Just got my first mac. Disable touchpad?

[xdunlapx]

Hi! I am so excited to have my new macbook pro 13". I need to figure out how to disable the touchpad when an external mouse is plugged in. I have ML and checked both the mouse and trackpad settings but I don't see that option anywhere. Any help would be appreciated.

To be honest I may not even have to disable it. The palm detection on this mac is exceptional. On windows laptops it constantly moves the mouse when I am typing even when I have palm detection set to max. But I would like to disable it just because I don't intend to use the trackpad unless I don't have a mouse to use.

Thanks!

 

[Stanley]

Hi! I am so excited to have my new macbook pro 13". I need to figure out how to disable the touchpad when an external mouse is plugged in. I have ML and checked both the mouse and trackpad settings but I don't see that option anywhere. Any help would be appreciated.

To be honest I may not even have to disable it. The palm detection on this mac is exceptional. On windows laptops it constantly moves the mouse when I am typing even when I have palm detection set to max. But I would like to disable it just because I don't intend to use the trackpad unless I don't have a mouse to use.

Thanks!

I just use trackpads all the time. Mine has about 30 gestures on it. Don't miss the PC mouse one bit.

 

[pigoo3]

Hi! I am so excited to have my new macbook pro 13". I need to figure out how to disable the touchpad when an external mouse is plugged in. I have ML and checked both the mouse and trackpad settings but I don't see that option anywhere. Any help would be appreciated.

Here's how you do it. Go to:

- Apple Menu
- System Preferences
- Universal Access
- Click on the "Mouse & Trackpad" tab (upper part of window)
- Click on "Trackpad Options" (bottom of window)
- Check the box that says, "Ignore Built-in Trackpad when mouse or wireless trackpad is present".

HTH,

- Nick

 

[xdunlapx]

Seeing as how wonderful this trackpad is I may not want to disable it. I literally just opened the mbp box, and plugged it in and here I am. I think I've been using it for about 15 minutes now. I guess I don't need to disable the touchpad since it isn't messing up my scrolling, clicking with the regular usb mouse, etc. It's so far been an excellent experience! I'm thrilled!

I love the feel of the chiclet keys. And they aren't loud when typing! Very quiet indeed. I have to say that I truly feel good using this computer. It's a little small compared to my 17" dell but I'm sure I'll get used to that in no time. I was able to get a more powerful machine (sort of -- this isn't quad core) and more ram than I would have had I chosen the 15" due to money constraints. But I'm happy so far. I got the 256GB SSD instead of the 500GB HDD and double the ram (to 8GB). So this machine I'm sure will last me quite a while. I did get apple care when I bought the machine. And I will be putting this laptop on the home owners insurance since they are so expensive. So hopefully that would cover accidents such as liquid spills, dropping it, etc.

I did have to change the scroll direction from "natural". I can understand using the trackpad and needing it to scroll that way but on a mouse it's different, at least to me. Seems weird to try to scroll up and it goes down.

 

[xdunlapx]

Here's how you do it. Go to:

- Apple Menu
- System Preferences
- Universal Access
- Click on the "Mouse & Trackpad" tab (upper part of window)
- Click on "Trackpad Options" (bottom of window)
- Check the box that says, "Ignore Built-in Trackpad when mouse or wireless trackpad is present".

HTH,

- Nick

I don't see Universal Access under System Preferences. I see Personal, Hardware, Internet and Wireless, and System. And no icon listed in any section is Universal Access. I have two settings: one for mouse and one for trackpad. Neither of those options have a way to disable the trackpad when a mouse is plugged in (or to disable it period).

 

[pigoo3]

I don't see Universal Access under System Preferences. I see Personal, Hardware, Internet and Wireless, and System. And no icon listed in any section is Universal Access. I have two settings: one for mouse and one for trackpad. Neither of those options have a way to disable the trackpad when a mouse is plugged in (or to disable it period).

I'm running OS 10.7...I'm guessing you're running OS 10.8. "Universal Access" I think was renamed "Accessibility" in 10.8.

- Nick

p.s. Just a hint. Please include your OS version in your profile...this can sometimes help with questions.

 

[xdunlapx]

Yes I'm running ML 10.8 Thanks! I never thought to look in Accessibility. Ok It's disabled when there is a mouse present. Thanks!

 

[pigoo3]

Good Deal!

- Nick

 

[xdunlapx]

Now, how do I take a screenshot? I don't see an app able to do that in the Finder/Apps nor in the Utilities folder. Do I have to download one from the App Store?

 

[pigoo3]

Now, how do I take a screenshot?

