Not sure of the software you are using, however there is a way to make most if not all open applications
'zoom' by holding Control key then use scroll-wheel on a mouse. The Mouse preferences are in OS X
one location, depending on the version of Mac OS X involved. Older ones had Keyboard/Mouse together.
Also, some additional settings for mouse and keyboard are in the Accessibility (universal access) section
of System Preferences. Be sure to remember what shortcuts can be used. These sometimes are engaged
by accident and could cause some trouble until re-set to expected or default.
Some third-party mice do not need special settings for them to do this; somehow certain ones by default
allow the zoom to occur with the Control key + scroll wheel on mouse. With an Apple mouse, the Mouse
preference settings appear different and you can custom set even more. A third-party mouse appears to
be different in the System Preference panel for mouse or keyboard/mouse.
I have a few scroll wheel multiple button mice whose actions by default are much like the custom settings
in System Preferences> Mouse (or keyboard/mouse, in older OS X). So you may have options there in
addition to those in Accessibility. I haven't used the universal access or Accessibility settings to zoom.
Some software in older OS X versions play well with third-party mouse and allow default zoom by use
of Control + scroll wheel. I found Firefox to enable the zoom this way, while others did not.
Single button Apple mouse can use Contextual menu; a variant with two button + scroll-wheel can be set.
Check the settings in each of the applicable System Preference sections, Mouse (or Keyboard/Mouse)
and also those that allow for another kind of setting for Zoom in Accessibility.
So, at any rate, I'm not sure if anything I've written may be helpful in resolving your issue(s) but I have
been learning of work-arounds to new GUI issues with newer OS X, that hadn't been a problem before.
Good luck & happy computing! 🙂
