HOWTO: Enabling Forward, Back Buttons, Logitech MX1000 Mouse

mac57 · 2007-08-20 14:44:15

Enabling Forward and Back Buttons, Logitech MX1000 Mouse
(and Microsoft Wireless Intellimouse Explorer, apparently)

Step 1: Get, Install evdev
==========================

First, use evdev as the Xorg mouse driver.
Get this module, install it, and make sure it is loaded each time you run Linux.

For Arch, this means:

# pacman --sync xf86-input-evdev

and adding "evdev" to the modules list in /etc/rc.conf.

Step 2: Modify xorg.conf to Use evdev as Your Mouse Driver
==========================================================

Next, in /etc/X11/xorg.conf, create an evdev-based input device that specifies your mouse:

# evdev based section for Logitech MX1000 mouse

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier  "Evdev Mouse"
    Driver      "evdev"
    Option      "Name" "Logitech USB Receiver"
    Option      "CorePointer"
EndSection

Note: then "Name" field above is important. Find out the name for your device via:

% egrep "Name|Handlers" /proc/bus/input/device

In the case of the Logitech MX1000 mouse, which is wireless, it is: "Logitech USB Receiver".

Step 3: Modify Xorg ServerLayout to Use Your evdev Mouse
========================================================

Now modify the Xorg server layout to use this mouse entry:

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Xorg Configured"
    Screen         0  "Screen0" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Evdev Mouse" "CorePointer"
# PS/2 Mouse not detected
# Serial Mouse not detected
EndSection

Step 4: Do Some Button Mapping for The Forward and Back Buttons
===============================================================

Now, add the following to your .xinitrc, or somewhere where it will be executed each time X starts:

% xmodmap -e "pointer = 1 2 3 4 5 8 9 6 7"

You will receive the warning:

Warning: Only changing the first 9 of 20 buttons.

Don't worry about this - it is normal.

Finally, to get those pesky Forward and Back buttons working in some Gnome apps such as Nautilus,
get and install xvkbd and xbindkeys. Now create file ~/.xbindkeysrc, containing:

# Mouse Buttons
"/usr/bin/xvkbd -xsendevent -text "\[Alt_L]\[Left]""
m:0x0 + b:6 
"/usr/bin/xvkbd -xsendevent -text "\[Alt_L]\[Right]""
m:0x0 + b:7
"/usr/bin/xvkbd -xsendevent -text "\[Left]""
m:0x0 + b:8 
"/usr/bin/xvkbd -xsendevent -text "\[Right]""
m:0x0 + b:9

and add the following to your .xinitrc, or somewhere where it will be executed each time X starts:

% xbindkeys

That is it! Simple n'est pas? :-)

Many, many thanks to Arch forum member MrWeatherbee, who provided most of the key elements of the above - thanks!

Last edited by mac57 (2007-08-20 14:46:29)

CavalierBob · 2007-08-20 15:07:10

Nice HOWTO!

You should add this to the Arch wiki: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Main_Page

Bob

Misfit138 · 2007-08-20 18:23:05

Actually, it's in the wiki already.
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Get … ns_Working

mac57 · 2007-08-20 18:52:20

Hi Misfit138, I agree that the general ideas are there already in the Wiki, but even after reading that entry, I was not able to get things working. The existing entry is not specific enough to the MX1000 mouse. So, although I have never contributed to a Wiki before, I think it is likely a good idea to do so in this case. I will make sure that the entry is very MX1000 specific. It will address a small audience, but it is one way of giving back a little to the community.

Arch Linux

#1 2007-08-20 14:44:15

HOWTO: Enabling Forward, Back Buttons, Logitech MX1000 Mouse

#2 2007-08-20 15:07:10

Re: HOWTO: Enabling Forward, Back Buttons, Logitech MX1000 Mouse

#3 2007-08-20 18:23:05

Re: HOWTO: Enabling Forward, Back Buttons, Logitech MX1000 Mouse

#4 2007-08-20 18:52:20

Re: HOWTO: Enabling Forward, Back Buttons, Logitech MX1000 Mouse

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