Frequently asked questions

I. Mouse button conflicts

Using left mouse button conflicts with making text selections

Unfortunately, there's no ultimate solution. However, you can fine-tune your settings in the MozGest preferences panel to make text selecting a bit easier. You have three options:

For the back and forward gestures, you can set a time limit after which the gestures are cancelled automatically, and you can continue to select text. [since version 0.3.5 RC3]

Cancel gestures when making a text selection by pausing before releasing the mouse button. The delay is configurable.

Configure MozGest to use a mouse button other than the left mouse, or to require a modifier like the control key.

With left mouse button, I can't start gestures while cursor is over a link

Draging a link with left mouse button is used by Mozilla for drag-and-drop functions (for example, you can drag a link to your personal toolbar). You have two options:

Start your gesture next to the link and then drag over it

Choose another mouse button for gestures or a modifier key (Preferences | Advanced | Mouse Gestures)

Unix/Linux: Middle click tries to open selected URL, so I can't do gestures.

Add this line to your ~/.mozilla/default/xxx.slt/user.js file (create it if it doesn't exist):

user_pref("middlemouse.contentLoadURL", false);
Middle click paste into text fields is not affected, because gestures can't be started over input fields.

Unix/Linux: Right mouse button immediately opens context menu.

Unfortunately, this is hard-coded into Mozilla, as context menu on mousedown is the standard behaviour in Unix/Linux, and difficult to deal with for us. See bug 2819 for our progress on this issue. If you build Mozilla yourself, there's a simple patch available.

II. Gesture recognition

I can't make a gesture. It always says "Mouse Gesture aborted".

You're cancelling the gesture by holding the mouse button down after you stop moving. This allows you to cancel a gesture if you want to. Try letting go of the mouse button before the mouse comes to rest, or increase the delay setting in the preferences panel.

Gestures are recognized incorrectly (1, 3, 7 or 9 appear)

The numbers represent diagonal movements. You can fine-tune their tolerance in the preferences panel (Preferences | Advanced | Mouse Gestures | Additional settings). The default value of 60 gives equal weight to diagonal and left/right/up/down gestures. Decreasing this value makes L/R/U/D more easily recognized while increasing it makes diagonal gestures more easily recognized. If you set the value to 0 then diagonal gestures will be effectively disabled.

III. Configuration

I don't see "Mouse Gestures" in preferences.

If you're using Quick Launch, the preferences should show up after reboot.

Another possibility is that you have a version older than 0.3.3 and are using a 1.0+ Mozilla build. In that case, install a newer version.

Phoenix users: this issue has been fixed in version 0.3.5.

How do I disable a particular gesture or add my own?

A simple way to do this is planned for one of the next releases. Until then, see the technote at http://optimoz.mozdev.org/gestures/technotes/ on customizing gestures. Although it requires light javascripting, don't hesitate to try it out - it's possible even for non-programmers.

How do I disable Rocker Gestures in 0.3.5 Final?

Open the file mozilla-directory/chrome/mozgest/content/mozgestOverlay.js.

Search for mouseButtonsPressed[e.button] = true; or go directly to line 284.

Put two forward slashes ( // ) at the beginning of the line.

Save the file and restart Mozilla.

In the next release, we will include a preference setting for rockers.

IV. Installation / Uninstall

Unix/Linux: I can only install as root, help!

Permission issues in mozilla/bin/chrome are a larget issue with the Mozilla XPI system. Installing as root and chmod -R *' in the mozilla/chrome/mozgest directory will help non-root users use chrome add-ons. Exact details follow:

Launch mozilla as root and install Mouse Gestures.

Then issue the following commands:

cd mozilla/chrome/mozgest #Note: up to you to figure out where the mozilla directory is

chmod -R 755 * #Issue command as root

Unix/Linux: Uninstall alerts me that the "mozgest" directory was not deleted. Now what?

Launch mozilla as root and repeat the uninstall.