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5th Mouse Button and Expose and Spaces

I've just installed the 10.6 upgrade and everything is wonderful except one thing, my 5th mouse button is assignable, but not recognized for spaces/expose. I can use my 5th mouse button in the finder and it acts as a left-click, so I know the OS is recognizing the input itself. But, when I assign the 5th mouse button to any of the expose or spaces it fails to activate said action. I prefer to use my 5th mouse button to activate spaces, I've assigned it that, clicked it, but nothing. Anybody else having trouble with this?

BTW, I am using a Microsoft Trackball Explorer.

MacBook Pro late 2008, Mac OS X (10.6), Microsoft Trackball Explorer

Posted on Aug 28, 2009 2:38 PM

107 replies

Dec 16, 2010 3:07 PM in response to Thomas Maccarthy

boot from Mac OS X Installation disc, start disc utility and repair permissions for OS drive, it works like a charm!

eexit

Level 1

0 points

Jan 19, 2011 8:54 AM in response to Thomas Maccarthy

Snow Leopard 10.6.6 fresh install still not work with Razer DiamondBack.

* Logout + login back works
* Moving .app doesn't work
* Repairing permissions from install disk doesn't work

Something else?

Thanks!

Feb 1, 2011 10:10 PM in response to eexit

Well, as the original poster of this topic I am happy to report that this issue is solved for me. Unfortunately, I read that for some of you this is still a problem. So, 10.6.6 solved the problem for me, clearly not for others.

Pi-R

Level 1

0 points

Feb 12, 2011 7:21 AM in response to Thomas Maccarthy

I had the problem since Leopard I guess. It's still here in 10.6.6
I'm desperate.

Mar 8, 2011 5:44 AM in response to Pi-R

I find it truly appalling that this is still a bug in the system. I know Apple has never been one to embrace multiple mouse buttons until much later than their competitors, but this has been a problem for TOO LONG! Ugh.

WroDo

Level 1

0 points

Mar 11, 2011 6:03 AM in response to Thomas Maccarthy

Hi all,

while developing a little application I ran in the same problem.

What I did (which didn't help):

- Disconnect Logitech Click! mouse, instead connect Apple Mighty Mouse (w/ cable)
- Deinstalling USB Overdrive
- Reboot
- Repair permissions
- Disabling PrefPanes

And today I tried something I didn't think would make a difference:

- Installed Logitech Control Center (didn't help)
- Deactivated LCC (helped)

Now I have not only mouse buttons 3 and 4, now I can choose even buttons 3 to 32. Not that my mouse does have 32 buttons...but now, Expose/Dashboard and my app work like a charm.

Yours, Heiko

My App:
http://wurst-wasser.net/t/r.php?u=HMG

monotaga

Level 1

4 points

Apr 20, 2011 10:14 AM in response to WroDo

WroDo, at this point, your solution (installing LCC, removing the LCC preferencePane) seems to work for me. I hope it continues to work! Thanks!

TerrL

Level 1

0 points

Apr 23, 2011 3:44 PM in response to monotaga

I tried installing LLC and then removing it, but it didn't seem to work for me. After I installed the LLC, I couldn't even get it to recognize my logitech G5 mouse. I'm thinking that might be why it didn't work?

Any one else successfully fix this bug with WroDo's suggestion?

eexit

Level 1

0 points

Apr 28, 2011 12:48 AM in response to TerrL

Hi,

The only thing which worked for me (logout + login back) doesn't work anymore for me.

Now, I need to unassign any mouse button to the Space shortcut, logout, login back and re-assign the mouse button. I just think there is a configuration cached file which it now refreshed or something like that...

Hey Apple, could you please repair your Spaces?

It also bugs with the application Twitter for Mac... *wake up Apple*!

Thanks!

monotaga

Level 1

4 points

May 2, 2011 11:23 AM in response to monotaga

A recent restart caused this to be an issue again. Deleting the com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist file and restarting works now. We'll see if it continues to work after a restart.

Jul 21, 2011 9:21 PM in response to monotaga

This is still an issue with 10.7 Lion.

Acid

Level 1

30 points

Jul 22, 2011 9:32 AM in response to Jesse Jackson1

For me it seems to be better with 10.7 Lion.

I've assigned mouse button 5 to activate Mission Control. So far it's working without any problems.

But I can only provide a real feedback after working some weeks with Lion.

Well, I'll update this post if the problem comes back in Lion.

Peragrin

Level 1

0 points

Feb 26, 2012 6:23 AM in response to Thomas Maccarthy

I have just discovered this bug however I have notice something else. Without any other mouse software installed mouse buttons 4 and 5 default to opening links in tabs in Safari.

Now I have installed a mouse gesture app to override this behaviour and it seems to be working, however the real solution will be to fix safari somewhere. I shall wander through the plist and see if I can find that **** setting.

xiver

Level 1

0 points

Apr 16, 2013 5:22 PM in response to Thomas Maccarthy

2013 and still the same problem, show desktop can't be asigned to any mouse key... If apply only would make a proper mouse this wouldnt be an issue, but noone normal can't work with lousy mice they provide

piioo

Level 1

0 points

Sep 26, 2013 1:30 PM in response to xiver

And it still isn’t fixed. Though something makes think it’s doesn’t really depend on Apple as before reinstalling my system I had the 5th button + Show Desktop combo working perfectly, mentioned issue started occuring only after a clean re-install. Anyone else experienced similar situation. Either way this continues to annoy many I suppose.

5th Mouse Button and Expose and Spaces