Magnetic Mouse

Performing the same motions, over and over again, can lead to Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI). Solitaire Till Dawn is addictive, and you may find yourself playing for hours on end. Although we’re delighted if you like the game that much, you need to be careful: the constant mouse-clicking and dragging can contribute to RSI.

Magnetic Mouse allows you to play solitaire without pressing keys or using the mouse button. It’s designed to help you avoid RSI by avoiding those repetitive motions. (You will still have to click or press keys occasionally, but not nearly as often.)

Turning Magnetic Mouse On and Off

Just select the Magnetic Mouse item in the Other menu to turn the feature on and off. The menu item will have a checkmark when Magnetic Mouse is turned on.

Using Magnetic Mouse

To pick up cards with Magnetic Mouse, just position the mouse over the upper-left corner of a card, where the card’s rank and suit are displayed. Now hold the mouse still, and wait for a fraction of a second; then the cards will be picked up. Remember, don’t click the mouse button!

(See picture: Picking Up Cards.)

If the mouse is moving, the cards will not be picked up; this helps prevent picking up the wrong cards by accident as you sweep the mouse past them. You must hold the mouse motionless over the upper-left corner of a card in order to pick it up.

You can tell when you have the mouse in the right spot, because the rank and suit of the card will be highlighted. If you don’t see the highlighting, something is wrong: perhaps the cards are not available and can’t legally be picked up, or perhaps Magnetic Mouse is turned off, or you may not have the mouse in the right spot.

You will also be able to tell when the cards have been picked up: they will appear to float just a little above the other cards, and if you have sound turned on you’ll hear the cards being picked up.

Now you can drag the cards wherever you like. As usual, legal destinations for the cards will be highlighted as you drag across them.

To drop the cards, hold them motionless over a highlighted destination. After a brief pause, they will drop onto the destination. If the mouse is moving, the cards will not be dropped; this helps prevent dropping them on the wrong destination by accident as you drag them past.

If you change your mind while dragging, or if you can’t find a legal destination, you’ll want to return the cards to the place where you picked them up. Do this by clicking the mouse or by pressing any key on the keyboard.

To Deal from the hand, hold the mouse motionless over the “number square” near the upper-left corner of the Hand. The Hand will highlight when the mouse is in the right spot. After a brief pause, the deck will deal once, as though you’d clicked one time.

If you want to deal again, you must first move the mouse away from the number square, and then back again.

Avoiding RSI and Other Health Problems

Magnetic Mouse can help you avoid RSI, but it certainly isn’t a complete solution. If you use your computer for long periods of time, you should consult a doctor for advice on staying healthy. Your chair, posture, desk height, monitor placement, lighting, keyboard, mouse or pointing device, typing habits, and other factors can contribute to computer-related injuries.

Even just holding the mouse and moving it around without clicking is not a good thing to do for extended periods of time. We recommend taking a break from the computer at least every hour or so. Again, consult a doctor for the best advice.