Magic Mouse - can I soft left-click?

[Minxy]

I have mild arthritic pain in my knuckles. I've found the Magic Mouse is great because there is less pressing and scrolling action required.

However the most common action the left-click requires a hard press. Is there a way to use the left click function without fully pressing down so the mouse clicks, instead allowing me to just gentle tap the top of the mouse? This would be so great for me because it means less joint pressure.

I know the mouse has the capability to register a soft-click because Mission Control can be activated with a soft tap of two fingers.

I've looked at the settings and haven't found anything I can change but am just wondering if anybody knows a program that might help.

Thanks.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Nothing in the base OS X settings that allow that. It might be possible using a 3rd party utility like BetterTouchTool.

 

[gr8tfly]

Sounds like you'd be a candidate for the Magic Trackpad. You can set it up the same as the built-in trackpads (which wouldn't mean much if you're using an iMac or MP).

When I'm using an external device, I'd say I use the Magic Trackpad 99% of the time of the time. It works virtually identical to the built-in trackpad on my rMBP (except for being a bit larger), so it's very easy switching back and forth. Using the external trackpad lets me change my position or I can set the rMBP on a table next to me and still surf/read when it's out of reach (most of the time, I don't need the keyboard for that).

I also have a Magic Mouse, as it's sometimes better for doing some image work or graphics design (I have a Wacom tablet if I need even more control).

Anyway, you can set the Magic Trackpad for tap-click, two-finger tap for "right/secondary" click, and three finger drag (along with all the other multi-touch gestures - two-finger scrolling, four-finger swipe to change space/desktop, two-finger swipe to go fwd/back in many apps (like Safari), zoom pinch, rotate, etc). I have mine setup for all of those, as I also like the least amount of physical pressure (I also have hand pain).

Since I use the trackpad on a soft arm-rest, I couldn't use the mechanical switch to click-drag, so I enabled the three-finger drag on both the MBP and the Magic trackpad. I'm so used to it now, going back to click-drag (like on my wife's older MacBook Air) seems awkward.

 

[Minxy]

Cheers for the tips.

I've never really become fluent in using a Track Pad the same way I use a mouse. I found a free app called MagicPrefs that allows gesture customisation and has allowed me to set a soft click which is good. However in practice I'm finding the solution is not ideal because there is a very precise spot on the mouse I have to tap, so Im having raise my finger to an exaggerated level, but I will persevere with it.

 

[Mattstrete]

Yes, tap to click is possible (and a lot more besides)

Dear Minxy

There is a solution. I use a program called JITOUCH to enable tap to click for both left and right clicks (along with other gestures which replicate the functionality of the touchpad, like three finger swipe up to show desktop and three finger swipe down to show mission control). I find the gestures for this program work more reliably than MAGICPREFS (which I tried but could not get to work properly) and even BETTERTOUCHTOOL (even in its latest version).

I also recently discovered SESAMOUSE which enables a reliable pinch in / out gesture to zoom, which I have looked for long and hard.

I have also started using DID I CLICK which plays either a subtle animation at the mouse pointer's tip when clicking, or a sound effect (or both). I find that this gives me the feedback which is otherwise missing when one taps to click and is very satisfying.

I cannot go back to normal-clicking, it just feels too difficult.

Also, for the benefit of anyone else interested in customising the Magic Mouse to the maximum - I highly recommend CURSORSENSE to customize the acceleration curves on the Magic Mouse, something which I waited quite a few years for.

Good luck.

Mattstrete

 

[Mattstrete]

One more thing - dragging

Also, I use EASY DRAG to drag (and, if I feel like it, left and right click) with the F1 and F2 keys. I think the program's free. Highly recommended - if you have trouble clicking then you will probably appreciate the ability to drag by holding down a key on the keyboard with your left hand while moving the mouse with your right hand.

JITOUCH doesn't allow double-tap double-clicking, but BETTERTOUCHTOOL does. I find I can run both without conflicts, as long as I don't use the latter's "tip taps" while the former's tap gestures are enabled. The latter also allows a single-finger tap to click gesture whereas the former requires that one rest one's middle finger on the mouse while tapping with the index finger to left click (and vice versa for right clicks), a configuration which I find more comfortable, anyway.

Also - a handy tip if anyone out there uses multiple external displays (even three) - MOOM allows one to program keyboard shortcuts to move windows to screens situated to the left or right (or even on top of or below) the display where the action is initiated. I have set a gesture in JITOUCH to activate each function (JITOUCH allows one to "draw" gestures by holding down the right mouse button ie the right side of the mouse and then moving the mouse in a particular shape). I've set it up so that holding the "right" mouse button down and "drawing" a line to the left sends the active window to the display on the left, and vice versa for the display on the right. Making the same gesture upwards or downwards maximizes or minimizes the active window, respectively.

And drawing an "X" on top of the active window immediately quits that app!

Oh, and - one can also resize and move windows solely with the mouse by using JITOUCH's hold-index-and-middle-finger-at-the-top-of-the-mouse-gesture (a bit difficult to explain). In my view this is by far the easiest way to move and resize windows.

Mattstrete