Don't forget about Google. Many questions can be easily & quickly answered with a quick search.:

Taking Screenshots in Mac OS X - Mac Guides

- Nick

p.s. Not trying to discourage questions...but doing a search may provide a quicker answer for you as well.

 

[xdunlapx]

Oops, you are right. I'm sorry. But I did search the forum and didn't see any related threads so that's why I asked.

 

[pigoo3]

Oops, you are right. I'm sorry. But I did search the forum and didn't see any related threads so that's why I asked.

Ohh don't worry...this question has been asked previously about a million times. Sometimes the search feature is hard to sort thru.

- Nick

 

[xdunlapx]

Actually I decided to see how I liked the touchpad... I unplugged my mouse and I'm really enjoying the touchpad. I just learned that I can go backwards in the web browser history by using two fingers and swiping left. Neat! Has that been a feature of OS X since before ML? I've never used OS X before and my first time with it is in ML. I'm very impressed. I may not need my mouse anymore

I am getting used to the clicking action on the trackpad. The entire trackpad isn't clickable, just roughly the bottom half is where it is the easiest. So that'll take some getting used to. But since this whole experience (using a macbook versus Windows machine) is new to me it shouldn't take long to adapt.

 

[Stanley]

Actually I decided to see how I liked the touchpad... I unplugged my mouse and I'm really enjoying the touchpad. I just learned that I can go backwards in the web browser history by using two fingers and swiping left. Neat! Has that been a feature of OS X since before ML? I've never used OS X before and my first time with it is in ML. I'm very impressed. I may not need my mouse anymore

I am getting used to the clicking action on the trackpad. The entire trackpad isn't clickable, just roughly the bottom half is where it is the easiest. So that'll take some getting used to. But since this whole experience (using a macbook versus Windows machine) is new to me it shouldn't take long to adapt.

Oh you can tap on other parts of the touchpad, works just fine. You just won't get the physical click.

Also try learning some of the keyboard shortcuts. Many involve the buttons either side of the space bar.

 

[Stanley]

Actually I decided to see how I liked the touchpad... I unplugged my mouse and I'm really enjoying the touchpad. I just learned that I can go backwards in the web browser history by using two fingers and swiping left. Neat! Has that been a feature of OS X since before ML? I've never used OS X before and my first time with it is in ML. I'm very impressed. I may not need my mouse anymore

I am getting used to the clicking action on the trackpad. The entire trackpad isn't clickable, just roughly the bottom half is where it is the easiest. So that'll take some getting used to. But since this whole experience (using a macbook versus Windows machine) is new to me it shouldn't take long to adapt.

Oh you can tap on other parts of the touchpad, works just fine. You just won't get the physical click. You can watch the little viddies in the touchpad preferences screen.

Also try learning some of the keyboard shortcuts. Many involve the keys on either side of the space bar.

Try command-tab to see open apps. As in press the command key and then press the tab key. Command-Q to quit. Try command-, to open preferences for a given program. I use the command button to the right of the space bar since the , key lives right above it.

 

[xdunlapx]

Oh you can tap on other parts of the touchpad, works just fine. You just won't get the physical click.

Also try learning some of the keyboard shortcuts. Many involve the buttons either side of the space bar.

I tried clicking on the touchpad like tap-to-click but it must not be enabled. It doesn't do anything.

I did learn command-C and command-V for copy/paste. and Command-P for print. It's going to take some getting used to for me since I'm so used to Control-C/V/P which isn't in teh same spot as command. So I'll have to work on that. I'm a keyboard user not necessarily a mouse-user. Though I am elated to know that command-tab is the alt-tab to switch between open windows. I use that a heck of a lot. So that's good that they are in the same spot as in Windows. One less thing to get used to. hehe

I'm loving this experience with a mac. I had only ever used an classic mac before and not for very long, maybe 10 minutes. So this is a whole new experience for me. Already I can tell I will never need Windows or even possibly Linux again.

Installing my wireless printer was a breeze! All I did was go into the printer settings, clicked the plus sign, my printer was already recognized (HP Laserjet Pro p1102w) I clicked it and that was all I needed to do! In no more than 4 of 5 seconds it was set up. Wow. I had nothing but problems getting that printer to work with our Windows laptops even with the bloatware software installed. So I'm very pleased.

I'll work on learning the keyboard shortcuts as time goes on. Thanks!

 

[pigoo3]

I tried clicking on the touchpad like tap-to-click but it must not be enabled. It doesn't do anything.

If you want "tap to click" enabled for the trackpad:

- Apple Menu
- System Preferences
- Trackpad
- select "Point & Click" tab (usually the default)
- check the box "Tap to Click"

- Nick

 

[Doug b]

Hi xdunlapx (unless you'd like to tell us your real name?)

