present while navigation.hint.free_camera is added or removed. Disconnect, change the preference, then reconnect: the latest tag should be announced. Repeat with an active object edit and confirm its interaction tags survive, and that button 3’s world-snap state survives an F toggle. The camera adapter should continue applying server poses without any branch on free-camera mode. Use D for Navigation diagnostics.

All four viewers implement this toggle with the same profile tags. TypeScript refreshes metadata on its navigation event; C# uses NavigationChanged and publishes a fresh metadata snapshot. Both detach their handlers on shutdown.

The C++ demo publishes the same preference from MyOpenAxisIntegration::update after native input. It refreshes the connection manager’s metadata when tags change; the manager reads the current snapshot again on reconnect. Its camera writer has no free-camera-specific branch.