three button mouse

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web9452

I have version 7 on an HP e-vectra. command line only: no GUI. It is for two button mouse. Can I modify it to include a 3-button mouse without having to reinstall the whole OS?
 
We need to untangle what you wrote. Are you saying that you have FreeBSD release 7.x? In that case, you are many years out of date, and you are not going to get any useful suggestions here, other than to upgrade (preferable reinstall). Not because of your mouse, but because that version is simply too old to be safe or supportable.

So let's assume you're running a modern version of FreeBSD. You say you are using command line, no GUI. In that case, what do you do with a mouse? I know that one can select / copy / paste on the console using a mouse, but that seems an unusual usage pattern. I'm not even sure what the 2nd or 3rd button would do in that case.

And to answer your question: No, you don't have to reinstall to switch to another mouse. You don't even have to reboot. If the mouse is supported, you just have to configure the moused program correctly. Do "man moused", and read about it, in particular the "-3" option.
 
ralphbsz said:
but because that version is simply too old to be safe or supportable
Click to expand...
That depends on what is he doing with the computer.

If it is not connected to the internet, if he is using the same old programs and it is productive,
what is the problem?

Answer: the computer scientist. Computer scientists think everything gets obsolete after few
years, or perhaps months. Once told me a computer scientist that also mathematical theorems
and their proofs get obsolete.
 
hruodr said:
That depends on what is he doing with the computer.

If it is not connected to the internet, if he is using the same old programs and it is productive,
what is the problem?

Answer: the computer scientist. Computer scientists think everything gets obsolete after few
years, or perhaps months. Once told me a computer scientist that also mathematical theorems
and their proofs get obsolete.
Click to expand...
I find this idea to be nonsense. There is no reason a person cannot have an old os and old software on a computer and use it. The same logic for a game console or mp3 player. If it works and is useful there is no need to update unless you're using it to access other computer systems that are connected to the internet.

Edit:
I have many many old systems and some use outdated operating systems and software but they are perfect like they are. They don't need internet and they can all LAN safely.

Could this be helpful here?

forums.freebsd.org

Solved - Xorg/udev: Middle mouse button not working

I've installed Xorg with udev and libinput support on FreeBSD 12.1. Keyboard and TrackPoint are working on my X270, but the middle mouse button seems to be ignored (no copy/paste, no scroll). But if I’m running moused -df -t auto -p /dev/psm0, the middle mouse button click (button 2) is...
forums.freebsd.org forums.freebsd.org
 
I use the c compiler. It works fine. You can use the 3 button mouse to copy(highlight with left button) and paste text(press middle button).
 
I believe pressing the left+right buttons at the same time will act as a middle button.

Also, yes, if you're running FreeBSD 7.x, especially if connected to the internet, it would serve you well to reinstall with FreeBSD 13.2.
 
web9452 said:
I use the c compiler. It works fine. You can use the 3 button mouse to copy(highlight with left button) and paste text(press middle button).
Click to expand...
I'm understanding your two posts even less now.

So you have an HP computer. You are running some FreeBSD version (perhaps 7?) from the console. You want to connect a mouse. Just start moused (it is documented, look at the man page, it is online even for that old version), and the mouse should work for cut and paste. There is no reason to reinstall, since moused is part of the base system (and probably has been forever).

I did this ages ago, but I honestly don't remember whether this was on an early Linux version, OpenBSD, or FreeBSD.
 
If I recall correctly all mice are considered three button ones (6 if you also count the scrollwheel). You actually have to configure it differently if you don't have a three button mouse.

Code: 
     The following options are available:

     -3      Emulate the third (middle) button for 2-button mice.  It is
             emulated by pressing the left and right physical buttons
             simultaneously.
See moused(8). This has been an option going as far back as FreeBSD 3.0.
 
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