How To Start The Functions

The simulated secondary click and the dwell click depend on the mousetweaks process; however the pointer capture applet depends on the GNOME panel. Consequently, also the methods to start them vary.

2.1. Starting The Simulated Secondary Click Function

You can start the Simulated Secondary Click in two ways:

  • from the graphical user interface
  • from the command line

2.1.1. Start From The Graphical User Interface

The graphical user interface to start the simulated secondary click is located in the Accessibility tab of the Mouse control panel. To open it, choose the menu System ▸ Preferences ▸ Control Center and the Control Center will open. By clicking on Mouse in the Control Center, the Mouse control panel will open and after clicking on the Accessibility tab, you will see the following settings:

To start the simulated secondary click function, put a checkmark into the checkbox that says:

“Trigger secondary click by holding down the primary button”

2.1.2. Start From The Command Line

To start the simulated secondary click from the command line, open the Terminal and type the following:

mousetweaks --ssc

2.2. Starting The Dwell Click Function

You can start the dwell click function in three ways:

  • from the Accessibility tab of the Mouse control panel
  • from the command line
  • from the On/Off button on the Dwell Click panel applet

2.2.1. Start From The Accessibility tab of the Mouse control panel

The graphical user interface to start the dwell click is located in the Accessibility tab of the Mouse control panel. To open it, choose the menu System ▸ Preferences ▸ Control Center and the Control Center will open. By clicking on Mouse in the Control Center, the Mouse control panel will open and after clicking on the Accessibility tab, you will see the following settings:

To start the dwell click function, put a checkmark into the checkbox that says:

“Initiate click when stopping pointer movement”

2.2.2. Start From The Command Line

To start the dwell click function and show the click type window from the command line, open the Terminal and type the following:

mousetweaks --dwell --show-ctw

The starting parameters --login and --daemonize were added to allow GDM to start and quit mousetweaks: the first disables the check for the Assistive Technologies framework at the start of mousetweaks; by not passing the second, mousetweaks will keep the pid that it got when it started, allowing GDM to shut it down by using the pid.

2.2.3. Start From The On/Off button On The Dwell Click Panel Applet

It is possible to start the Dwell Click by simply resting (dwelling) for a little delay with the pointer on the mouse icon displayed by the Dwell Click panel applet. In fact, this mouse icon is a dwellable On/Off button that provides feedback of the passing dwell time by filling its frame with another colour. When the frame is completely filled, the button displays its active state and the dwell click gets started.

For instructions about how to install the Dwell Click applet on the GNOME panel, please have a look at Starting The Pointer Capture Function where you can see how it is done for the Pointer Capture panel applet. The procedure for the Dwell Click panel applet is similar.

2.3. Starting The Pointer Capture Function

As the Pointer Capture applet comes in the from of a panel applet, its starting method has to follow the rules dictated by the GNOME panel. Thus, to start the Pointer Capture function, you only have to install it on the panel and it will automatically run.

In order to add it to the panel, proceed as you do with any panel applet: perform a secondary click on the panel to open its contextual menu, choose Add to Panel, and you will get the window showing all the applets that can be installed on the GNOME panel.

By double clicking on the Pointer Capture item in the Add to Panel window, the Pointer Capture applet will be added to the panel, and it will run until it is removed from the GNOME panel.