How can I disable mouse drag n drop?

**carloslosgrande** · September 26th, 2008

Hi, got a friend whose machine gets unusable because he is unaware he's dragging and dropping. He drags from the desktop to the panels, from the panels to somewhere? Makes numerous copies filling his desktop and has no idea why.

I want to disable the button drag n drop function.

Basically I'm trying to limit the functionality so that he can't stuff it so easily.

He knows to right click and use the drop down menu.

Any simple method?

Thanks.

**Therion** · September 26th, 2008

I think it might be easier (and wiser) to train him to simply keep his booger-hook off the mouse-button until he's ready to use it.

**carloslosgrande** · September 26th, 2008

I've been trying for 12 months. He doesn't beleive he does it.
Its been difficult to train him to just use 1 firefox instead of 6, 7 or 10.
And backups...ha!

**Therion** · September 26th, 2008

Originally Posted by carloslosgrande

I've been trying for 12 months. He doesn't beleive he does it.

Give up. Seriously, cut your losses and let him figure it out for himself that you're right.
No point in continuing until he does.

**LSmyth** · September 30th, 2008

Hi there,

well have to say, it annoys me too, and wish I could swtich it off entirely.

So I presume then the case, is that you CANNOT switch it off?

if thats the case, then not a very configurable option then.

**LSmyth** · September 30th, 2008

Oh FYI, am using a touchPad not a mouse. just in case your thinking I am incapable of lifting my finger from the mouse button.

And have the touchpad click option on it

**carloslosgrande** · September 30th, 2008

It is configurable, I just don't know yet where the right file is.
Still looking.

**oldos2er** · September 30th, 2008

Originally Posted by carloslosgrande

It is configurable, I just don't know yet where the right file is.
Still looking.

You could always uninstall X and leave him in CLI for awhile. I hope you will post a solution here if you find one.

**carloslosgrande** · October 1st, 2008

He wouldn't/can't/won't learn anything from cli.

Anyway, here is a sort of fix;
in Applications>system tools>configuration editor>desktop>gnome>peripherals>mouse I changed the drag threshhold to 1600
This means I'd have to drag it off the screen before it moved, whatever 'it' happened to be.
If you don't have configuration editor enabled its in System>preferences>main menu.

This isn't the fix I was looking for but it'll do for him.

thanks to wrgb2 for the info