Customizable 4-Finger Gestures Planned by Apple

MacRumors · Feb 13, 2009, 02:19 PM

MyAppleGuide discovered an unused preference pane in the version of Mac OS X Leopard that ships with Apple's new unibody MacBook Pros. The preference pane shows that Apple was planning on offering customers a way to assign different functions to the 4-finger swipe gestures found in their new laptops.

At present, the 4-finger gestures only allow you to switch applications (swipe left/right) or invoke Exposé (swipe up/down). This preference pane would potentially allow you to instead assign these swipes to other functions, such as switching between Spaces, showing your Desktop, loading Dashboard and more.

The site speculates that this functionality may find its way into Snow Leopard though it has not yet been spotted in the developer builds. Meanwhile, owners of previous generation multi-touch MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs are hoping to get four-finger gestures enabled on their machines with a future software update.

Article Link: Customizable 4-Finger Gestures Planned by Apple

rockinrocker · Feb 13, 2009, 02:20 PM

sweet, can't wait for this when I upgrade my portable.

Wie Gehts · Feb 13, 2009, 02:22 PM

Hey, what a coincidence. Many folks have some finger gestures planned for Apple as well!

sukanas · Feb 13, 2009, 02:24 PM

yay, this will be awesome

iOrlando · Feb 13, 2009, 02:26 PM

is there any way to use 2 finger gesture to go back a page in safari?

Sky Blue · Feb 13, 2009, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wie Gehts

Hey, what a coincidence. Many folks have some finger gestures planned for Apple as well!

haha, nice one.

The title of this article is a little misleading, as it actually seems that Apple don't plan to let the user see this panel, only they were thinking about it.

asdavis10 · Feb 13, 2009, 02:30 PM

We're getting close to being able to fully customize the way we use the trackpad. Nice.

kastenbrust · Feb 13, 2009, 02:36 PM

just need a biometric finger scanner now and we're all set.

elppa · Feb 13, 2009, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sky Blue

haha, nice one.

The title of this article is a little misleading, as it actually seems that Apple don't plan to let the user see this panel, only they were thinking about it.

Furthermore, the fact the nib file made it through to the OS suggests to me they got pretty far along with implementing it and pulled it late (otherwise the nib and other traces would have probably been cleaned out).

You are right though, that doesn't necessarily mean this functionality will be added in the future as the article implies.

jlocalled · Feb 13, 2009, 02:43 PM

If this is going to become included in Mac OS X 10.6 SL, I am so buying it.

KCMichaelB · Feb 13, 2009, 02:47 PM

I would like a wireless trackpad so I can place on the floor and use my bare feet for invoking expose´ and switching between apps. It's really a workout hitting the F11 key all day long.

nevrozel · Feb 13, 2009, 02:49 PM

Related to the news, there is a way to enable 4 finger gestures on any 2008 MacBook Airs/Pros.

Have a look here
http://www.super-poultry.com/2008/12...or-older-mbps/

kastenbrust · Feb 13, 2009, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCMichaelB

I would like a wireless trackpad so I can place on the floor and use my bare feet for invoking expose´ and switching between apps. It's really a workout hitting the F11 key all day long.

Too much information

macoazm · Feb 13, 2009, 02:55 PM

My 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro support multi-touch gestures, albeit not allowed by Apple to work.

Everyone can test this:

1- Tap your Trackpad with 1-finger: it clicks
2- Tap your Trackpad with 2-fingers: it right-click
3- Tap your Trackpad with 3-fingers: It does absolutely nothing. This means it detects it as not being 1-finger ou 2-finger click, but something else....

Proofed, right?

peterdevries · Feb 13, 2009, 02:57 PM

I have a unibody MBP and was already wondering why the 4 finger gestures were not customizable.

The fact that this screen has been discovered makes me wonder even more why they didn't enable it from the get-go.. What could possibly be the reason?

peterdevries · Feb 13, 2009, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macoazm

3- Tap your Trackpad with 3-fingers: It does absolutely nothing. This means it detects it as not being 1-finger ou 2-finger click, but something else....

Proofed, right?

Not really.. Number three can also mean that it detects nonsense that it can't resolve and thus decides to do nothing.

If the controller is only able to resolve two points of contact than there will be no way that it will be able to work with more than two finger gestures..

