What's this Button for?

Ask most people what the third button on their mouse or trackball does and the usual answer is... not a lot! The reason for this is that few programs recognise the middle button on these particular devices.

I've been using a three-button trackball for some time now and had this problem. If by chance you're not familiar with trackballs, think of them as an upside down mouse. The ball is much larger, sits on top, and is rotated by hand. This means the case doesn't move, which can be great if you're short of space. I've yet to see a foot operated version... but there's a thought!

What helped me get the use of the middle button was a neat little utility... Cool Mouse 97.

Now there's an important point to remember here! Like ordinary mice or most other things attached to your computer, you have to have the correct "driver" file installed. For a three-button gadget to work you must have a three-button driver loaded. All this means is that you must follow the installation instructions provided by the manufacturer. This doesn't mean you can't use Cool Mouse without the extra button, but more about that later.

Most people want the middle button to register a double click and this program does that. What started as something that simple has expanded to provide an amazing range of options. You can really have fun with these features!

The best way to use the program is to set it to start running as soon as Windows loads. This places an icon into the tray area beside the clock. Double clicking on the icon brings up the Settings screen. Here you will find four tabs:-
Features : General : Caption : About.
Each tab is pretty self-explanatory and you will soon get the hang of things. You can switch the action of the middle button on the fly by right clicking on the tray icon at any time and changing features. As with all good programs, the Help file is excellent. A really great option is the ability to use the middle button features with an ordinary two-button device. Once this option is set you turn it on and off by using the Scroll Lock key on your keyboard. The About tab includes a cool graphic and gives all the version and contact details.

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