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Ferk
May 3rd, 2009, 02:23 PM
I've noticed that since 9.04 the behavior of the touchpad has changed (you can scroll by using 2 fingers dragging) but I find it quite annoying that performing middle clicks by tapping 2 fingers (like it was done before) is very hard, to the point of being frustrating to use it and turning this feature useless.

żIs there some way to fix the middle click or turn back to the old behavior?

I don't really care for the scrolling with 2 fingers, it might be good when I get accustomed to it, but I used a lot the 2 finger tapping middle click and it's uncomfortable to use the touchpad now without it.

Thanks

compholio
June 29th, 2009, 04:25 PM
I've noticed that in 9.04 the behavior of the touchpad has changed (now you can scroll by using 2 fingers dragging) but I find quite annoying that performing middle clicks by tapping 2 fingers (like it was done before) is very hard, to the point of being frustrating to use it and turning this feature useless.
...

Did you ever figure out a way to change this behavior?

BrendanM
November 4th, 2009, 08:50 PM
Hey, I just upgraded from 8.04 to 9.10, and I'm seeing the same thing. I'd like to have two-finger tap do the middle click.

Does anyone know how/where I can configure this behavior?

lswb
November 4th, 2009, 09:41 PM
Check out "man synaptics" from a terminal. (Note the ending 'S' on synaptics!) it will explain how to add a Section "InputDevice" to /etc/X11/xorg.conf to control various touchpad settings. I know that 9.04 and 9.10 may not necessarily have an existing /etc/X11/xorg.conf but you can add one if necessary with only the InputDevice section and it should be used.

FYI this file must be edited (or created) as root.

AmericanYellow
November 5th, 2009, 08:30 AM
I am looking to a solution to revert back to the 2 finger middle click.

Apparently, 2 finger and 3 finger tap functions has been reversed with 2 fingers giving a right click and 3 giving a middle click. I can understand that the the right click is used more often and thus 2 fingers would be much more appropriate for the commonly used button, but many of us are use to 2 fingers as middle click and especially with cube rotation in Compiz using middle click the 3 fingers just doesn't work.

etherjackolope
November 17th, 2009, 04:26 AM
I would like to know how to achieve this as well. I got very accustomed to using the two finger method of opening links in new tabs in Firefox, and would like to keep this setting.

nimajiman
November 17th, 2009, 12:13 PM
Me too - 2 finger tap in 9.04 was a middle click, and 3 fingers was right click, however this is reversed for me now in 9.10.

I used middle click all the time while browsing and tapping three fingers is just too painful. I would much prefer my 2 finger middle-click tap back!

Has anyone solved this yet? I read above it might mean editing the X11.conf but not sure what to put in it.

r4space
November 27th, 2009, 08:39 AM
wrong thread, apologies!

pastir
November 28th, 2009, 12:16 AM
I am looking to a solution to revert back to the 2 finger middle click.

Apparently, 2 finger and 3 finger tap functions has been reversed with 2 fingers giving a right click and 3 giving a middle click. I can understand that the the right click is used more often and thus 2 fingers would be much more appropriate for the commonly used button, but many of us are use to 2 fingers as middle click and especially with cube rotation in Compiz using middle click the 3 fingers just doesn't work.


I agree, it would be nice if there was an option to let us change it to the way we wanted. I only use tapping for the middle click.

bornagainpenguin
December 1st, 2009, 10:50 PM
/BUMPing this because I too want to know...

--bornagainpenguin

jensbo
January 7th, 2010, 02:27 AM
My work around:
the commands


synclient TapButton2=2
synclient TapButton3=3
do the trick.

EDIT:

so you might want to add it to /etc/rc.local to run it on start up.

JustinForce
January 16th, 2010, 10:18 PM
My work around:
the commands


synclient TapButton2=2
synclient TapButton3=3
do the trick.

EDIT:

so you might want to add it to /etc/rc.local to run it on start up.

This worked for me. Thanks, jensbo!

last1
January 25th, 2010, 12:04 PM
That's not a permanent fix, you have to run it every time you reboot and according to the bug report, sometimes it'll revert to the other way even if you haven't rebooted. It's a shame there's not a real fix.

pi/roman
January 25th, 2010, 03:12 PM
You can enable it from your HAL configuration file.

to find the file:
sudo find / -name 11-x11-synaptics.fdi

then edit it with gedit or kate or another text editor and make sure to include the lines:
<merge key="input.x11_options.SHMConfig" type="string">true</merge>
<merge key="input.x11_options.TapButton2" type="string">2</merge>
<merge key="input.x11_options.TapButton3" type="string">3</merge>

grandsatrap
March 26th, 2010, 02:58 AM
You can enable it from your HAL configuration file.

to find the file:
sudo find / -name 11-x11-synaptics.fdi

then edit it with gedit or kate or another text editor and make sure to include the lines:
<merge key="input.x11_options.SHMConfig" type="string">true</merge>
<merge key="input.x11_options.TapButton2" type="string">2</merge>
<merge key="input.x11_options.TapButton3" type="string">3</merge>

Thanks. Do you know if this works on Dell laptops? (Inspiron 1501). Other things don't work - like getting a program to control the fans.

Also, what you do you have to do to make these lines take effect? Do I have to recompile something or are they just read in when the computer boots?

Finally: Does "TapButton2" = 2 mean that I tap the touchpad twice and it acts like a right click and then I tap the touchpad 3 times to act like a middle button click? Oh - wait -- I think I read somewhere that it means I put 3 fingers on the touchpad and click all 3 fingers - weird. This definitely doesn't work on my laptop.

I am trying to see if there is a key combination that will emulate Button3 click, but I can't find one. Do you know what I can do to start the Desktop Compiz Cube? I think it only works if you click the middle mouse button (which I dont' have).

Thanks for any help and time you put into this.

Bkkkk
May 11th, 2010, 02:56 AM
This really should be available as an option in the GUI. Thanks guys.

Kremlin
May 6th, 2011, 01:55 PM
This issue still affects 11.04 (Natty) as well - while running the synclient commands in the terminal will change the behaviour of two and three finger clicks, it will reset to default whenever the laptop is awoken from sleep mode or restarted.

A more permanent solution is definitely desired.

deadvirus
June 5th, 2011, 11:16 PM
Still no permanent fix?

John Belmonte
June 24th, 2011, 02:49 AM
The official solution is coming in gnome 3.0-- there will be a way to hook into the event for input device detection and reliably apply your configuration changes. See https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=635486.

SabreWolfy
July 19th, 2011, 09:05 AM
FWIW: Using 10.04 on an Acer AspireOne netbook. 'man synaptics' indicates that clicking the left and right buttons together (my touchpad has buttons) generates a middle-click. Works for me.