Getting back/forward mouse buttons working as default

[Eric Dunbar]

On Wed, 5 Jan 2005 01:40:47 +0000, Martin Alderson wrote:
> Is it possible we could have the backwards and forwards mouse buttons
> just _working_ when I plug a mouse in?

I was wondering the same thing... especially when the solution is so simple.

> At the moment they are totally wacked, which can only be fixed by
> running a cryptic set of commands and programs, from what I gather.
> 
> I'm using a wireless intellimouse explorer 2.0 (got it free as a
> warranty replacement) and it doesn't work by default. I have also got
> intellimouse explorer (wired) which broke, but still has working mouse
> buttons (apart from mouse1, which double clicks all the time).

No cryptic programs to install whatsoever! I don't know what the
reasoning is behind not activating all "seven" mouse buttons as a
default but I can only imagine that'll change soon.

For details on what to do, check out
http://www.ubuntulinux.org/wiki/ManyButtonsMouseHowto and the other
Ubuntu wiki.

To get forward-backward mice buttons active all you have to do is
modify your xorg.conf or XF86Config-4 and change the number of buttons
from 5 to 7! Voila, your two (left-right) + scroll-wheel/middle-click
+ two (forward-backward) mouse will be working.

Of course... if you want to *control* what these mice buttons do
you'll have to install the software referenced in the wikis.

PS The scroll wheel counts as two buttons: one for up, the other for down.

Eric.