How to get middle mouse button (CAD Mouse wireless Pro) recognized on Mac

Questions and answers about 3Dconnexion devices on macOS.

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MikeJamesAnchorage
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How to get middle mouse button (CAD Mouse wireless Pro) recognized on Mac

Post by MikeJamesAnchorage »

I have the CAD Mouse wireless pro, and am using it on a Mac. (Latest Monterey OS)

None of my software seems to acknowledge that the middle mouse button is a "middle click". (only recognizes a "click") Is there any way to get the Mac OS to recognize what a "middle click" is?

Thanks in advance for any tips.
ngomes
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Re: How to get middle mouse button (CAD Mouse wireless Pro) recognized on Mac

Post by ngomes »

MikeJamesAnchorage wrote: Wed Jul 20, 2022 7:05 am None of my software seems to acknowledge that the middle mouse button is a "middle click". (only recognizes a "click") Is there any way to get the Mac OS to recognize what a "middle click" is?
What software are you testing this with and how?

You can try using the Mouse Test hosted by Online Mic Test. A middle mouse button should register as the wheel button on that page.
Nuno Gomes
MikeJamesAnchorage
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Re: How to get middle mouse button (CAD Mouse wireless Pro) recognized on Mac

Post by MikeJamesAnchorage »

The most important use case for me, at this time, is within "MODO", the 3D software I use. The middle mouse function is part of a selection method that I can't use at this time.

Previously, I've been using a Wacom tablet, and their control panel in System Preferences, lets me set one of the pen buttons as "middle click". However, the 3D Connexion setup panel has no such option.http://www.mikejamesmedia.com/media/3dc ... _panel.jpg
ngomes
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Re: How to get middle mouse button (CAD Mouse wireless Pro) recognized on Mac

Post by ngomes »

MikeJamesAnchorage wrote: Wed Jul 20, 2022 2:56 pm the 3D Connexion setup panel has no such option.
In macOS, a "middle mouse button" is often referred to as "button 3".

Try assigning the "Click Button 3" action and see if that will do what you expect.
MikeJamesAnchorage
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Re: How to get middle mouse button (CAD Mouse wireless Pro) recognized on Mac

Post by MikeJamesAnchorage »

Thank you. (I've been using Macs since the Apple II, and have never heard that "button 3" phrase before...)

That didn't work. But, I found that if (using the 3D Connexion panel in System Preferences) if I program the mouse wheel button to "button 3", that works. For now, that's an ok workaround, while I continue searching. Thanks again.
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Re: How to get middle mouse button (CAD Mouse wireless Pro) recognized on Mac

Post by ngomes »

MikeJamesAnchorage wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 12:44 pm That didn't work. But, I found that if (using the 3D Connexion panel in System Preferences) if I program the mouse wheel button to "button 3", that works.
Are you positive the middle button of your CadMouse hasn't some sort of hardware issue?

If you got it to work with the wheel button, then it should work with the middle mouse button.

One way of checking is just to plug in your CadMouse (a USB cable will work fine) to a different machine and see if the middle mouse button operates as expected.

If there is a hardware problem, you may be entitled to a replacement if your device is under warranty.
MikeJamesAnchorage
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Re: How to get middle mouse button (CAD Mouse wireless Pro) recognized on Mac

Post by MikeJamesAnchorage »

Thank you for continuing to try and help!

I've attached two screenshots. The first one shows the middle button setting, and the second one shows the scroll wheel button settings. As you can see, they're both the same. However, when I test it in MODO, only the wheel button has the desired effect. (selection of back-facing polygons)

I can't prove that this is a hardware defect. It may just be the way that MODO interprets mouse button presses.

Image

Image
MikeJamesAnchorage
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Re: How to get middle mouse button (CAD Mouse wireless Pro) recognized on Mac

Post by MikeJamesAnchorage »

PS>

I did try the "Mouse Test" page you previously linked, on both Safari and Chrome, and it only registers the left mouse click. So, since I've been using this mouse for a few weeks now, I know this test (at least on my Mac) is not accurate. (I'm running the latest Mac OS, and the latest versions of those browsers.)
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Re: How to get middle mouse button (CAD Mouse wireless Pro) recognized on Mac

Post by ngomes »

MikeJamesAnchorage wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 8:41 pm I can't prove that this is a hardware defect. It may just be the way that MODO interprets mouse button presses.
The application has no way to tell one physical button from the other: if the assigned action is "click button 3", then the buttons are the same as far as the target application is concerned.

If you can, try using the mouse in a different machine. For example, a web browser on a Windows machine has support for the middle mouse button. If you use your CadMouse (cable connection will work fine) and the button does not work, then it is likely a hardware problem. There is no need to install the 3Dconnexion software on the test machine: the middle mouse button should work out-of-the-box (without the 3Dconnexion drivers).
MikeJamesAnchorage
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Re: How to get middle mouse button (CAD Mouse wireless Pro) recognized on Mac

Post by MikeJamesAnchorage »

I sincerely appreciate your continued effort to help. I'll try what you suggest, but can't do it until later this evening, when my housemate returns. (He as a Windows PC.) I'll let you know the results here, either way.

Thanks again!
MikeJamesAnchorage
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Re: How to get middle mouse button (CAD Mouse wireless Pro) recognized on Mac

Post by MikeJamesAnchorage »

Short version is "Resolved!" Yay! But...

I don't have an answer as to the "why". I tried readjusting some settings in the CAD Mouse preferences, with no effect, and so I reset to yesterday's preferences. Then I opened MODO, and ...voila! It works as it should. My best guess as to why is pretty random... a "glitch" somewhere?

Anyway, I'm happy to have this functionality with the CAD Mouse, and am throughly enjoying my new "Space Mouse Enterprise", too. (My one small complaint is that, as other users have mentioned, I think the Space Mouse should turn off it's display when the computer sleeps.)

Thanks again very much to ngomes for sticking with this, to try and help me. I appreciate it! :)
MikeJamesAnchorage
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Re: How to get middle mouse button (CAD Mouse wireless Pro) recognized on Mac

Post by MikeJamesAnchorage »

Correction... "Sleep" mode on the Space Mouse Enterprise is now working too.

Excellent products.
leochad
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Re: How to get middle mouse button (CAD Mouse wireless Pro) recognized on Mac

Post by leochad »

It should be simpler to close browser tabs or send the middle click to distant computers in remote desktop with the middle click.
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