When to use this skill
ALWAYS use this skill when the user mentions:
- Orbiting/panning/dolly around a target, inertia/damping, min/max distance/polar angles
- Map-like pan (MapControls) or flying (FlyControls)
- Transform gizmo translate/rotate/scale with
TransformControls - Dragging objects in plane (DragControls), pointer lock FPS (PointerLockControls)
IMPORTANT: controls vs webxr
| Context | Skill |
|---|---|
| Desktop/browser camera nav | threejs-controls |
| XR controller poses | threejs-webxr |
Trigger phrases include:
- "OrbitControls", "TransformControls", "MapControls", "PointerLockControls"
- "Orbit", "TransformControls", "Roaming"
How to use this skill
- Import from addons path (threejs-dev-setup).
- Construct with
(camera, domElement); forTransformControlsalso attach to renderer events. - Animation loop: when
enableDamping, callcontrols.update()each frame. - TransformControls: wire
dragging-changedto disable Orbit temporarily; sync with selection from threejs-objects. - Constraints: set min/max distance/angles to avoid flipping or underground views.
- Dispose:
controls.dispose()when tearing down.
See examples/workflow-orbit-damping.md.
Doc map (official)
| Docs section | Representative links |
|---|---|
| Controls | https://threejs.org/docs/OrbitControls.html |
| Controls | https://threejs.org/docs/TransformControls.html |
| Controls | https://threejs.org/docs/MapControls.html |
| Controls (index) | https://threejs.org/docs/#Controls |
Scope
- In scope: Official addons controls usage patterns.
- Out of scope: Full physics character motor; mobile gesture frameworks.
Common pitfalls and best practices
- Forgetting
update()with damping enabled causes drift never settling. - TransformControls fighting with Orbit—pause one while using the other.
- Pointer lock requires user gesture and exit handling.
Documentation and version
Controls are under Controls (Addons) in three.js docs. API details (enableDamping, events) evolve—link OrbitControls / TransformControls pages for the user’s three.js version.
Agent response checklist
When answering under this skill, prefer responses that:
- Link the specific controls class from the docs.
- State
controls.update()when damping is on, every frame. - Coordinate
TransformControlswith selection / threejs-objects raycasting. - Separate desktop navigation from threejs-webxr locomotion.
- Call
dispose()on controls when unmounting canvas.
References
- https://threejs.org/docs/#Controls
- https://threejs.org/docs/OrbitControls.html
- https://threejs.org/docs/TransformControls.html
Keywords
English: orbitcontrols, transformcontrols, mapcontrols, damping, camera controls, three.js
Chinese: OrbitControls, Orbit, TransformControls, TransformControls, Damping, three.js