I really love that you're so involved in getting to know OS X! Your curiosity will serve you well as time goes by. There are so many little nooks and crannies to be skimmed in system preferences, you'd be surprised..

First off, let me give you a few of my personal key workflow tips:

I generally gain access to everything that has not already been placed (by me) on the dock, by using the universal search tool called "Spotlight". It is the magnifying glass sitting on the top furthest right hand side of the main menu bar. I use a keyboard shortcut to evoke it, which would be CMD+Spacebar (command). Spotlight is super awesome... Through it, you can call up anything on any of your HDD's. Music (which can be previewed without actually opening a song), photos, videos, documents and of course... applications.

You just start typing the name of what you're looking for and you'll get a bunch of things that either start with the letters you're typing or the actual thing. You can also type in a word that you'd like defined and it is also your dictionary!

That said, I use this feature in order to free up dock space. I always call up System Preferences from Spotlight, so I usually remove all of the default things which are on the dock. In order to remove stuff (it will not delete) just drag the icon off until you see a cloud and it will disappear. Anyway, I've got a great feature for you to try out, related to the trackpad, but first off, you may need to enable one other thing in order to do what was suggested a few posts ago... tapping anywhere on the trackpad.

In trackpad preferences, go to the "point and click" tab and make sure to tick the "Tap to click" option. Also make sure that "Secondary click" which is right beneath the other one is also ticked. Alright! Now totally disregard the fact that up until now, you've had to mash the trackpad. Get it out of your mind and start getting used to "tapping" ever so gently on any part of the trackpad instead. So, one finger tap is your "left click" and one tap with two fingers is your "right click", or "secondary click" if you'd prefer to call it that.

There's a couple other things I like to setup with my trackpad which makes life a LOT easier for me, but I'll reserve that stuff for another post, and only if you want to hear about it. It's stuff which is found in the "Accessibility" preferences and not Trackpad, which I find weird, but .. that's where it is.

Welcome to the Forums btw!

Doug

 

[xdunlapx]

Hi xdunlapx (unless you'd like to tell us your real name?)

I really love that you're so involved in getting to know OS X! Your curiosity will serve you well as time goes by. There are so many little nooks and crannies to be skimmed in system preferences, you'd be surprised..

First off, let me give you a few of my personal key workflow tips:

I generally gain access to everything that has not already been placed (by me) on the dock, by using the universal search tool called "Spotlight". It is the magnifying glass sitting on the top furthest right hand side of the main menu bar. I use a keyboard shortcut to evoke it, which would be CMD+Spacebar (command). Spotlight is super awesome... Through it, you can call up anything on any of your HDD's. Music (which can be previewed without actually opening a song), photos, videos, documents and of course... applications.

You just start typing the name of what you're looking for and you'll get a bunch of things that either start with the letters you're typing or the actual thing. You can also type in a word that you'd like defined and it is also your dictionary!

That said, I use this feature in order to free up dock space. I always call up System Preferences from Spotlight, so I usually remove all of the default things which are on the dock. In order to remove stuff (it will not delete) just drag the icon off until you see a cloud and it will disappear. Anyway, I've got a great feature for you to try out, related to the trackpad, but first off, you may need to enable one other thing in order to do what was suggested a few posts ago... tapping anywhere on the trackpad.

In trackpad preferences, go to the "point and click" tab and make sure to tick the "Tap to click" option. Also make sure that "Secondary click" which is right beneath the other one is also ticked. Alright! Now totally disregard the fact that up until now, you've had to mash the trackpad. Get it out of your mind and start getting used to "tapping" ever so gently on any part of the trackpad instead. So, one finger tap is your "left click" and one tap with two fingers is your "right click", or "secondary click" if you'd prefer to call it that.

There's a couple other things I like to setup with my trackpad which makes life a LOT easier for me, but I'll reserve that stuff for another post, and only if you want to hear about it. It's stuff which is found in the "Accessibility" preferences and not Trackpad, which I find weird, but .. that's where it is.

Welcome to the Forums btw!

Doug

Thanks I did go ahead and enable tap to click before I saw your post. ML (?) already came with secondary click activated.

I've been learning the gestures on the trackpad. Mostly by trial and error though I did see the gestures settings in a setting area. Can't remember off hand which one it was, either in trackpad settings or accessability. I found out on my own that two finger swipe left and right (fast) in a web browser will go back/forward in history. I had to install firefox since safari didn't load a page correctly that i need for college (the student website I think, can't remember off hand lol)

I have been looking through the settings and adjusting them to see how I like them. I'm still a little confused about how to get an application from a dmg to be installed and it to show up in the apps folder. I had a real issue with that with firefox. But I know to open the dmg, it opens a small window (usually with two icons, one the program and the other is the app folder and I click and drag the icon onto the folder icon. But I've had one or two things (firefox included) that it didn't quite work as planned. But I think I somehow fixed it by trial and error.

