Apple Magic Mouse and ID

[Guest]

I've recently purchased the lovely Apple Magic Mouse and am finding it quite difficult to use with InDesign CS4 - other ID versions would be the same I imagine. With this mouse you scroll by stroking its top surface, rather like a trackpad. This is excellent in other applications but in ID, because the pasteboard area is so large and the sensitivity of the mouse so high (even when scrolling is turned down to the minimum in its preferences), it's very easy to make your document shoot sideways off the screen. I expect Illustrator would have similar problems.

Is there a way in which the ID pasteboard can be resized or constrained? Maybe someone will come up with a prefs panel to control the new mouse's scrolling more precisely - but not yet.

Thanks for any ideas.

John Mallinson

[Guest]

Only problem with that argument is that the effect you describe is only evident in a handful of applications, InDesign being the worst that I have seen.

[davedellaquila]

I too experienced the problem described by others in this thread. I'm using InDesign CS4, and Mac OS X, 10.6.3 (Snow Leopard). The solution, which works quite well, is to use a 3rd party mouse driver, called MagicPrefs. This utility allows you to extensively configure the Magic Mouse, including the ability to specify the region which is recognized on the surface of the mouse. By specifying that the mouse ignore input on the right 1/3rd (or so) of the mouse, you will no longer send InDesign input that instructs it to scroll horizontally unintentionally.

Best of all, it's free! Get it here: http://magicprefs.com/

I'm very happy with this solution, and recommend it to other InDesign users.

Dave

David Dell'Aquila

Ux/Interaction Designer

http://david.dellaquila.com

[Blasty]

Where are you able to disable the touch surface for the right 1/3rd of the magic mouse like your post explained.  I can't stand using the magic mouse in CS5 and I really need to get this to work.  You mentioend that if you ignore input on right 1/3rd it will fix INDD problem. 

Please explain to me how to do that with MagicPrefs

[John Mallinson]

I'm using CS4 (but I guess CS5 is similar). My major problem has been the side to side skidding of the document because of the width of the pasteboard and the over-sensitivity of the mouse. This can be killed with MagicPrefs by going into its Configure Scrolling dialog and disabling horizontal scrolling. I have a big enough screen so I can easily edit A4 spreads without zooming but if you have to, and want to scroll horizontally then use Alt-Spacebar-L mouse button to drag the document around.

It's a pity that Apple haven't given us more control in their preferences panel.

[davedellaquila]

Yes, I was able to fix this problem!

1. First, make sure MagicPrefs is installed, etc. I'm using v1.9.2. Once installed, click the 'Configure Scrolling' button:

[thinkingmanhawaii]

Unfortunately this doesn't work for me as I rely heavily on Magic Mouse features. But I have noticed that with the latest round of updates, scrolling seems to be somewhat improved. There's still no control for it (that I've taken the time to find, at least!) but the issue seems to be not as insanely out of whack as it was. I'll keep this post updated.

[benwa02]

Use BetterTouch Tools...

Add an appliction > Adobe ID

Add new gesture(s)

-- Single finger swipe down

-- Single finger swipe up

-- Two finger swipe down

-- Two finger swipe up

Set the Predefined action to No action.

This will essentially kill all scrolling within ID using the swiping. I find scrolling within ID annoying to begin with and having issues with it and ID so I have killed all scrolling using the MM. I typically use the hand tool or page up/down to move within ID.

- e

[responsible_reporter0176]

i downloaded the BTT, and followed your instructions, but it's not working...am i missing something??? i REALLY HATE the scrolling in ID...

thanks,

JD

[davedellaquila]

JD,

I'm not sure what to tell you. The solution I describe works well for me. You might need to play with the "dead zone" region a bit to get the best results for you.

Dave

[thinkingmanhawaii]

This may have something to do with Adobe licensing. I had another problem with this (using MagicPrefs), and then a simultaneous message on our machines (within a day of each other, which is how far apart CS5 was installed on them). We had to reenter our serial numbers, and all was OK after that.

[Guest]

I've had the exact same problem and have finally made it work!

After downloading the BTT I could not open it but I found out how in another forum...

the shortcut to open the program is control+option+command+O, and there it is, finally appearing before our eyes!

From this screen you may want to click on the General Settings tab and click the button 'Add BTT PreferencePane to your System Preferences' so you can open it from there instead of using the shortcut each time.

Then go to the Gestures tab and do as benwa02 said.

Add application (indesign), and make sure you click the option wheel at the bottom of the Select Application box (with ID selected) and select 'Disable single finger scrolling for selected app'.

There you have it! No more feelings of wanting to pummel your beautiful mac anymore

Brendo

[TUIJohnC]

I came to this forum on a web search and this has fixed our problem - excellent posts from all!

Thank you

[a_molnar]

Errr... TUIJohnC, what solution exactly fixed your problem? I tried two different mouse drivers, but non of them could provide a smooth scrolling in ID. Even in other forums I just found solutions for turning off the mouse scrolling ability in specific applications.

