PowerClicks documentation

 

 Version 1.2                                                                                                         July 1996 

©1996 Alessandro Levi Montalcini   Technical support, permissions, suggestions:
C.so Re Umberto 10                          Internet email: alm@torino.alpcom.it
10121 Torino                                   ftp://ftp.alpcom.it/software/mac/LMontalcini
Italy                                                ftp://ftp.alpcom.it/software/mac/LMontalcini/alm.html

• Introduction
◊  PowerClicks is a useful Control Panel that does the following things:
  - it can make a key combination act just like the mouse button;
  - it can make another key combination toggle the mouse button on and off;
  - it can assign graphical effects to mouse clicks.
◊  The mouse button key is useful if you have to use your PowerBook in a very silent environment, where even a trackball click is too loud; since the keyboard is a lot more quiet than the trackball button, you'll be able to use your trackball while other people are reading or even sleeping. You may also use this option to temporarily replace a broken mouse button on any Macintosh.
◊  The button-toggle key is useful if you want to use your PowerBook trackball with only one hand. I find it hard to move the ball while keeping the button down, and I often release the trackball button before the dragging is over. This can be very annoying when you are selecting a command from a menu (releasing the button makes your fingers move so the cursor slips away). Using the button-toggle key should make your life a lot easier: strike the key once and move the cursor where it should be, then take your whole hand away from the trackball and strike the key again.
◊  There are other situations where the button-toggle key can be useful:
  - drawing with the freehand tool in graphical applications;
  - walking through hierarchical menus;
  - making precise or large selections (icons, text or graphics);
  - moving icons and other objects on the desktop;
  - any other complex mouse drag you can think of.
◊  The graphical effects lets you see where both real and virtual mouse clicks occur. Many extensions and control panels create virtual mouse clicks to gain control over the environment - take a look at Now Utilities' Super Boomerang for a good example.

• Version history
◊  1.2 - Now freeware, rewritten for the latest Macs and Power Macs, removed the “disable mouse button” option for technical reasons.
◊  1.1.1 - Added pictures and a contents menu to the online documentation.
◊  1.1 - Changed a lot of code to bring PowerClicks up to date.
◊  1.02 - Minor fixes.
◊  1.01 - Added Control Panel and "Disable Mouse Button" option for broken mice.
◊  1.0 - First cut as a non-configurable system extension.

• Thanks to…
◊  Valentina Pavia, who tried to sleep while I played with my PowerBook (this is why I had to write PowerClicks in the first place).
◊  Fabrizio Oddone and Alberto Ricci, who did the beta-testing and gave lots of useful suggestions.

• Distribution
◊  This software is ©1994-96 Alessandro Levi Montalcini. It can be freely distributed as long as it is not modified and there’s no charge for it, but it may not be included in any commercial package without my consent.
◊  All online services and bulletin boards may make it available to their users at no charge other than the normal connection fees.
◊  All non-profit user groups may distribute it at no charge.
◊  All magazines may publish it on floppy disk or CD-ROM without asking me first, as long as I get a copy of the issue containing my software.
◊  All CD-ROM shareware collections and CD-ROM magazines may include it without my prior consent, as long as I get either a copy of the CD-ROM or an offer to buy the CD-ROM at a discounted price.
◊  All redistribution companies such as Pacific HiTech, AMUG, Celestin or Educorp may distribute it, as long as I get a copy of each media containing my software and a catalog of the company’s offerings (where applicable).
◊  You may find the latest version of all my shareware and freeware programs by anonymous ftp to ftp.alpcom.it, inside the /software/mac/LMontalcini directory. The ALM Share and ALM Free packages, which contain most of my stuff and can be registered at a very low price, are also available there.

• Disclaimer
◊  This software should never cause any damage, but you’re using it at your own risk. As an independent software developer, I can make no warranties whatsoever on it.

• Have fun!
◊  And don’t forget to register your shareware, so that more cool inexpensive utilities can see the light in the future.