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Little boy in little car

Nashville

Anything that fuzzy must be alive

Boy

[haleygd]

Got my new (and first) graphic tablet yesterday! Will definitely take some getting used to, especially the absolute positioning while using the pen. I also need to learn how to program the tablet keys. I am finding I need the tablet more in front of me than on the side as with the mouse. So i am moving the keyboard away and then have to reach to select the tools and modifier keys. But I like it so far and think I will keep it.  LOL

[Hannie]

Congratulations on your new tablet!  You will find programming of the keys to be a breeze.
I absolutely love the little toggle on the pen, I have it set to change the diameter of my brushes (bigger/smaller)
I'm left handed and like Chris I keep the tablet on my left, small keyboard in the middle and mouse on the right, great set up.
I have not found any use for the mouse that comes with the tablet, I wonder if anybody else did?

Hannie

[haleygd]

being right handed I use the tablet mouse for general use just as I would for any time I would normally use the mouse.

[Tori803]

You'll enjoy your tablet after you get used to it. I have the Intuos3 but at the moment the pen won't work. The mouse works and I bought a new pen, but it hasn't helped. Somehow the "tablet panel services" have switched to "stopped" instead of "working" and I haven't figured out how to get them going again. My advice would be, don't turn them off!

[Hannie]

Tori, have you tried deinstalling your tablet (restart computer) and download and install the latest drivers from Wacom?

Hannie

[Tori803]

Hannie,

I installed the current drivers, and have been hunting for my installation disk to try re-installing. I must have put it somewhere safe, if only I could remember where! In the meantime I kept hunting around the control panel and discovered the solution.

I opened the Control Panel, selected "Administrative Tools", then selected "Services", found  "Tablet PC Input Services" in a very long list of services, finally noticed the "Start the service" option in the upper left corner, and chose "Start". Now my pen is back. Yea! I still have no idea how it got turned off. Perhaps it was the cat walking on the keyboard again!

[Hannie]

Tori, great you got your pen to work!  I would never have thought to look in Services, very smart.
Just in case you need the driver, this link will get you to the newest (vista) drivers for your Intuos3.
http://www.wacom.com/productsupport/drivers.cfm?os=Vista&product=PTZ&CFID=696700&CFTOKEN=96826752

I had an issue with my tablet not working correctly and the new driver solved that problem.

Hannie

[schen]

Tori,  don't blame the cat.  I don't have a cat and my PC settings changed on themselves once a while.  That is part of the joy of having the PC.

I am right-handed.  I put the tablet in front of the monitor slightly to the right.  I installed a keyboard/mouse tray under the desk.  I put the mouse on the left and use my left hand for the mouse.  It took me a week to be completely comfortable with left-handed mouse.  Having the mouse on the left eliminates the need to switch between pen and mouse.  Besides, my right shoulder pain from old age was greatly reduced after I switched the mouse to the left.  You might want to give it a try.

[TerryB]

I have not found any use for the mouse that comes with the tablet, I wonder if anybody else did?

Hannie

Just the opposite for me, Hannie, after the first few encounters with the Wacom, I use the mouse almost exclusively; the pen only when I need to draw/clone/heal/dodge/burn/paint a line that I want to vary in width.  Plus, scribbling notes on a blank layer to remind myself of final tweaks.  To my experience, the button on the pen makes for an awkward feel.

I have the mouse wheel scroll programmed to change brush size, the left side button to activate Healing Brush Tool and the right side button to activate the Clone Tool.  The front buttons are set for the standard left- and right-click.

Keyboard is in front of the monitor with my left hand over it for all other shortcuts.
Anyone have suggestions as to what I may be missing or how I can use it more effectively?

Amazing how many different configurations the Wacom Tablet allows.

Gary, regardless of how you ultimately configure it I suspect you'll appreciate the big WOW! factor and time-savings.

[Ausimax]

I use a Manhattan Tablet, not as many bells and whistles as the Wacoms. It has 1024 levels of pressure but no pen tilt feature, that doesn't bother me as I have a low threshold of confusion now, without any more things to worry about!

I use the pen almost exclusively with PS, the mouse doesn't feel right anymore, I still use the mouse for most other computer work and I find the mouse that came with the tablet ideal, the only problem I had was the sound of the mouse sliding on the pad, so I use a piece of stiff cloth between the mouse and the tablet, it also stops your hand sticking to the surface of the tablet on warm days.

I had a bit of trouble getting used of using the button on the pen for right click menus, a bit fumble fingered but I've got the hang of it now. I can't work out now how I ever did restoration work with a mouse!

I don't really make use of the programmable keys round the pad, if I did program them I would never remember which one did what anyway.

All in all I don't think I could live without my tablet now!

Max

[Tori803]

I don't know if it's the same with a Manhattan tablet, but with a Wacom pen you can remove the button on the pen and put a different grip on. It comes in an accessories package.

There are lots of great ideas here. I didn't think to put the mouse on the left, or to program the mouse for use with brushes. I'm becoming fonder of my tablet by the minute!

Tori

[Hannie]

It's great to read  about the different ways people use their tablet/mouse/pen.  I will have to bring down the mouse and give it another chance, some interesting tips on mouse buttons use!

Hannie