Maya style navigation in Lightwave

This is just a quick reminder for me but it may be useful for other explorers. If you want to switch between different 3D applications, the hotkeys and the GUI will be the biggest obstacles you'll find. We are supposed to know 3D basic concepts, so we could use different applications for different purposes. For example, Max is very powerful to work on architectural visualization, Lightwave has a terrific, fast rendering engine,a bunch of interesting plugins and so on.

In my humble opinion, Maya style navigation is the best because it's fast, logic, easy to remember. Lightwave shortcut navigation is horrible (ie, the shortcut for the track tool changes if you are using perspective or orthographic views), Max one is uncomfortable.

Anyway, Maya style navigation in Lightwave is possible and the solution comes from the Newtek discussion forums:

http://www.newtek.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56636 

"Download this little app http://www.autohotkey.com, then make a txt file with this script (written by evenflcw) in it:"

#SingleInstance force
SetTitleMatchMode, 2

/*
Lightwave Viewport Navigation - AltPlusMinus!

Alt+LMB - Rotate View (Standard LW combo)
Alt+MMB - Zoom View
Alt+RMB - Pan View
WheelUp - Zoom In
WheelDown - Zoom Out
*/

#IfWinActive LightWave ahk_class WMgrBasic

!RButton:: ;When user presses Alt+MMB,
Send ^!{LButton Down} ;Send 'Ctrl+Alt+LMB pressed'
KeyWait RButton ;Wait until MMB is released
Send ^!{LButton Up} ;Then send 'Ctrl+Alt+LMB released'
return

!MButton::
Send +!{LButton Down}
KeyWait MButton
Send +!{LButton Up}
return

*WheelUp::
Send {.}
return

*WheelDown::
Send {,}
return

#IfWinActive

"and save it with an .ahk extension. Just leave it on your desktop or somewhere handy and double click it when needed." 
If you are on Windows 7, you'll probably need to compile the script (right click on it and Compile) and run it as administrator.
As soon as possible, I'd like to create a script to assign the Maya shortcut navigation to 3Ds max.

Best regards.

Fantastic video by Jon Lambe

Jon Lambe is a 3D animator. He made a "short and nerdy fan film" about Battlestar Galactica. And he used my Cylon Centurion in a short sequence: the automaton appears in the sky from a Cylon mothership.

Earth from jonlambe on Vimeo.


I really like this video, the visual effects (FTL jumps, camera shake...) and the final composite.

Compliments to Jon.

Best regards.