NOTE -- There is another question with a similar topic. That question has been stale for over six months. Thus, I created a fresh question. (I don't know how to link between question threads within LQ site ... but would like to learn.)

My laptop has an eraser-key mouse pointer thingy. There are three buttons. Left and Right work as expected. I want to scroll by holding the center button and pushing the cursor up or down, left or right.

How do I configure this for X11 in general?

Is the configuration for X11 or is it a Window Manager (KDE, Gnome, etc) issue?

Can I configure this for each application?
(Center-click=paste is nice in shell windows.)

Thanks,
~~~ 0;-Dan

In the mouse section

Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"

Is the line. You typically have two buttons; with a wheel you have three, and two directions of rotation. That line maps these, which gives scrolling. How you get an 'eraser thingy' out of a mouse intrigues me and perhaps you will enlighten us.

business kid,
mini-joystick thingies - like you get on proper laptops = "eraser thingies"

IG

(written on Thinkpad with said eraser thingy )

I'm sure these things have a proper name, but they look like the top of a pencil eraser stuck in the middle of the keyboard among G-H-B-N. You push it like a joystick to move the mouse cursor. The buttons are below the space bar.

My tablets only have this thing and the touch-screen stylus. My Dell D600 has both this thing and a touchpad.

QUESTION: I've heard that IBM calls them "Track Point". Is that their trademarked name or a generic term? Can someone tell me the "proper" name other than eraser thingy?

Cheers,
~~~ 0;-Dan

If I do this in xorg.conf does that make center-button-scroll work everywhere ... unless the application or something else does an X11 override?

~~~ 0;-Dan

That is an option for the third button on a mouse, e.g. a wheel mouse. I make no promises about little joysticks. Suck it and see.

While most folks who geek around are over the age of legal majority in most jurisdictions, that is not universal.
Whatever this was supposed to mean, it was lost on me and it sounds not appropriate either way.

Nuf Said,
~~~ 0;-< Dan

I see where you're going. That line is surprisingly innocent.

It means 'try the setup' which won't take long.