Thinkpad Tip: Using Trackpoint like a 3-button Mouse

By default, the middle button on my Thinkpad’s  Trackpoint is set to a proprietary scroll mode.  This proprietary scroll mode doesn’t work in many applications (although sometimes changing config files can fix that), but the real problem is that I need the Trackpoint to act like a three button mouse.

For example, in CoCreate PE, I need all three buttons to easily manipulate the model: Ctrl+Right mouse button pans, Ctrl+Left zooms, and Ctrl+Middle rotates.

At least in Windows Vista, the Trackpoint configuration page  is not a model of clarity, but after some googling and playing around, I’ve found two configurations that make the  center Trackpoint button work like the middle button of a 3-button mouse.

The TrackPoint setup is a page on the Mouse Control Panel applet.

Trackpoint Setup

The first configuration is to select Neither for the Choose Scrolling or Magnifying Glass Functions.  Then the middle Trackpoint button works like a middle mouse button, but there is no extra scroll mode.

The second configuration is to select Scrolling for the Choose Scrolling or Magnifying Glass Functions, then press the Settings button, and select Smooth for the Scrollling Type. This is my favorite, since I can use the center button  both as a third button, and also to scroll horizontally and vertically.

Center Button settings

Related posts:

1. Eagle 3D PCBs with Alibre: Extruding the PCB
2. CoCreate PE Tip: Fix for Intel X3100 Problems