Mouse Configuration

Peter_Ziegler · 2014-04-14 11:25:28

Hello,

I use an Evoluent VerticalMouse 3 with Xfce. This mouse has 5 buttons (incl. wheel button) and I want to configure/programm these buttons. How can I do this?

Greetz
Peter

ToZ · 2014-04-14 14:46:22

Does this help?

Peter_Ziegler · 2014-04-14 15:21:28

Hi ToZ,

thanks for the link. With the command xinput I can find out the physical in my case "1 2 2 4 5 6 7 3 8 10 11 12 13". But how can I change the function of a button? Where is the functionality defined?

ToZ · 2014-04-14 17:43:00

What do you mean "change a function of a button"? What functions do you want to change/use?

xbindkeys and here allows you to launch applications by mapping them to certain keys/mouse buttons.

Peter_Ziegler · 2014-04-14 20:29:12

My mouse has 5 buttons and I want the following functions of the buttons for exampel: button 1: back (in browser or file manager....), button 2: left click, button 3 (wheel button): menu shall appear, button 4: forward, button 5: start an application. Where is defined which function is available and which function is bound to which button?

ToZ · 2014-04-14 22:57:53

This isn't really and Xfce question, but if my understanding of the information presented in those links above is correct (sorry but I don't have any specialty mice to try this with), that particular mouse has the following buttons (and the button ids that are used):

Thumb button 	        9
Index finger button 	1
Middle finger button 	8
Ring finger button 	       3
Wheel button 	        2
Wheel up 	               4
Wheel down 	        5

These are the following actions that can be assigned to those buttons:

1 	Left click
2 	Middle click
3 	Right click
4 	Wheel up
5 	Wheel down
6 	Wheel left
7 	Wheel right
8 	Thumb1
9 	Thumb2
10 	ExtBt7
11 	ExtBt8

Your mouse us currently set as:

"1 2 2 4 5 6 7 3 8 10 11 12 13"

...meaning:
- button 1 (index finger button) emits "1" - left click
- button 2 (wheel button) emits "2" - middle click
- button 3 (ring finger button) emits "2" - middle click
- button 4 (wheel up) emits "4" - wheel up
- button 5 (wheel down) emits "5" - wheel down
- button 8 (middle finger button) emits "3" - right click
- button 9 (thumb button) emits "8" - thumb1
(the other codes are not used).

To change this, you first need the ID (from the previous step) of your mouse that you can get from:

xinput list | grep -i Evoluent

Armed with this information, you can remap these functions via:

xinput --set-button-map 10 1 3 0 4 5 0 0 0 2 0 0

...where the first number (10) is the device ID and the numbers following are those mappings that you want. I'd provide you with the values, but I think that what you are calling "button 1" is not button 1 (thumb button?). Double-check against the list above.

If the above command works, you can make these mappings permanent via a /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/90-evoluent.conf file file as detailed in the first link.

---

You also make mention that 2 of the buttons you want programs to start. "back in browser" and "start an application". This is where xbindkeys would come in handy. First install xbindkeys then generate a config file via:

xbindkeys --defaults > /home/toz/.xbindkeysrc

Then, edit that file and add to the bottom of it (assuming you want to start thunar with the thumb button):

"thunar"
     b:9

...save the file. Fire up xbindkeys:

xbindkeys

...and test. To make xbindkeys permanent, add it to your startup applications.

Peter_Ziegler · 2014-04-15 14:04:23

Hey ToZ,

thank you very much for all these infos. I will try it out. Maybe I can configure my mouse as I want.

Xfce Forum

Sub domains

#1 2014-04-14 11:25:28

Mouse Configuration

#2 2014-04-14 14:46:22

Re: Mouse Configuration

#3 2014-04-14 15:21:28

Re: Mouse Configuration

#4 2014-04-14 17:43:00

Re: Mouse Configuration

#5 2014-04-14 20:29:12

Re: Mouse Configuration

#6 2014-04-14 22:57:53

Re: Mouse Configuration

#7 2014-04-15 14:04:23

Re: Mouse Configuration

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