8CoreWhore · Feb 13, 2009, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCMichaelB

I would like a wireless trackpad so I can place on the floor and use my bare feet for invoking expose´ and switching between apps. It's really a workout hitting the F11 key all day long.

http://www.stealthswitch.com/

11800506 · Feb 13, 2009, 03:01 PM

So I'm assuming changing the preference panel doesn't do anything?

tingly · Feb 13, 2009, 03:02 PM

I'm glad I haven't lost any fingers.

risenphoenixkai · Feb 13, 2009, 03:09 PM

Wrong. Any multitouch gestures beyond two-finger right-clicking and scrolling require an additional multitouch controller chip on the trackpad. This is the same chip driving the multitouch behaviour in the iPhone and iPod touch.

Without that chip, the trackpad is completely incapable of three- or four-finger gestures. Period.

The only Macs that have this chip in the trackpad are as follows:

MacBook Air
Early 2008 MacBook Pro (with Penryn CPU)
Unibody MacBook
Unibody MacBook Pro

No other model of PowerBook, MacBook, or MacBook Pro supports advanced multitouch gestures, and they never will. This includes your MacBook Pro.

Quote:

Originally Posted by macoazm

My 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro support multi-touch gestures, albeit not allowed by Apple to work.

Everyone can test this:

1- Tap your Trackpad with 1-finger: it clicks
2- Tap your Trackpad with 2-fingers: it right-click
3- Tap your Trackpad with 3-fingers: It does absolutely nothing. This means it detects it as not being 1-finger ou 2-finger click, but something else....

Proofed, right?

KCMichaelB · Feb 13, 2009, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8CoreWhore

http://www.stealthswitch.com/

That is freaking awesome! Thanks.

rumplestiltskin · Feb 13, 2009, 03:13 PM

Maybe I can drag my...no, never mind...that's too scary.

roland.g · Feb 13, 2009, 03:19 PM

Check out Multi-Clutch

http://wcrawford.org/2008/02/28/ever...touch-my-cell/

you can assign swiping gestures for any application or globally. I set mine so that 3 finger swipe left and right switch safari tabs and swipe up closes the current tab and swipe down opens a new one.

in mail, i use 3 finger swipe up to mark mail as unread, etc.

Stridder44 · Feb 13, 2009, 03:35 PM

Here's to hoping this is included in Snow Leopard. This and Boot Camp 3.0.

ztigerpaw · Feb 13, 2009, 03:43 PM

All this stuff about Snow Leopard makes me want it sooo badly by the day! I'm already getting use to Leopard on my MacBook so this is really nice.

Feb 13, 2009, 02:19 PM	#1
MacRumors macrumors bot Join Date: Apr 2001	Customizable 4-Finger Gestures Planned by Apple MyAppleGuide discovered an unused preference pane in the version of Mac OS X Leopard that ships with Apple's new unibody MacBook Pros. The preference pane shows that Apple was planning on offering customers a way to assign different functions to the 4-finger swipe gestures found in their new laptops. At present, the 4-finger gestures only allow you to switch applications (swipe left/right) or invoke Exposé (swipe up/down). This preference pane would potentially allow you to instead assign these swipes to other functions, such as switching between Spaces, showing your Desktop, loading Dashboard and more. The site speculates that this functionality may find its way into Snow Leopard though it has not yet been spotted in the developer builds. Meanwhile, owners of previous generation multi-touch MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs are hoping to get four-finger gestures enabled on their machines with a future software update. Article Link: Customizable 4-Finger Gestures Planned by Apple

Feb 13, 2009, 02:20 PM	#2
rockinrocker macrumors 6502a Join Date: Aug 2006	sweet, can't wait for this when I upgrade my portable. __________________ Mac Pro 2.8 dual quad Macbook Core Duo 16 gig 3G

Feb 13, 2009, 02:24 PM	#4
sukanas macrumors 6502a Join Date: Nov 2007	yay, this will be awesome __________________ Glassbook Pro 15" 2.4 w/ 2209WA - Hello IPS and Matte iMac 24" 2.16

