V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r

Q: A NEW TRACKPAD DRIVER IS OUT

I've got a good news for Macbook Pro / Air owners: a new multitouch trackpad driver for Windows 7 is out.

This driver (codenamed 'Trackpad++') neither contains, nor modifies the original Apple code.
However, it relies on Apple drivers stack for raw hardware access, that's why Boot Camp 3.1 shall be installed first.

Features of the Trackpad++ driver (vs. Boot Camp 3.1 driver):

1. Improved pointer ballistics (pointer movement can be very slow or very fast, depending on the finger speed);

2. Dramatically improved two-finger scrolling experience: Mac OS X-similar (accelerated) scrolling model implemented;

3. Elimination of the most annoying Windows issue of Apple Multitouch Trackpad, i.e. false detection of drag'n'drop actions;

4. Trackpad++ Control Module for adjusting the Trackpad settings.

Supported Macbook Pro generations: Early 2008, Late 2008, Early 2009, Mid 2009;
Supported Macbook Air generations: all generations;
Supported Windows versions: Windows 7 32-bit, Windows 7 64-bit (Boot Camp 3.1 shall be installed first).

You may visit http://trackpad.powerplan7.com for details.

Just by the way: there was an extensive beta-testing phase, and a lot of volunteers have tried Trackpad++ already, so I can assure You that the driver is rock-stable.

P.S. I wrote this driver. My another project is Power Plan Assistant - a popular utility for Boot Camp-enabled Macbook Pro and Air notebooks.

Cheers, and enjoy Trackpad++, something Apple definitely have had to implement a while ago... but I know and You know - it never would...

Posted on May 21, 2010 1:05 AM

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Q: A NEW TRACKPAD DRIVER IS OUT

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  • by easylivin8,

    easylivin8 easylivin8 Jan 9, 2014 12:35 PM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 9, 2014 12:35 PM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r

    Hey Vladimir. I'm the happy user of your drivers since 2012. I've decided to add a testimonial. A web site of your project doesn't come with such an option, so I'm landing here. Also I've got a couple of suggestions, if you don't mind.

    The recent version of the Trackpad++ is fantastic. In fact, my Boot Camp productivity is so poor with stock Apple trackpad drivers, so poor that I'd simply got rid of my Macbook Pro if you driver not existed. I'm using some specific software, so can't use OS X, and I had been distracted with Parallels, so I've no options but to use the Apple Boot Camp. With Trackpad++ I'm completely productive in Windows 8. I can confirm that three finger dragging has become better than in OS X! It clearly got the better balance between speed and precision, kind of win-win scheme between those two arguments. Thank you very much Vladimir for all of your AWESOME work! Keep it up, please!

    I've a suggestion: could you add an option to scroll infinitely, as seen on some PC touch pads. It' not an inertia, it's simply said the scroll that doesn't end unless the touch pad is touched. And another, general one: Vladimir, consider producing a sort of Youtube review of your driver to promote it. I had been shocked when I realized that of the dozen of Macbook owners I met last year nobody had heard anything about your brillant piece of software engineering.

    Take care.

    Paul

  • by V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r,

    V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r Jan 10, 2014 3:00 AM in response to easylivin8
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Jan 10, 2014 3:00 AM in response to easylivin8

    Dear All,

     

    Because of the mysterious unavailability of the web site of Trackpad++ project to certain providers/locations, I have created a new mirror site. It contains a complete clone of the original web site (http://www.powerplan7.com) and is maintained directly by me (Vladimir Plenskiy, author of the Trackpad++ driver software).

     

    http://www.bootcamp-utils.gmabooster.com

     

    By posting this, I confirm the validity of a given mirror site for both the Power Plan Assistant and Trackpad++ project.

     

    Cheers,

    Vladimir

  • by timelover,

    timelover timelover Jan 10, 2014 3:54 AM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jan 10, 2014 3:54 AM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r

    Wow Vlad, that´s creepy.

     

    Why would such providers/location have something against your excellent driver?

  • by FrederiQ,

    FrederiQ FrederiQ Jan 10, 2014 4:51 AM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 10, 2014 4:51 AM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r

    This isn't the competition of any sort, but I think I'm even "older" happy user of the Trackpad++: you could find me among the very first posts in this topic, as long ago as in 2010

    I don't feel like I have the right to suggest such things, but maybe it's time to start the new topic? The recent version of your Trackpad++ is the real blessing and IMHO it inherits none of the issues or problems that had been dissussed on the first pages and even in the middle of this topic. For example, there had been neither gestures for 3 fingers nor pinch to zoom, but now we have the configurable gesture heaven and up to 4 fingers. Or, driver installation had been manual and not obvious, but now it's of the same complexity as installing Angry Birds But a newcomer who reads the topic from the beginning may not get it!

  • by Dreamkiller711,

    Dreamkiller711 Dreamkiller711 Jan 10, 2014 9:52 PM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 10, 2014 9:52 PM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r

    Hi Vladimir, I found this project yesterday and am very happy with this discovery! However I didn't find a way to keep the "Test mode" not appearing on the desktop. I downloaded your fix and did the steps I found in the forum; changing language/locale to US English... I applied, rebooted few times and repeated. I even uninstalled PPA. Everything works when computer is in English, but when I switch back to French, the Test Mode text reappears What causes this?

