Overview of Mouse Types
Support knowledgebase (cg_mausallg)
Applies to
SuSE Linux: All versions
Situation:
You want to configure your mouse for the graphical interface, but you
do not know what mouse type to select in SaX or xf86config.
Procedure:
Depending on the port used, mice and trackballs can be divided
into 4 groups:
- Mice connected to the PS/2 mouse port -- a small round
mini-DIN connector. It is currently the most common port.
- Serial mice, which are connected to a serial port. This mouse type is
no longer manufactured and therefore seldom appears in new PCs.
- USB mice, which are more and more common. USB mice have been
supported since SuSE Linux 6.3. Refer to the article Linux and USB for information about the
configuration of USB mice. For a detailed configuration, proceed as
described for PS/2 mice.
- Mice connected via specific plug-in cards or graphics cards.
Although still supported by the X server, inport mice are no longer manufactured.
These mice resemble the PS/2 mice and are configured similarly. More details about
supported types and protocols are available in the man page "man XF86Config".
PS/2 and USB mice
In the case of PS/2 mice and USB mice, there are basically two mouse types
which only differ from each other in the deployed protocol. They
use the interface
/dev/psaux (PS/2 mice) or /dev/usbmouse (USB mice). Set this interface
accordingly.
- For 2 or 3 button mice, select the mouse protocol PS/2 in SaX.
- For wheel mice with two buttons and one or more wheels, select
the mouse protocol IMPS/2 in SaX.
Serial Mice
These are not as easy to configure as PS/2 mice because of the broad range
of available protocols. However, virtually all serial mice support a
plug-and-play mode and the Microsoft mouse protocol.
All modern serial mice support a plug-and-play mode and can be used with
the protocol Auto. Therefore, if you are not completely sure of your serial
mouse, select the type "Auto" and the right interface, which is usually /dev/ttyS0
(if you use the interface COM1 with DOS/Windows).
If the serial mouse does not work with this setting, try the protocol Microsoft
for 2 or 3 button mice. If the mouse works properly with this setting,
select the emulation mode for the third button:
- Serial two-button mouse: Use the option Emulate 3 Buttons. You
can emulate the third button by pressing the left and the right mouse
button. With emulate3Timeout, determine in what time frame the
X server interprets pressure on left and right buttons as simultaneous
(then the "virtual" third button will be pressed) or as consecutive.
- Serial three-button mouse: If you use a real three-button mouse and
the middle mouse button does not work as expected, you should set the
option Chordmiddle. With this option, pressing the middle button will
produce the desired effect.
Some old three-button mice still use the protocol MouseSystems. In
this type of mouse, it is possible to change between two and three
button modes with a switch. If the mouse does
not work with the Microsoft protocol in "3 buttons" mode, try by setting the switch
to "3buttons" and selecting the protocol Mousesystems.
If the serial mouse is a wheel mouse -- a mouse with two buttons and one
or more wheels -- that does not work with the protocol "Auto", try the protocol
Intellimouse. The wheel function can be applied by
configuring the program imwheel.
Inport and Other Specific Mice
To configure this type of mouse, proceed as described in the file
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/doc/README.mouse, which also contains configuration instructions
for very old mice.
Keywords: MICE, MOUSE, TYPE, X11, GPM, PS2, USB, SERIAL
SDB-cg_mausallg, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany
- Version: 28. Mai 2001
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 25. Jun 2002 by ubrueck (sdb_gen 1.40.0)