Unit 8. Configuring the Mouse

The mouse is a tool that is used constantlly and it is recommendable to have it set up to our needs as well as possible. In the following page we show you how to set it up to your own needs.

The Buttons

Select the Control Panel from the Start menu. Now select Printers and Other Hardware and double-click on the mouse icon and the Mouse properties window will open, as in the example below. On the Buttons tab you can adjust the set up of the mouse to suit your needs.

By default the left mouse button executes the drag and select functions. This, however, can be uncomfortable if you are left handed. WindowsXP allows you to change the configuration of the buttons so that the right button realizes these functions. To switch the button functions select the option Switch primary and secondary buttons. We can also adjust the Double-click speed by moving the arrow to the left, for a slower double-click, or to the right, for a faster double-click. If you want to be able to drag an object without having to hold down the mouse select the option Turn on ClickLock.

To practice this operation we suggest you do the Buttons Exercise

The pointer

On the Pointers tab we can choose the type of pointer the mouse is to have when it moves, when it is busy, when it is used, etc. In the Scheme option choose the group of pointers you like best. In the Customize section there is a list of the different movements with their respective pointers. If you do not like a pointer you can change it by selecting it, clicking on search, and once you find the pointer you like, Click OK. You can create your own combination of pointers and save it with its own name. Once you have the style set up, click on Save as and giving it a name. Now when you want to use it you simply need to look for it by the name you gave it. Just as new styles can be created they can also be deleted by selecting the style and clicking Delete. If you modify any of the predetermined styles and you wish to use the original, click on Use default and the style will go back to its original set up.

To practice these operations we suggest you do the Pointers Exercise