  • by V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r,

    V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r Jan 11, 2014 12:04 AM in response to Dreamkiller711
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Jan 11, 2014 12:04 AM in response to Dreamkiller711

    @easylivin8: Thank you! About 'infinite scroll': it's actually already there, kind of. It's possible with a middle mouse button emulation: tap with 4 fingers, and in the programs like all browsers, office and in many others you'll notice the pointer has changed. Now sligthly move one finger and the infinite constant-speed scrolling starts. Note: this does not work in Windows File Explorer, and does not work in certain Windows 8 apps.

    About Youtube review: love the idea. Never created one in my life, though... Anyways, thanks for the very good suggestion!

     

    @timelover: I don't know why. It's mostly AT&T Uverse clients who are reporting the unavailability. I'm investigating, but so far the true reason remains in the dark. Hopefully the new mirror will work for everybody.

     

    @FrederiQ: Thank you very much. You are definitely, completely right. Although it's a pity to close this good old topic, this should be done in the near future.

     

    @Dreamkiller711: Could you contact me via email? With your small help I will try to add French language to a fix.

  • by JWort93,

    JWort93 JWort93 Jan 11, 2014 8:46 AM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 11, 2014 8:46 AM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r

    Would it be possible to implement the new precision touchpad feature in windows 8.1 in your trackpad++ driver? Here is a video of what I am talking about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0QOIWoTJYw It makes the trackpad in windows 8.1 very similar to OS X and much more responsive.

  • by V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r,

    V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r Jan 12, 2014 3:00 AM in response to JWort93
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Jan 12, 2014 3:00 AM in response to JWort93

    @JWort93: Thank you. I am aware of the precision touchpad initiative. A few comments:

    - Trackpad++ has already got all of the gestures and features that this initiative brings (and even more), with a single exception, which is the true smooth scrolling;

    - Please note that the precision touchpad is the collaborative effort between Microsoft and each vendor. Touchpad device hardware shall report it's that kind of device (precision touchpad) on the level of so called descriptors, and Apple has to change this in the trackpad firmware as the first step. Obviously Apple will never do it.

     

    By the way I have the hope to rework the scrolling engine completely during 2014, so we may finally get the same effect, just implemented and named differently.

  • by BodomTheVixen,

    BodomTheVixen BodomTheVixen Jan 13, 2014 10:47 AM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 13, 2014 10:47 AM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r

    Hi Vladimir,

     

    I've recently re-installed Windows and am starting fresh. I'm now on 8.1 and I have one issue, even after turning off digitally signed drivers, I still get the error "a digitally signed driver is required" for ppa_x64.sys.

     

    I have un-installed the Power Plan 7, disabled the digitally signed driver requirement and still seem to get this error.

  • by V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r,

    V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r Jan 13, 2014 12:13 PM in response to BodomTheVixen
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Jan 13, 2014 12:13 PM in response to BodomTheVixen

    @BodomTheVixen: Could you confirm that the command

    "bcdedit /set testsigning on" (without quotes)

    in an elevated command window succeeds. Also, could you let me know was EFI or BIOS emulation mode used for Boot Camp installation?

  • by BodomTheVixen,

    BodomTheVixen BodomTheVixen Jan 13, 2014 12:13 PM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 13, 2014 12:13 PM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r

    EFI was used and I'll run the command when I get home and update this post.

  • by pratnala,

    pratnala pratnala Jan 14, 2014 9:38 AM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 14, 2014 9:38 AM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r

    Hey Vlad, I wanted to ask why is that when mouse drivers are installed, some Trackpad++ gestures don't work? Is it possible for you to investigate this?

  • by V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r,

    V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r Jan 16, 2014 12:27 AM in response to pratnala
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Jan 16, 2014 12:27 AM in response to pratnala

    @pratnala: Yes, it's mostly back and forward navigation which gets somehow changed with third-party mouse drivers. This is not fair for the mouse manufacturers to make such changes, and I have no ideas how exactly this gets changed. In fact even Backspace key on the keyboard stops getting you back when Logitech or Microsoft mouse drivers are installed.

     

    @ALL: In 2014, does anybody still use Windows 7? For me it would be much more convenient to stop developing for 7 and continue with Windows 8.1-only driver. Because the next big feature I'm preparing will anyways be possible only in Windows 8.1. Not even in 8.0, only in 8.1

  • by Skye19,

    Skye19 Skye19 Jan 16, 2014 2:33 AM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 16, 2014 2:33 AM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r

    Hi Vladimir,

     

    If you could continue to develop for Windows 7 that would be great. I'm sure it's more work for you but I, and many others I know, still use and prefer Windows 7 for now.

     

    Please consider keeping Windows 7 supported! That would be much appreciated.

     

    Thanks for all your efforts.

  • by nybbles,

    nybbles nybbles Jan 16, 2014 3:55 AM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Jan 16, 2014 3:55 AM in response to V-l-a-d-i-m-i-r

    As much as I would love to update to 8.1. I actually prefer it. I must use Windows 7 for certain professional hardware that I currently have. Mainly a duplicator. My next Mac will boot camp with 8.1 or newer. But for now I must use 7.

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