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How to swap the mouse buttons?


VanguardLH

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I read the FAQ. Nothing in there.

 

I read the wiki. Nothing in there.

 

This forum software does not permit searching (until logged in). Before [creating an account, verifying it, and] logging it, I had to go to each page in this forum using the search in the web browser to see if anyone had previously discussed how to swap the mouse buttons. Nope, nothing there. So I created an account so I could get the ever so precious search function, searched on "mouse", but none of those articles discussed how to swap the mouse buttons.

 

Just used the updater to retrieve all the files (had to do twice since the updater did not retrieve thedarkmod.exe file during the first session) so I have the latest version available.

 

I am right-handed but prefer the mouse on the left side of the keyboard. Why? Because keyboards are lopsided. Both the numpad and arrowpad are on the right side of the keyboard. That means the keyboard to be in front of the user (as expected for proper touch typing without having to look at the keyboard) has the mouse way over to the right. That also means the right arm is not extended straight forward but at an outward angle to the right. That creates more fatigue. So despite being a rightie, I use the mouse on the left side of the keyboard so my arm extends straight forward to use the mouse.

 

I do have the mouse buttons swapped in the OS; i.e., the right button is the primary button and the left button is the alternate button. However, TMD does *not* honor that orientation. This is not the only game that ignores the user's preference in the OS and instead defaults to an ancient de facto standard that the mouse is on the right side of the keyboard. The game developers totally ignore righties that use the mouse on the left or lefties.

 

Do a simple test. Place your knuckles on a desk and extend out all fingers except the middle finger. With the middle finger folded under and its knuckle kept on the desk, you can raise all fingers except the ring finger. Well, with a 3-button wheeled mouse, the index finger will be on the primary button, the middle finger on the middle button, and the ring finger on the alternate button. So the lack of a mouse button swap function means a leftie player will have to use their ring finger because the game makes the left button the primary button rather than honor the orientation configured in the OS. The ring finger should NOT be used for the far more exercised primary mouse button.

 

So the Mouse applet in the OS lets me swap the mouse buttons. The game totally ignores that orientation. There is no swap mouse button function in the GUI config screens when I load TMD. There are games that initially ignore the orientation defined in the OS for the mouse buttons but they do have a means of swapping the mouse buttons. Either they have a "swap buttons" function or the user can reconfigure the bindings to reverse the default of primary and alternative mouse buttons. The latter looks possible in TMD; however, that means there is one orientation of mouse buttons during gameplay (that matches the button orientation defined in the OS) and a different orientation in the menus (which make them clumsier to use). While possible to get gameplay to use the same orientation as defined in the OS, the workaround is definitely not elegant.

 

Is there a valid reason the developers did not include a built-in function to swap the mouse buttons? Redefining bindings for use only during gameplay does not obviate that a swap function got totally missed in the GUI design for the menus. I have games that are ignorant of the OS orientation of the mouse buttons and it is always clumsy when orientation changes depending on which part of the game you are using.

Edited by VanguardLH
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the keyboard and mouse configurations are in the Darkmod.cfg file, just find the definitions for mouse 1 and mouse 2 and swap them around.

eg

bind "MOUSE1" "_attack"
bind "MOUSE2" "_impulse41"

 

becomes

bind "MOUSE1" "_impulse41"
bind "MOUSE2" "_attack"

 

this file is in the darkmod base directory with the TheDarkMod.exe file.

Edited by stumpy
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I have actually, honestly never thought about switching the mouse buttons. I occasionally use my left hand to use the mouse, because I lean on my right arm (e.g. when I scroll through 9gag) and never had any problems with the bindings on the mouse. But I also have to admit, that I only use 2 fingers on the mouse and handle the wheel with the middle finger, since I never encountered any instance, when I needed the mouse wheel and the secondary mouse button at exactly the same time. Anyways, I think the developers of the game have not incuded the "switch mouse button" in the menu, because they also did not think, that it is a needed feature. If they want to include it, I think they would need to redefine "mouse button 1" and "mouse button 2" to "primary mouse button" and "secondary mouse button". For a layman as myself it sounds simple enough, but I do not know, how much work this actually is...

 

BTW: Does the solution stumpy gave also work in the menus or is it just working during gameplay? Just curious and too lazy to test it myself.

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Regarding search, you can do a Google search across the entire publicly indexed site by adding "site:thedarkmod.com" to your query. Doing that revealed http://forums.thedarkmod.com/topic/10401-a-little-help-how-to-switch-mouse-to-left-handed/(but it doesn't solve your menu behaviour problem).

Edited by VanishedOne

Some things I'm repeatedly thinking about...

 

- louder scream when you're dying

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Is there a valid reason the developers did not include a built-in function to swap the mouse buttons?

 

Are you asking why the TDM devs didn't or Id software didn't? Because, well......we didn't make the game engine, Id software did.

 

As far as I know, around 15% of the world's population is left handed, and a large portion of those actually use the mouse in the right hand. I have 2 lefties at my work place and they both use the mouse just fine in the right hand to game and work.

It's such a small market that in the last 10 years of TDM development, the question has only come up one other time as far as I can recall.

 

If you want, Logitech's gaming software can change the mouse buttons, which should carry over to games.

I always assumed I'd taste like boot leather.

 

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i just checked the game and there is an option to change the mouse buttons from within the settings menu all you do is click on the hightlighted definition and click which mouse button you want to use instead.

 

or you could just edit the cfg file I mentioned above.

Edited by stumpy
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You counted? Impressive ;)

 

Yep. One by one, on my fingers. Because that's the only way to count words on a computer.

 

Yeah his/her issue is that those settings don't carry over to the in-game menu which still registers left mouse button as selection.

 

He should just learn Blender and he'll soon be used to using the secondary mouse button to click on things.

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I mentioned that the mouse button remapping (via the game's UI or in the .cfg file) is a solution to swap buttons within the game. I also mentioned that it is the game UI (menus) itself where those binding do NOT apply. I would like a consistent UI, not one that bounces the mouse buttons depending where in the game program I happened to be.

 

As for why I'm a rightie but use the mouse on the left, that was also mentioned but responders chose to omit that in their replies. I prefer a more ergonomic left position for my arm than extended to the right side of the lop-sided keyboard. The OS has had the mouse swap function for how long? And still some game devs choose to ignore it.

 

Yes, I'm verbose. Do you really expect posters here to merely encapsulate their target topic only within the Subject header and leave the body completely blank, or to repeat in the body in their post of only what they said in the Subject? That's rude. I gave reasons as to why I want to swap the mouse buttons. Guess that confused or irritated some respondents. I'd rather give full information up front instead of having respondents having to dig it out a piece at a time.

 

Summary: I still would like to swap the mouse buttons and everywhere in the game. I don't want them swapped only during game play but also in the game's UI (menus). I'd like a consistent interface. Yes, I am verbose.

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