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mouse buttons?

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 1:26 pm
by nvrBungeeJumped
What is the best way to configure mouse buttons in Linux mint?

I am using an Evoluent VerticalMouse 4, which has a bunch of nice buttons I'de like to take advantage of. Unfortunately evoulant does not have a linux driver, they've only just got a macintosh drive out.

What other options are there for configuring these buttons. I mostly want to set one to close a window and two others to cycle through google chrome tabs. Can I do this with keyboard shortcuts? Instead of a keyboard command, just map that action to a mouse button?

Re: mouse buttons?

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 2:28 pm
by Thubo
You can use xbindkeys, xvkbd and xautomation to bind nearly any command or key-combo to one or your mouse buttons. I use it with my Logitech Performance MX and it works without any problems, although the configuration is not as easy as with a nice driver on windows...

Re: mouse buttons?

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 12:09 am
by nvrBungeeJumped
what ever works...

I'll give it a try. Which one works the best for you/currently using or like the most?

Re: mouse buttons?

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 3:39 am
by Thubo
You need all three tools ;)

xbindkeys reads a configuration in /home/<user>/.xbindkeysrc which holds for example information like this:

Code: Select all

#Mouse10 => Mouse2
  "xte 'mouseclick 2' "
   b:10 + Release
This one binds the mouse button 10 (The window switcher button on my mouse) to produce the same action as if I clicked the middle key of my mouse (mouse-copy). xvkbd and xautomation kind of "perform" the actions you bind with xbindkeys. You could also bind any key-combination like alt+tab or whatever you like to this mouse button. You can also bind keyboard shotcuts or extra buttons on you keyboard...for example:

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#\
"xvkbd -xsendevent -text '\[backslash]'"
    m:0xc + c:20
    Control+Alt + ssharp
creates a backslash if you press the left ctr+alt and backslash (you need it if you type with the 10-finger-system).
To find out which signal your mouse initially sends when clicking a button you can use

Code: Select all

xev |grep button 
The exact synthax for the .xbindkeysrc file is a little tricky, google holds a lot of examples ;)
Cheers,
Thubo

PS. If you changed your .xbindkeysrc and what to test it without restarting just do:

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sudo killall xbindkeys
xbindkeys -f /home/<user>/.xbindkeysrc

Re: mouse buttons?

Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 9:02 pm
by nvrBungeeJumped
Okay, cool! I'll give it a try this weekend when I have sometime off school and let you know how it goes.