MacBook Pro - Switching left/right buttons without mouse attached

absconded · absconded #1 (**permalink**)

05-29-2008, 07:35 PM

When I'm using my MacBook Pro at home, I use a bluetooth mouse with my left hand, and I set the primary mouse button to be "right" in the Keyboard & Mouse panel of System Preferences. However, more often than I'd like to admit, I forget to pack my mouse when I take my laptop with me somewhere, and then I'm stuck with all trackpad clicks being secondary-button clicks because the trackpad is always a left click. I have to use the two-finger trick on the trackpad every time I click to get a normal click, and it gets old fast.

The reason I have to do this (aside from my own forgetfulness) is that the mouse tab disappears from Keyboard & Mouse preferences when none is attached, thus preventing me from switching it back to having "left" be the primary button. Anyone know of a way, maybe a terminal command, of switching the primary mouse button assignment when that tab isn't showing up?

maceo · maceo #2 (**permalink**)

06-09-2008, 08:14 AM

Hi, I have the same problem and it is driving me mad. I found this command line:

defaults -currentHost write -globalDomaincom.apple.mouse.swapLeftRightButton -bool no

and then log out and in again. See if that works?

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MacBook Pro - Switching left/right buttons without mouse attached

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absconded #1 (permalink)
Member Since: May 29, 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 7 Mac Specs: 2.5 GHz MacBook Pro	05-29-2008, 07:35 PM When I'm using my MacBook Pro at home, I use a bluetooth mouse with my left hand, and I set the primary mouse button to be "right" in the Keyboard & Mouse panel of System Preferences. However, more often than I'd like to admit, I forget to pack my mouse when I take my laptop with me somewhere, and then I'm stuck with all trackpad clicks being secondary-button clicks because the trackpad is always a left click. I have to use the two-finger trick on the trackpad every time I click to get a normal click, and it gets old fast. The reason I have to do this (aside from my own forgetfulness) is that the mouse tab disappears from Keyboard & Mouse preferences when none is attached, thus preventing me from switching it back to having "left" be the primary button. Anyone know of a way, maybe a terminal command, of switching the primary mouse button assignment when that tab isn't showing up?
	QUOTE Thanks

maceo #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Jun 09, 2008 Posts: 1	06-09-2008, 08:14 AM Hi, I have the same problem and it is driving me mad. I found this command line: defaults -currentHost write -globalDomaincom.apple.mouse.swapLeftRightButton -bool no and then log out and in again. See if that works?
	QUOTE Thanks

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