is it possible to "press-click" throughout the os?

[sir42]

I love being able to "press click" or "hold click" on the dock. Is there a way to turn on this function throughout the os? For instance to see alternative spellings in a Word document or any other place where I would normally do ctrl-click.

[Stike]

I love being able to "press click" or "hold click" on the dock. Is there a way to turn on this function throughout the os? For instance to see alternative spellings in a Word document or any other place where I would normally do ctrl-click.
I would still vote for a two-button Apple mouse ... :o

[wide]

I agree that a 2-button mouse is necessary (especially for gaming), but Steve Jobs practically invented the 1 clicker mouse and I don't think he'll have it redesigned any time soon.

[cb911]

yes, you can press and hold.

i just tried it in the Finder. press and hold on a item and it will come up with the menu that you get from ctrl+click on it.

i just forget where the preferences are for it. i'm sure i've seen them somewhere where you can change it to open the menu quicker, so you don't have to spend as much time waiting and holding. :)

and if you want a two button mouse, just go and get one! it's not like they don't exist... :rolleyes:

i don't know how you can live without one. i don't even know how you could live with a two-button mouse for games. i've got a 5 button mouse, and i could still use more buttons! :D

[wrldwzrd89]

yes, you can press and hold.

i just tried it in the Finder. press and hold on a item and it will come up with the menu that you get from ctrl+click on it.

i just forget where the preferences are for it. i'm sure i've seen them somewhere where you can change it to open the menu quicker, so you don't have to spend as much time waiting and holding. :)

and if you want a two button mouse, just go and get one! it's not like they don't exist... :rolleyes:

i don't know how you can live without one. i don't even know how you could live with a two-button mouse for games. i've got a 5 button mouse, and i could still use more buttons! :D
I've never used the click-and-hold method, I don't CTRL-click that much, and when I do need the contextual menu (which is almost always in the Finder), I use the gear button on the toolbar for this purpose. The vast majority of the time, I'm accessing the contextual menu because I want to create a Zip archive of something. I've never needed (or wanted) a two-button mouse for Mac OS X use (only for Windows, where it's practically essential). I like scroll wheels, but I am consistently frustrated by the lack of compatibility for them across applications (at least on the Windows side). As far as games go, I don't have very many, and NONE would benefit from a two-button or more-than-two-button mouse (most of my games run in the Classic environment, and I don't play them very often).

[sir42]

yes, you can press and hold.

i just forget where the preferences are for it. i'm sure i've seen them somewhere where you can change it to open the menu quicker, so you don't have to spend as much time waiting and holding. :)



That's the trouble. I can't find any preferences for it. The only time it works for me is on the dock. I'm not so sure it's a feature that can be turned on in other places (ie. looking for an alt. spelling in Word). It would be a great feature. Then the one button mouse would truly be all one needed.

[jeremy.king]

That's the trouble. I can't find any preferences for it. The only time it works for me is on the dock. I'm not so sure it's a feature that can be turned on in other places (ie. looking for an alt. spelling in Word). It would be a great feature. Then the one button mouse would truly be all one needed.

It should work anywhere in the finder. As for Word, it would be up to Microsoft to implement something like that, not Apple. Applications and the OS are not one and the same - in the mac world, that is.

[cb911]

wrldwzrd89 i'm not sure if this is what you mean... but if you click+hold in the Finder it is exactly the same as a ctrl+click or right+click. you can get to 'create archive of...' from click+hold as well.


That's the trouble. I can't find any preferences for it. The only time it works for me is on the dock. I'm not so sure it's a feature that can be turned on in other places (ie. looking for an alt. spelling in Word). It would be a great feature. Then the one button mouse would truly be all one needed.

sir42 - have your tried click+hold in the Finder? on folders and documents? you have to have the item selected and then hold for about 2-3 seconds, at least that's how long it is for me. :)

i thought that the Preferences might be in Keyboard & Mouse or Universal Access, but i just looked again, and can't see them but i might have missed something...

i've tried searching Mac Help (cmd+?) and i couldnt' find it. now i'm getting desprate to find those preferences as well. :p

[johnnyjibbs]

Click and hold doesn't work for me either. I use it for the dock but I've tried and tried on files and folders and it doesn't work.