Feb 13, 2009, 02:30 PM	#7
asdavis10 macrumors regular Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bowie, MD	We're getting close to being able to fully customize the way we use the trackpad. Nice. __________________ Mac Pro 3.2GHz 8 core/8GB/500HD x 4; MacBook Pro 15"/2.5GHz/4GB/120HD; MacBook Air 1.8GHz/2GB/64SSD; Mac mini 1.83GHz/2GB/80HD (10.5 Server)

Feb 13, 2009, 02:43 PM	#10
jlocalled macrumors member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Access Denied	If this is going to become included in Mac OS X 10.6 SL, I am so buying it. __________________  Devices : iPod touch 1G 8GB v2.2 JB, MacBook Pro (Late 2008) 15" 2.4GHz, Mac OS X 10.6.0 

Feb 13, 2009, 02:22 PM	#3
Wie Gehts macrumors 6502 Join Date: Mar 2007	Hey, what a coincidence. Many folks have some finger gestures planned for Apple as well!

Feb 13, 2009, 02:26 PM	#5
iOrlando macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Miami Beach, Florida	is there any way to use 2 finger gesture to go back a page in safari?

Feb 13, 2009, 02:36 PM	#8
kastenbrust Banned Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North Korea	just need a biometric finger scanner now and we're all set.

Feb 13, 2009, 02:47 PM	#11
KCMichaelB macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Kansas, USA	I would like a wireless trackpad so I can place on the floor and use my bare feet for invoking expose´ and switching between apps. It's really a workout hitting the F11 key all day long.

Feb 13, 2009, 02:49 PM	#12
nevrozel macrumors newbie Join Date: Aug 2005	Related to the news, there is a way to enable 4 finger gestures on any 2008 MacBook Airs/Pros. Have a look here http://www.super-poultry.com/2008/12...or-older-mbps/ __________________ MacBook Pro 17"/ 2,5GHz/ LED

Feb 13, 2009, 02:55 PM	#14
macoazm macrumors newbie Join Date: Sep 2006	older MBP multi-touch capable... My 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro support multi-touch gestures, albeit not allowed by Apple to work. Everyone can test this: 1- Tap your Trackpad with 1-finger: it clicks 2- Tap your Trackpad with 2-fingers: it right-click 3- Tap your Trackpad with 3-fingers: It does absolutely nothing. This means it detects it as not being 1-finger ou 2-finger click, but something else.... Proofed, right?

Feb 13, 2009, 02:57 PM	#15
peterdevries macrumors 6502a Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands	I have a unibody MBP and was already wondering why the 4 finger gestures were not customizable. The fact that this screen has been discovered makes me wonder even more why they didn't enable it from the get-go.. What could possibly be the reason?

Feb 13, 2009, 03:01 PM	#18
11800506 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Washington D.C. Area	So I'm assuming changing the preference panel doesn't do anything? __________________ Unibody Macbook Pro / Aluminum iMac / eMac / Airport Extreme / iPod Touch

Feb 13, 2009, 03:02 PM	#19
tingly macrumors regular Join Date: Apr 2005	I'm glad I haven't lost any fingers.

Feb 13, 2009, 03:13 PM	#22
rumplestiltskin macrumors member Join Date: Apr 2006	Maybe I can drag my...no, never mind...that's too scary.

Feb 13, 2009, 03:19 PM	#23
roland.g macrumors 68040 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: One mile up and soaring	Check out Multi-Clutch http://wcrawford.org/2008/02/28/ever...touch-my-cell/ you can assign swiping gestures for any application or globally. I set mine so that 3 finger swipe left and right switch safari tabs and swipe up closes the current tab and swipe down opens a new one. in mail, i use 3 finger swipe up to mark mail as unread, etc. __________________ I know this because Tyler knows this. You are not a beautiful snowflake. You are the same decaying matter as everything else.

Feb 13, 2009, 03:35 PM	#24
Stridder44 macrumors 68040 Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: California	Here's to hoping this is included in Snow Leopard. This and Boot Camp 3.0. __________________ The Un-Funny Truth About Scientology (Warning: Graphic images) MacBook Pro 15.4"/2.5 GHz/250GB/4GB RAM iMac G4 17"/800 Mhz/80GB/512GB RAM

Feb 13, 2009, 03:43 PM	#25
ztigerpaw macrumors member Join Date: Aug 2008	All this stuff about Snow Leopard makes me want it sooo badly by the day! I'm already getting use to Leopard on my MacBook so this is really nice.

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