I've noticed that I have to drag an icon far away from the dock for it to be removed, the cloud doesn't show up until probably 2 or 3 inches away from the dock, or more. It's kind of slow to do it. But I have the upgraded SSD and most everything is screaming fast! I've never had an SSD before, nor a computer this fast (2.9ghz).

I did manage to install MS Office (for college) though right now it's only the trial version that will last for 30 days. I can't believe how fast that installed. On Windows it took at least an hour to install. But on os x it was no more than 30 seconds!

I did change the setting where the minimized apps minimize to their respective icons on the doc instead of a separate icon near the trash. It keeps the dock cleaner I think. And it's less confusing for me. I haven't changed the icons on the doc much, I added Firefox, adium (after trying Messages and wanting to go back to my usual Pidgin (in linux and windows) so I downloaded adium and really like it, it's very similar to pidgin). I added textedit and Office to the dock. I've rearranged a few icons, too.

Now if only I could get my printer to work with the time capsule. It worked fine on my old router, I'm using the TC as my router and backup drive. I think the problem is the new access point name i created and of course I couldn't use WEP it only gave me the option of WPA2 so I had to use that. Our printer is wireless.

So that's what I've been up to today and tonight. I haven't been to bed yet and it's just after 6am. hehe I've been too excited and busy on my new MBP to take the time to take my pills and go to sleep. hahaha!

I did have to change the time capsule name (?) where it had Brittany's Backup Drive (or some name after my name but the problem was it couldn't create the file needed for my backup due to the apostraphy in "Brittany's". It must be a very common issue since it was listed at the top of google's search.

Do you have any tips or configuration ideas for me? You said you had more to share.

 

[Doug b]

Cool, sounds like you've been quite busy. Same here, as we are in the midst of moving to a new apartment here in NYC. Everything is so unorganized right now!

Anyway, you should never be using WEP for your wifi encryption, as it is way too weak. WPA 2 is currently the best consumer grade encryption method to utilize, and of course make sure that the password is very strong. There's a very cool feature inherent to OS X called Keychain Access, which stores all of your passwords for the net and such. And though you should never mess with the certificates and passwords, there are two cool things you can do which will not interfere with anything else.

One thing is creating a "secure note" With this, you can keep a list of your own personal passwords, serial numbers etc and they'll be safe as long as you're the only person who knows your computer's admin password. (this is also why I have a very strong admin password)

Another is using something called password assistant which will create random characters for you to use for a password. Basically, it's just as good as you spewing out random upper and lower case letters and random symbols and numbers up to 31 characters long. To get to this you have to be in the Keychain Access app, highlight where it says "passwords" on the left, tap the + button on the bottom and then tap the key icon on the right side of that window.
________________________

Back to gestures: Go to "Accessibility", then on the left side go to mouse and trackpad (I think that's it, I'm using Lion right now), then go to trackpad options.. wait, look at the second screenshot. So, I always enable dragging with drag lock. What this allows you to do is move the mouse pointer to the title bar (gray top area) of any window and then with one finger do a rather quick double tap (gently) and make sure to NOT let your finger up after the second tap. This locks the cursor/pointer to the window so you can now gently drag it all around the desktop. This will also allow you to take the pointer and place it on any edge of a window and re size it (if it's re sizeable).

Another thing this lets you do is to highlight groups of files or folders in a Finder Window and drag and drop them. You'd double tap on a blank spot then simply drag on to said folders/files. Then tap to release the lock, then double tap on any one of the files/folders again in order to drag them. In Finder preferences, I also like to make sure that Spring Loaded Folders and Windows are enabled and that it is set to spring fast. This lets you drop files/folders in to other folders by dropping them on top of them and releasing quickly. It's something you have to play with and get used to. Others like to have two windows open side by side and drag/drop like that, since there is no file tree view like in Windows Explorer, not exactly, anyway.

I also like the double tap drag method because it's very convenient when you're in "Mission Control" mode. If you don't know what that is, take 4 fingers and slide them UP the trackpad. It's a birds eye view of everything that is open on your desktop and helps you locate something. While in MC view, double tap on an window or app, and drag it to the very top right hand side of the desktop. You'll see a + icon appear. Drop the app/window on that + icon. You've just created a new workspace. You can have up to 16 of those. You've used Linux, so should be familiar with this concept.

Have to start packing stuff up again, but will be back!

Doug