I've searched system preferences but to no avail.

I'm running 10.3.4.

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I think they are phasing out the old Mac OS9 style click+hold in favour of the more *nix (and windoze) style right-click to get contextual menus. It used to work in the finder, but now I just get it to work on the dock. If you don't have or use a two (or three) button mouse you get the same result with ctrl+click, as mentioned over...

But hey, ctrl-clicking is fun, isn't it...? ;)

[johnnyjibbs]

I think they are phasing out the old Mac OS9 style click+hold in favour of the more *nix (and windoze) style right-click to get contextual menus. It used to work in the finder, but now I just get it to work on the dock. If you don't have or use a two (or three) button mouse you get the same result with ctrl+click, as mentioned over...

But hey, ctrl-clicking is fun, isn't it...? ;)
Why would they phase it out? It's just an extra way of doing things - i.e. you don't have to reach for the keyboard.

The feature has not been in the Finder since I've been with Mac OS - 10.2.7 through 10.3.4.

I'll still never know why ctrl-clicking is more intuitive than right clicking.. ;) That said, I love my Apple bluetooth mouse. :cool:

[wrldwzrd89]

Why would they phase it out? It's just an extra way of doing things - i.e. you don't have to reach for the keyboard.

The feature has not been in the Finder since I've been with Mac OS - 10.2.7 through 10.3.4.

I'll still never know why ctrl-clicking is more intuitive than right clicking.. ;) That said, I love my Apple bluetooth mouse. :cool:
Maybe it's because Apple expects users to. in the Finder at least, use the gear toolbar button for contextual menus so you don't have to ctrl-click (and you don't have a two-button mouse).

[markoibook]

Does the click and hold method only work with mice?

I have an iBook and it doesn't work at all - maybe this method doesn't work with trackpads?

Shame, because it would be much more convenient to click and hold with a trackpad.

Does anyone know of how to enable this setting - or any software that will?

[wrldwzrd89]

Does the click and hold method only work with mice?

I have an iBook and it doesn't work at all - maybe this method doesn't work with trackpads?

Shame, because it would be much more convenient to click and hold with a trackpad.

Does anyone know of how to enable this setting - or any software that will?
I know click-and-hold works in the Dock - I used it when I had a PowerBook (without an external mouse). I'm less confident about it working in other parts of Mac OS X. To try it, just click and hold down the mouse/trackpad button on a Dock icon - you should get a contextual menu offering options. The options you get depend on what the application you clicked on supports, whether or not the application is running, and whether or not "keep in Dock" has been specified for the clicked application.

[johnnyjibbs]

It only works in the Dock and Netscape, that I've noticed.

Personally I hate the action (gear/cog) icon in the Finder and find it a long winded way of doing things. Just my personal preference.

[aptmunich]

It will work in the dock on my ibook, but not in the finder or elsewhere..

I'm going to get a 2-button bluetooth mouse when they come down in price.. at the moment i use my logitech mouseman usb mouse but that's too big to take to uni with me...

[wrldwzrd89]

It only works in the Dock and Netscape, that I've noticed.

Personally I hate the action (gear/cog) icon in the Finder and find it a long winded way of doing things. Just my personal preference.
Just curious...do you not like the gear/cog icon because you need to move the mouse away from the selected icons you want it to apply to? If that's the case, you're right - it does seem like more mouse movement than necessary. Remember, though, that it is also there for users who haven't figured out right-click/CTRL-click yet (although you can turn it off if you don't like it using customize toolbar).

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Why would they phase it out? It's just an extra way of doing things - i.e. you don't have to reach for the keyboard.
I have no idea, but they may have a masterplan somewhere that says click+hold takes to much time... ;)
I'll still never know why ctrl-clicking is more intuitive than right clicking.. ;) That said, I love my Apple bluetooth mouse. :cool:
I didn't say ctrl-clicking is more intuitive than right clicking, ctrl-clicking is just a way to "emulate" a secong (right) button on all Mac systems without a two button mouse... I've gotten so used to the touchpad on my iBook (and the Pismo before it) that I don't use a mouse with it...