Swap middle and right mouse button

Swap middle and right mouse button

On my laptop I've disabled mouse gestures, and since I have no middle mouse button by the touchpad (as indeed, do few laptop users), I'd like to make the right mouse button function just as the middle mouse button - but only in Opera. The only thing I use the right mouse button for in Opera is 'open in new tab', and since my touchpad isn't made for scrolling, I'd love the added functionality of pressing it and scroll around big pages. Right now I've hooked up keyboard shortcuts to compensate for the lack of scrolling on the touchpad.

Is there some configuration magic to make this happen, or is it completely impossible? I think it would be a good option for all laptop users really.

What are you going to do without context menus?

Can't you configure your touchpad driver so that sliding on right side of touchpad works as scroll? It's a standard feature in modern touchpad. Even my father's circa 2005 Alp touchpad can do that.

You also should be able to configure your touchpad driver so that tapping one corner simulate middle and another right mouse buttons, respectively. Mine's set so that left-bottom corner tap works for middle button and left-top tap works for right button (and right top=page up/right bottom=page down)

Anyway you need to provide your system specs and your touchpad driver details if you want more advice.

Originally posted by mimi_s_mum:

Can't you configure your touchpad driver so that sliding on right side of touchpad works as scroll? It's a standard feature in modern touchpad. Even my father's circa 2005 Alp touchpad can do that.

You also should be able to configure your touchpad driver so that tapping one corner simulate middle and another right mouse buttons, respectively. Mine's set so that left-bottom corner tap works for middle button and left-top tap works for right button (and right top=page up/right bottom=page down)

Anyway you need to provide your system specs and your touchpad driver details if you want more advice.

Are you a moderator, or do you speak for everyone who reads this thread? Maybe someone has done this already.

I've already said that my touchpad has no scroll, and I'm not sure I'd want part of it made into scrollable surfaces if it were possible somehow. It's an older laptop, and I have the latest touchpad drivers for it. I don't mind that it's old, it was a good buy and suits my needs very well.

Ctrl+shift+click does what I want, I just thought that there might be a way, such as what 'gesture name' or mouse button name to type for this 'open in background tab' mouse shortcut in preferences. If there's a list of those somewhere I'd be happy with a link.

I only use the context menu for 'open in background tab', for all other uses it's mostly in the way for me.

Failing that, does anyone know if it can be done in Autohotkey, for just the one app (Opera) and not globally?

This person shares my sentiment, and enabling middle-click via left+rightclick globally is actually quite good for other uses as well http://cybernetnews.com/helpful-tip-middle-click-on-a-touchpad-laptop-mouse/

And Pesala, as for what I will do without the context menu, the answer is, "I will do... fine!". I disabled it in about:config but allowed scripts to receive right-clicks. Perfection!

My father did not know he could reconfigure his touchpad to scroll. That's why I asked. And I still suspect it might be possible for you to enable virtual scroll for your touchpad, if you wanted to. (But you've said since then you're not sure if you wanted it.) Anyway I apologise if I somehow offended you by my innocent question.

With regard to the button swap, I take it using corner taps is not an option for you, either. I don't know if you're interested at all in knowing this but the background of my volunteering suggestions was that I actually had a similar issue. I spilt tea over my laptop and my right button was dead. When I asked if I could configure Opera setting so that left button can be used for right button (for mouse gesture). I asked twice in difference threads and the answer was no. In the end I bit the bullet and made a system wide change of R/L buttons.

Nonetheless I'm happy that you seem already to have found what you wanted (L-R simultaneous click). Have a good day.

Well, no problem. It's just that I know that I've searched extensively for ways to make the touchpad have the usual modern functions and found none already (though, as my link post said - for some strange reason middle-click should be impossible on laptops). I actually do have a middle mouse button, but of course only at the penalty of enabling Trackpoint and having even more accidentally touchable sh*t near the space bar. If I could bore out the trackpoint and grind down the 3 extra trackpoint buttons 5mm from the space bar to below "spacebar-pressed" level, I would.

Sorry for that, I thought it was one of the usual techie "I need to know your driver version and system specs before I can help you ... I dunno ... open explorer with a hotkey" (or whatever) kinda guy. Hate those

Suspiciously, the linked solution works a charm in all apps but Opera. For some reason the left and/or right mouse button don't get released or something, because after using it, middle clicks and normal clicks work fine - but only inside the browser window. Everything outside it (inside Opera) is completely unclickable, such as closing a tab or clicking on it, clicking the search gadget, etc.

I'm workin' on it. (Reading docs and trying all possible ways.)