TrackPoint with Press-to-Select gives you the complete point-and-select function under one fingertip. You move the cursor to its target and then indicate "select this object" with a light, quick pressure of the same fingertip downward into the keyboard, without shifting your focus.
A double-click is, naturally, a double-press, with the same adjustable time constraints as for the usual double-click.
Optionally, if "Enable Drag" is checked on the control panel, you can drag objects on the screen, by simply holding the press. After a short time, only a very light pressure is needed to maintain the drag. Lift your finger off the TrackPoint to release the selected object.
Otionally, if "Release-to-Select" is checked on the control panel, you can indicate a selection by simply holding the normal down-pressure used in cursor movement until you reach the target object, and then lifting your finger quickly. If you follow the lift with a quick press, you get a double-click to launch an application.
You will notice that if you don't press exactly straight in to the keyboard, the cursor may twitch, but it will return to the position it had when you started the press, so you needn't worry about disturbing the cursor position when using press-to-select. Press with a single motion, without any 'warm-up' tap.
Of course, the gesture with which you indicate "select this object" must be different from the one you use to start moving the cursorfast. TrackPoint can't read your mind. It recognizes a sharp increase in pressure in a mainly downward direction as a press. A fairly small force is sufficient if done quickly; if applied slowly, no amount of force will be recognized. Just what is 'quickly' and 'slowly' is the main thing you can adjust to tune the TrackPoint to your personal style.
The TrackPoint Support software gives you two additional features which can be used with the TrackPoint or external pointing device. You can sellect either scrolling or magnifying glass as the feature that you want to use. You can use the TrackPoint both for pointing and the additional feature by using the center mouse button to switch its function.
The scrolling feature allows the user to scroll documents and windows automatically. The window that contains the cursor is selected as the target window for scrolling. When the user moves the selected device, the pointing device motions are translated to scrolling motions in the target window. Since the TrackPoint is a variable-rate 2D pointing device, the scrolling is also two dimensional and variable-rate. The TrackPoint or external pointing device will scroll web pages, text documents, list boxes, etc.
The magnifying glass feature emulates a magnifying glass in software. The magnifying glass is a window that magnifies the area underneath it. The selected device controls the location of this virtual magnifying glass. The user can move the magnifying glass around the whole screen as easily as moving the cursor. Since the magnifying glass and the cursor are controlled independently, the user can utilize this tool without interfering with the original mouse operations. An additional feature of the magnifying glass is that it allows mouse clicks to "pass through" to the underlying application.
Open the TrackPoint icon in the Control Panel to select the way you want to use your TrackPoint.
You can choose among several forms of Press-to-Select by checking the boxes.
This turns on the entire Press-to-Select function. If it is not checked, mouse clicks come only from the buttons.
If this is not checked, presses are only momentary - a click but no hold. Check it to get normal button function with Press-to-Select. At first, some users may 'grab' the TrackPoint more sharply than necessary in starting a cursor movement and get an unintended click, just as you might if you grabbed a mouse carelessly. If this is a problem for you, you might want to leave dragging disabled.
If this is checked, you can get a click simply by lifting your finger quickly off the TrackPoint, for example at the end of a pointing movement when you reach the target. Of course you have to remember to lift your finger more slowly when you don't want a click. This can save some effort and strain once you are used to it, but you may want to leave it disabled at first.
Press-to-Select only simulates one mouse button, normally the left button. If you use the Mouse control panel to reverse the mouse buttons, so that the right button is the primary button, this box lets
you change the Press-to-Select button to be the right button as well.
Adjusts the TrackPoint for your pace - how quickly do you move? A selection is a 'quick' pressure on the stick - how quick is 'quick'? If you're getting unintended clicks, you probably want to set this for
a quicker pace. It also determines how long the TrackPoint waits for the second click of a double click, and when a drag can begin to move. If you feel that you have to wait for the cursor to move after a click, you might also want to set it quicker. On the other hand, if you find that it's too hard to get a click, or that a double click is difficult, you might want to set it slower.
Remember that a click depends not on how hard you press, but on how quickly. This slider tunes the TrackPoint to your pace.
Enable Scrolling -- turn on the Scrolling or Magnifying Glass features.
Select Feature: Select the tool that you want to use.
Select which input device will be used for scrolling or magnifying glass positioning.
Adjusts the TrackPoint for your hand - how hard do you want to push? If it's too light, it's hard to control, if it's too firm your finger gets tired. Find the weight that's right for you, but be sure to try selecting small targets - for example, editing text - before you decide.
This control sets the force scale for both pointer movement and selection. It is a force control, not a speed control; because of the TrackPoint's transfer function, these are quite different. Speed control is available in the Mouse control panel, but it is recommended that this be used cautiously if at all with TrackPoint. Preferably, it should be left at its center setting.
Copyright IBM Corp. 1997