So, can anyone scroll smoothly in ID or AI?

Thanks

adam

[Dougefresh091]

Try Better Touch Tool: http://blog.boastr.net/

I had to disable a lot of the fancy options, like horizontal scroll, and three finger gestures, but I finally got it to where it was useable. I would give you more details on the settings I used, but this was a work computer for a company I'm no longer with.

[re_volver]

I still haven't found a solution that still allows me to scroll 360 degrees (and this problem exists for both the magic mouse AND the mighty mouse. For print documents, I've actually given up on using CS5, and wherever I can I'm building documents in CS3. I'm a bit taken aback that Adobe hasn't addressed this since the release of CS4.

[ColleenDMFG]

This helped me in Illustrator CS6!

Life saver!

[Jay Kerr]

Same thing for me ID CS5 is UNUSABLE with an Apple Magic Mouse. I always go to my System Preferences and disable scrolling with the mouse while I'm using ID. Same goes for Microsoft Excel. It's a great mouse for web browsing and other apps but apps with horizontal scrollbars are a nightmare. ID is the worst so far for me.

[Graham vdR]

I'm loving my Magic Mouse, even in InDesign. It took me a little while to figure out that the phantom scrolling and jerking was because of my middle finger resting on the mouse, and also to train myself to control the scrolling by not lifting my index finger. But now I'd struggle to go back, I think. I do like the weight as well. After a long day at the computer, though, my finger sometimes gets a twitch from holding it so carefully in position for so long.

Just thought a fan should weigh in.

[REXprints]

Glad to hear somebody doesn't mind the problem, but really, having the user fix the problem isn't the best solution, especially if it makes them twitch!

I dodge in and out of various jobs all day on various machines with various versions and settings, so patches, plug-ins, and preferences don't take the place of a basically good product.

On the other hand (literally) the MM has advantages the recent un-Magic Mouses don't. As a graphics professor, I can tell you that little twiddle wheel won't roll long in student paws. The previous mouse got its tail/neck broken too easily where it exited the body of the mouse without reinforcement. The Magic Mouse hasn't been installed because I suspect its first bit of magic will be disappearing.

I do agree that retraining your hands not to accidentally hover, swipe, or click is helpful. I try and hold the top corner by the edge because tactile feedback reminds me it isn't an old style mouse. That helps.

The button-less mouse is a great breakthrough design. Next: The working mouse. Mouse action is actually backwards. You should be able to rest your hand on the mouse (90% of the day) and just lift it to signal. Ahhhhh. Humans weren't meant to maintain tetanus for a living. Leave that to the egrets.

It's been a long time bother and its a relatively big problem (not compared to global warming, granted). This is a husband-and-wife that lands between Apple-and-Adobe. Would one or both of you please sort this out?

--

[re_volver]

This problem doesn't seem to be limited to the Magic Mouse. I've found the same problems with ID CS4 and CS5 using my Mighty Mouse... and don't even get me started on how horrible the scrolling is with the Magic Mouse.

I use a mighty at work, and CS3 scrolls smoothly with no jerks or skips whatsoever... but as soon as I switch over to CS5 (I have both installed on my work computer, so it's easy to compare), the scrolling control  is abysmal. I'm pretty confident the problem is with the apps, not the mouse.

[Dougefresh091]

I have this same issue with ID CS5 and the magic mouse. It's driving me insane, to say the least. BTT is a somewhat acceptable solution, though it would be nice if Apple gave us more than a handful of options for the mouse in system preferences.

[moongod80]

I have the same problem. usually have to use the magic mouse to open an indesign, illustrator, excel, and some other types document and the mighty mouse for actual work.

hate using two mice though. wondering if the magic track pad had the same failure as the mighty mouse.

[iidi]

Maybe what you need is the next:

System Preferences>Universal access>Mouse>Mouse Options>Scrolling WITHOUT INERTIA

it worked well to me in Illustrator CS5.

[re_volver]

Inertia scrolling isn't the issue, as it's not only the magic mouse that's affected. I use a mighty mouse (scroll ball) at work, and I can have InDesign CS3 and CS4 open at the same time... CS3 scrolls perfectly, while CS4 is a train wreck. The scrolling problem is with the app, not the mouse. All versions of InDesign after CS3 have this problem... I have to revert back to using my old click-wheel mouse to be able to control scrolling in CS4/CS5, and I lose the 360º scrolling option...

This sucks, and I won't use CS5 for layout... I'm still laying out documents in CS3 (YEARS after CS4 was released), and I only use CS5 for export of interactive swfs.

Get it together, Adobe... you've got a massive Mac-based design and production clientele out here. This should have been fixed a long time ago.

[REXprints]

I said it before, almost three years ago, and I'm back to say it again. The problem persists! This is a shame. Mouses have evolved to not having buttons, Adobe Creative Suite has evolved into a highly systemitized graphics juggernaut, yet we still can't control the cursor! Curser!