01-30-2012, 09:45 PM

New to Mac using iMac Lion 10,7 with magic mouse and have been trying to find a way to get a Back Button or something to duplicate this function.. Downloaded and installed Better Touch Tool but I am still having no luck!!
Has anyone out there have any clues...probably quite simple and I am being dumb..Help!!
Thanks
ronpeck

01-30-2012, 10:14 PM

I just use a single finger left swipe.

01-30-2012, 10:36 PM

Back in what App? Be default that is setup in system preferences - as dysfunction says - as a left swipe. Haven't messed with Lion and the Magic mouse but I would expect it under preferences under mouse (vs trackpad) as well.

If there is an App that needs a hotkey like cmd-left_arrow - you could use BTT to set that up. Note that there is a setting for the Magic Mouse vs the trackpad as well.

01-31-2012, 06:19 AM

Thanks for all your suggestions
The back button on a pc mouse works a bit differently
more like < > dash signs that shows up on the top left on Safari.
I don't know if a standard pc mouse will work on a Mac.. but then again there are other features I like about the magic mouse?
Any more suggestions would be welcome.. If I manage to work something out I will let everyone know
ronpeck

01-31-2012, 06:26 AM

you don't need better touch tool.

Just go into System Preferences - Trackpad/Mouse and look at the options - with accompanying videos and it'll show you the gestures for, amongst other things, "back"

01-31-2012, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by ronpeck

I don't know if a standard pc mouse will work on a Mac..

Any standard mouse will work on a Mac. I actually use a Microsoft mouse, along with a 3rd party driver to let me program my buttons to my liking.

01-31-2012, 05:28 PM

Thanks for your replays,
I will try to explain again my problem.
When I open up a hard drive with all the files listed, open a file then want to go back to the list the only way is to click on the < which is on the top left.. with a pc mouse I click the back button. this is much quicker if you are going in and out of files looking for something.
Been through sys. pref. the finger swipe works with pages but will not work as I described.
Thanks letting me know that Microsoft mouse will work I might have to go back to this.
ronpeck

01-31-2012, 05:36 PM

If you're talking about drilling down (and back out of) folders in Finder, you can use the left and right arrows on your keyboard. I don't have a Magic Mouse, so not sure what gesture would do that (if any).

01-31-2012, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by ronpeck

Thanks for your replays,
I will try to explain again my problem.
When I open up a hard drive with all the files listed, open a file then want to go back to the list the only way is to click on the < which is on the top left.. with a pc mouse I click the back button. this is much quicker if you are going in and out of files looking for something.
Been through sys. pref. the finger swipe works with pages but will not work as I described.
Thanks letting me know that Microsoft mouse will work I might have to go back to this.
ronpeck

You need a 3rd party driver to do this. With a mouse in particular, there's USB Overdrive and SteerMouse. I prefer USB Overdrive, but it appears to have ceased development. As of now, it does work in Lion though.

As for your Magic Mouse… you should try BetterTouchTool. It extends the multi-touch gestures to trackpads and the Magic Mouse. You should be able to do exactly what you are looking to do. It serves the same purpose as USB Overdrive/SteerMouse do for mice.

02-01-2012, 02:37 AM

I have discovered a
shortcut key combination which is programmed into iMac.Lion 10.7
Command { ...takes you back
Command } ...takes you forward
I have tried to get Better Touch Tool to recognise this combination with no success yet.
Will keep you posted.
ronpeck

02-01-2012, 05:59 AM

A three fingered swipe should do the trick for you if you are on a Trackpad, a two fingered swipe if you are on a Magic Mouse (as in this situation). You obviously will have to swipe to the left to go back, to the right to go forwards and, unlike lifeisabeach said, this should not require any third party programs.

Be aware that I am doing this on Snow Leopard, it has not been tested on Lion.

02-01-2012, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by ronpeck

I have discovered a
shortcut key combination which is programmed into iMac.Lion 10.7
Command { ...takes you back
Command } ...takes you forward
I have tried to get Better Touch Tool to recognise this combination with no success yet.
Will keep you posted.
ronpeck

It's Command [ and Command ]

I just tried out my MagicMouse. I've never used it… way too small for my liking. For some bizarre reason, BTT couldn't find it even though I could use it otherwise. But be sure you are entering the correct shortcuts.

USB Overdrive simplifies this a bit with regular mice. You assign the command "Back" as a universal setting for button 4, "Forward" for button 5. and it sends the appropriate keyboard shortcut for the open application. Usually it's CMD [ and CMD ] like for Finder and Safari, though there are exceptions. In those cases, just customize the action per app as needed.

02-01-2012, 11:00 AM

I had some trouble with the back/forward gesture on the trackpad and had to set it to two or three finger swipe, and only 3 finger swipe worked. I haven't used the Magic mouse in a while - but as I remember, it was usually 1 finger less for the same gesture. So it would probably 1 or 2 finger swipe left for back - and if it is the same problem - then you would have to use a 2 finger swipe even though 1 finger should work. That is in the regular preferences.

02-02-2012, 07:40 PM

I have way of achieving what I wanted now with key strokes, so I will close off this line of enquiry for now but I do want to thank you all very much for your interest and replies.
ronpeck

02-02-2012, 08:09 PM

OK - I finally got home and found my magic mouse. The issue is the default values are overriding the magic mouse - and it is missing a bunch of functionality making the magic mouse setup too simple. Anyway - with better touch tool you can setup a per-application gesture. So if you setup finder with cmd[ and cmd] - and set it to 3 finger swipe it works. Or as you said you can use keyboard shortcuts.

Personally - I hated how Apple used the -1 finger for the Magic mouse vs the trackpad - so I used BTT to make everything the same on both the Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad.

Attached is a screenshot of the setup I got to work with Better touch tool.