How do you use trackpoint?

I confess: after one month, I still cannot use the trackpoint seamlessly .

I always know that Thinkpad's trackpoint are one of biggest advantages, but how to use it, effectively?

A demo video will be much appreciated!

 

I don't have a link to a video demo, but I would describe its use thusly:

Rest an index finger on the trackpoint and shift your finger's weight to move the onscreen cursor. qweewq11 is right though. You might also have to adjust the sensitivity of cursor movements.

The main advantage of the trackpoint is that 1) your hands remain on the keyboard's home row, and 2) even large cursor movements require very little movement of your finger. This is why I love playing FPSs on my ThinkPad

 

It may help to increase the sensitivity of your mouse pointer...by a lot. This reduces the effort you need to put into moving the Trackpoint. If it helps at all, the Trackpoint is a strain gauge, and the device is measuring the change in voltage. Not sure if knowing what the Trackpoint is relevant to efficient usage, but it helped me understand what I was doing.

 

Type... a lot. You will come to appreciate the fact that your fingers stay on the keyboard while using the trackpoint. As a web developer, this is a godsend.

 

In addition to tweaking the settings (personally I have the touch and pointer speed maxed out), you can try different caps. I use a concave cap that I got off of ebay, I feel like it's much more grippy and responsive

 

Enable the middle button for scrolling... then press and hold it and move the trackpoint up and down (or left and right) to scroll. This is a great feature imo.

 

Thanks. This is very helpful. The advice to use the forefinger is very good. I was not using it and found it quite difficult to work the trackpoint. It's much easier with the forefinger. Also, I always thought it was possible to tap on the trackpoint to click. Obviously it is not or maybe I am missing something?

Thanks

 

You weren't using your index finger? What finger were you using xD

'Press to Select' can be turned on in the Control Panel

 

I did turn on the "Press to Select" but it does not seem to work. I'll try again. And, I was using my middle finger.

 

you lick it until it does whatever u want

 

I guess the trackpoint isn't as intuitive as I thought .

I guess the easiest way for you to naturally figure it out is to put your fingers on the home row and then place your thumbs on the mouse buttons for the trackpoint.

You will notice that the natural way is to use your index fingers (whichever one you want).

And then you just pivot your fingers and thumbs for use.

 

What I do is use my index finger to move the TrackPoint and rest my thumb of the same hand on the TrackPoint mouse buttons. I'm using it at the second-highest sensitivity now and it's perfect.

 

But that "Press to Select" is not working (at least for me). What I would ideally like to do is to use the trackpoint and when I get to a link or want to open a tab, I'd like to be able to tap it to open using the trackpoint. Even after fiddling around with the "Press to Select" it does not seem to work. I remember though that in my (very) old IBM era ThinkPad, this used to work very well. Maybe I'm missing something here.

 

Yeah, my "Press-to-Select" is not working, too!

 

I cannot get press-to-select to work either on my T400. Would love this to work as well.

Gary

 

which OS are you running?

 

I am running Vista Business 32bit that came with the system and thanks.

Gary

 

I am running Win 7 Pro.

 

I'm running W7 Ultimate

 

try the HP version of the synaptic driver, it activates some multitouch capability on your T400, R400, T500, T400 and W500 touchpad, it also enables the press to select function.

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp47501-48000/sp47816.exe

 

Thanks for HP version of driver. Do I need to uninstall something first before doing this and thanks.

Gary

 

Press to select is working for me for my T400.

 

Thanks but on Vista Business 32bit, mine does not work.

Gary

 

Does anybody have a good Trackpoint config for xorg?

 

Press-to-Select works on my T410, but its not really comfortable.. Basically, you have to lift your finger off completely and tap the trackpoint pretty hard.

Playing with the "Click Pace" settings for Press-to-Select doesnt seem to have a noticeable effect...

 

Yes, now, that I press a alot harder, my press-to-select does seem to work. Will play around with it and thanks.

Gary

 

I don't think it is worth using considering how hard you have to press. It usually gets the cursor going to the side as I try and press down.

 

Hi jaredy,



If you want to make changes to your TrackPoint settings, go here:<O </O
Control Panel --> Mouse --> UltraNav Tab --> TrackPoint Settings



I hope this helps,<O </O

 

I still wouldn't say it's worth it...you still have to lift your finger and tap it, where as your thumb is already on the regular button.

 

The stick is just too jumpy to be useful for clicking. One-click has about 50% of success rate, double-click almost never work for me. I have to agree it's not worth it.

 

I am aware of the settings, thanks. As far as I know there is no sensitivity option for the press to select, you have to tap on the nub pretty hard to make it click. Not really a usable mouse "click" to me when I can just press the actually mouse button with my thumb.

 

great driver. smoother than Lenovo's one. But I cannot scroll using trackpoint and middle button. How I can fix this?

 

the middle scroll button can be activated under the properties for the touchpoint and touchpad. So can the three finger press program shortcut.

 

Thanks again but do we need to uninstall the UltraNav app and the Touchpad drivers from Leno, both of these, before installing the HP version?

Gary

 

@lead_org: Thanks. I missed option "Scroll with the pointing stick" . Works fine now.
@huntnyc: I overwrote old driver without problems, just need a reboot

 

Thanks much and will give this one a try.

Gary

 

I never found press to select to be useful. I am sure that having my pointer at max speed is a factor. Anyone use the feature all the time?

And remember, when the trackpoint starts drifting, just keep your finger off of it for 3 seconds and it will stop. It took me months to realize this. I was fighting the drifting trackpoint all the time.

 

the trackpoint auto calibrates frequently which causes the drifting.

 

I actually found gpointing-devices to be reliable...Trust the GUI. It won't bite.

 

Still find the trackpoint (very) awkward to use. Very strange because at one time (this was a while ago) the trackpoint is the only thing I used to use. I guess using the Logitech Nano has spoilt me!!! But, I do need to get used to the trackpoint. Saves me from carrying an extra piece of equipment.

 

Thanks again for the tip on this driver - working smoothly. Only one glitche I know of is I cannot scroll my account reigsers in Quicken 2007 but other apps that I could not scroll in with the Lenovo version - I now can scroll in. Guess everything has a tradeoff.

Gary

 

After 3 months of trying, I feel so much comfortable with the trackpoint. It's extremely useful when I need to type a lot. Thank you, all of you