After upgrading from OS11.1 to 11.2 I am annoyed by the fact that no configuration options exist any more to customize for my mouse. This is a 2-button trackball very ergonomic for people. that are prone to have RSI problems like me, a real solution.
Before in 11.1 I could use Yast to set up X that it would emulate a scrollwheel with the right button. Unfortunately now with 11.2 all has to be recognised automatically and they simply threw out the mouse configuration in Yast, leaving us with some useless console mouse configuration. Not every upgrade means an improvement, which seems very much like …
Could somebody help me or give me pointers what is the procedure to recover this emulated scrollwheel functionality? I know it has to do with xorg.conf, but I don’t have that file and without this good start it will be difficult for me to get anywhere. How is this file re-created?
Found the solution myself now. Here you find an excellent explanation of the procedure.
A summary:
- Open a console
- Run
xmodmap -e “pointer = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13”
to reset any mapping that might be active.
- Run
xev
a small X application that shows in the console the X events that take place. One of them is the button number of your mouse. Click the button you want to use for scrolling wheel emulation and remember the button number. For my 2 button marble it was button 3 (the right button) that I wanted.
- run
hal-device|grep info.product
to find out what the name is of your mouse. In my case it was Logitech USB-PS/2 Trackball Copy this name.
- Make a file with this content:
<deviceinfo version=“0.2”>
<device>
<match key=“info.product” string=“Logitech USB-PS/2 Trackball”>
<merge key=“input.x11_options.EmulateWheel” type=“string”>true</merge>
<merge key=“input.x11_options.EmulateWheelTimeout” type=“string”>200</merge>
<merge key=“input.x11_options.EmulateWheelButton” type=“string”>3</merge>
<merge key=“input.x11_options.XAxisMapping” type=“string”>6 7</merge>
<merge key=“input.x11_options.YAxisMapping” type=“string”>4 5</merge>
<merge key=“input.x11_options.Emulate3Buttons” type=“string”>true</merge>
<merge key=“input.x11_options.EmulateWheelInertia” type=“string”>25</merge>
</match>
</device>
</deviceinfo>
and store it in /etc/hal/fdi/policy/10marblemouse.fdi
- reconnect the mouse. I noticed that when you unplug it takes a while before the former configuration is released. To see quickly what your changes have brought, best is to change USB port in between.
The EmulateWheelInertia value adjusts the scroll speed and XAxisMapping added horizontal scrolling, something I didn’t have before. Great solution! I hope it helps somebody.
Look here for solution for 11.3 users