TrackpuckTools is a Blender add-in that connects HID-based 6DoF input peripheral devices (such as Trackpuck) to Blender, providing fluid control over viewport camera orbit, pan, zoom, and rotation.
m1.mp4
Any HID peripheral that reports 6-axis movement (X, Y, Z translation + RX, RY, RZ rotation) via standard HID reports. The 6 axis values must be reported in the first 6 8-bit signed bytes of the HID report. Default configuration targets the Trackpuck device (ZMK VID 0x1d50, PID 0x615e) with zmk-hid-joystick module.
*Figure 1: Side Panel UI
- Orbital: Rotates camera around a fixed target point. Best for inspecting models from different angles.
- Navigating: Moves the camera directly through 3D space. Best for fly-through navigation.
Translation speed scales dynamically based on camera distance using linear interpolation:
t = (distance - NEAR_DISTANCE) / (FAR_DISTANCE - NEAR_DISTANCE)
sensitivity = NEAR_TRANS_SENSITIVITY + t × (FAR_TRANS_SENSITIVITY - NEAR_TRANS_SENSITIVITY)
Where:
distanceis the current camera distance from targettis the interpolation factor (0 = at near distance, 1 = at far distance)- When inside the near/far range,
tinterpolates linearly between the two sensitivity values - Below
NEAR_DISTANCE, sensitivity stays atNEAR_TRANS_SENSITIVITY - Above
FAR_DISTANCE, sensitivity stays atFAR_TRANS_SENSITIVITY
This ensures smooth, predictable movement whether you're zoomed in for detailed work or zoomed out for an overview—maintaining linear, stable movement speed across varying distances.
The add-in writes debug logs to trackpuck_debug.log in the add-on folder. Enable debug logging in the add-on preferences panel.
The config.json file provides initial default settings. All parameters can be adjusted in real-time via the palette UI. Use the Save Preferences button to persist your settings, and Load Preferences to restore them in future sessions.
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
VENDOR_ID |
HID vendor ID (hex). Change to match your device. | 0x1d50 |
PRODUCT_ID |
HID product ID (hex). Change to match your device. | 0x615e |
MOTION_MODE |
1 = Orbital (moves target point), 2 = Navigating (moves camera directly). |
1 |
NEAR_DISTANCE |
Near distance threshold (cm). | 1.0 |
FAR_DISTANCE |
Far distance threshold (cm). | 100.0 |
NEAR_TRANS_SENSITIVITY |
Translation speed at near distance. Higher = faster movement. | 0.1 |
FAR_TRANS_SENSITIVITY |
Translation speed at far distance. Higher = faster movement. | 1.77 |
ROTATION_SENSITIVITY |
Controls orbit/rotation speed. Higher = faster rotation. | 0.12 |
SCALE_X, SCALE_Y, SCALE_Z |
Translation axis multipliers. Higher = faster. Negative = invert. | 1.0 |
SCALE_RX, SCALE_RY, SCALE_RZ |
Rotation axis multipliers. Higher = faster. Negative = invert. | 1.0 |
- Blender 4.0+
- HID peripheral with 6-axis input
- Internet connection (for first-time library installation)
MIT License