1. A method for mechanically communicating, from a user to a laser tracker, a command to control operation of the laser tracker with steps comprising: providing the laser tracker with a first angular encoder; providing a rule of correspondence between each of a plurality of commands and each of a plurality of rotational patterns of a portion of a tracker structure; selecting by the user a first command from among the plurality of commands; rotating by the user, between a first time and a second time, the portion of the laser tracker structure in a first rotational pattern from among the plurality of rotational patterns, wherein the first rotational pattern corresponds to the first command; obtaining a collection of first angular readings from the first angular encoder, wherein the angular readings are obtained between the first time and the second time; determining the first command based at least in part on processing the first angular readings according to the rule of correspondence; and executing the first command with the laser tracker.