How to turn off the touchpad?

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I have a 13" MacBook Pro. Using both the Mighty Mouse and sometimes a Logitec or Microft BT Mouse.

Is there a way to turn off the track pad when I am using the mouse. Its very annoying to be tying along and then notice everything is gone or the words are somewhere other than where they are supposed to be - caused by a finger flashinf over the touch pad.

I have looked in settings, nothing there. Done a search, nothing that I could find. Even tried Gogole and that was also nada. I am about to think Apple forgot this little feature.

Thanks in advance.
 
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It should be in settings.

System Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Trackpad Tab > "Ignore trackpad when mouse is present"
 

vansmith

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That might be under System Preferences > Trackpad > "Ignore trackpad when mouse is present" depending on what version of OS X you're using (I think Apple moved things around in a 10.5.x update).
 

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I have looked in settings, nothing there. Done a search, nothing that I could find. Even tried Gogole and that was also nada. I am about to think Apple forgot this little feature.

Thanks in advance.

Of course you can control the trackpad settings go to:

Apple Menu > System Preferences > Trackpad > Trackpad Gestures

Then select or deselect whatever trackpad settings you want.

- Nick
 
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Thanks for the suggestions, but I have looked there. Not an option under 10.5.8. No option to ignore the trackpad in either the Mouse or Touchpad.

Getting really annoying.
 

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Thanks for the suggestions, but I have looked there. Not an option under 10.5.8. No option to ignore the trackpad in either the Mouse or Touchpad.

Getting really annoying.

Believe me it's there! You got 3 responses to your question...and you basically got the same answer from all three people.

- Nick
 

vansmith

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Believe me it's there! You got 3 responses to your question...and you basically got the same answer from all three people.

- Nick
I agree. I'm running 10.5.8 and under System Preferences > Trackpad, there is an option (at the very bottom) labeled "Ignore trackpad when mouse is present".
 
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Sorry, but there is nothing there that allows me to turn off the track pad. Trust me. I am not stupid or computer illiterate. Been using apple since the IIe in 1983. Also have a PowerBook G4 and a 19 in iMac on order. Been using PCs for years and years, so I kinda know my way around.

Under the Apple drop down>System Preferences>

Large box opens. Second row is Hardware. Hit the Trackpad icon.

Along the top "Tracking Speed" "Scrolling Speed" and "Double Click Speed"

On the left under these three bars, I have One finger, Two fingers, Three Fingers and Four Fingers and a video on the right showing what the fingers do. Nothing else.

Tried the help menu and it said go into Keyboard and Mouse and select Trackpad. I have "Keyboard" "Mouse" "Bluetooth" and "Keyboard Shortcuts" No "Trackpad" option.

I have Apple set up to call me tomorrow afternoon.

I have Apple tech support set up to call me tomorrow.
 
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dubdub is correct. i'm running 10.5.8 on my MBP 15" and there is no option to turn off the trackpad.

Picture 1.png
 
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Not available June'08 MBP (Pre uni body) running OSX 10.5.8. either.
There are many differences from Keyboard layouts to trackpad options on the MacBooks and MacBook Pros.

Please take it easy guys, the owners know what they have and haven't got available.
Bit like the F7 to F9 media keys on my original MBP that someone suggested I couldn't have :D
 
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We must be the only ones with this ability then! :)
 

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Thanks for the suggestions, but I have looked there. Not an option under 10.5.8. No option to ignore the trackpad in either the Mouse or Touchpad.

Getting really annoying.

Like "Vansmith" mentioned above...there's a option in the "trackpad" preference window (a check box) to select or deselect "Ignore Trackpad when Mouse is Present".

I'm running OS 10.5.7. "Vansmith" is running 10.5.8....and we both have the same trackpad option available...so it doesn't seem to matter whether it's OS 10.5.7 or 10.5.8.

Sounds like not all laptops have the same trackpad control options.

- Nick
 
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I have a second-gen MacBook (white) running 10.5.8, and the option is available for me. Sucks to be you guys, lol.
 
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So now you believe me. What is the solution or is there not one?
 

pigoo3

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So now you believe me. What is the solution or is there not one?

Let's use logic:

The members that agreed with you...said that the option does not exist!

The other members say this option does exist on their laptops.

So if you do not have this option in your "Trackpad" window...then I guess the answer is...the option does not exist for you on your particular laptop!:(

- Nick
 
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unless somebody knows which file ticking the box changes and wants to find out if editing the same file in the same way will also do the trick?
 

pigoo3

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unless somebody knows which file ticking the box changes and wants to find out if editing the same file in the same way will also do the trick?

Well...I'm not sure how many users out there in the world are capable, interested, or confident enough to tackle this job.

And I'm guessing that when Apple wrote the code for the "Trackpad" preferences...I figure they eliminated this feature for a reason.

And besides...as you probably know, when editing a file...one error...and you can mess everything up BIGTIME!

- Nick
 
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Spent 45 minutes on the phone with Apple this afternoon. Conclusion is there is no real fix. Techie didn't know if Snow Leopard will fix it or not.

Tried to drop some code in Terminal but that didn't work either.


Open Terminal and input following command:

"defaults write -g com.apple.mouse.ignoreTrackpadIfMousePresent 1"

1: Disable Trackpad (Ignore)
0: Enable Trackpad
Log out and log in again then it will take effort.


Enable/Disable Trackpad on New MacBook | Laughing Means A Lot To Me
 

pigoo3

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Open Terminal and input following command:

"defaults write -g com.apple.mouse.ignoreTrackpadIfMousePresent 1"

1: Disable Trackpad (Ignore)
0: Enable Trackpad
Log out and log in again then it will take effort.


Enable/Disable Trackpad on New MacBook | Laughing Means A Lot To Me

Hey...good job trying to modify the program. Too bad it didn't work.

Also...thanks for the link! The picture of the trackpad settings about 33% down the page is exactly what I see in my track pad settings window.

Most importanty...as I'm sure you saw...it has the option to select/deselect the "Ignore Trackpad When Mouse Is Present" ability.

Good luck

- Nick
 

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