Using the keyboard as a mouse.

[Stephen]

If you run into a problem getting your mouse to work you can use the keyboard as the mouse. Of course you must have the X Window System running first...

< Turning on the feature >

Press Shift + NumLock to turn the feature on.

< Moving>

Move the mouse using the 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 keys in your number pad. Take a look at your number pad, and you'll quite quickly figure out which key moves the mouse in which direction.


< Clicking >


Click by hitting the 5 key on your number pad. Double click by hitting it twice.

Click and hold by hitting the 0 key. To release, hit 5.

By default, hitting the 5 key will do a left click. You can select what button to click with the /, *, and - keys on your number pad:
/ Left click
* Middle click
- Right click

Note that these just select the mouse button. You still need to use 5 to click it.

Ok, "left click" is a bad term because you can configure your mouse the way you want, but by "left click" I mean "the mouse behavior that occurs when most people using right-handed mouse click the left button".

< Turning the mouse feature off >

Press Shift + NumLock again to turn this feature off.

[unamiccia]

Cool -- I can hardly wait until I have some mouse trouble to try this out!

Let me tack on a related tip. If you're on a mouse-challenged machine, try running IceWM, which allows you to do almost all of your window manager navigating with keystroke combinations instead of the mouse. Obviously, you have to take the time to learn the keystrokes, but once you have you may find that you love them, mouse or no mouse.

[paradocs]

Hi All,

I learn so much here, keep up the good tips!

My mouse even works at the same time.
The number pad mouse works well for
drawing as in Xfig. I expect it would be
useful to record the keystrokes to play
a game up to a certain point or to
automate mouse movements.

Best Wishes,
paradocs