geekhack Community > Input Devices
two trackballs for diffent things
tebla:
Does anyone know of a way to use two trackballs for different things? I want one to move the cursor as normal but the other one to just scroll horizontally and vertically. Windows will recognise them both but I don't know how to set them up to do different things.
Preferably a solution that doesn't involve writing my own drivers or taking apart the trackballs to nab the sensors and connect them to a single microcontroller (way above my skillset), although if this is the only way I would consider trying to learn it.
blur410:
You could also use a programmable rotary encoder for this at a much cheaper price, as I do, but the new Ploopy nano is QMK compatible and could be set up for scrolling while moving while your main trackball does trackball things.
tebla:
--- Quote from: blur410 on Sun, 04 April 2021, 13:18:10 ---You could also use a programmable rotary encoder for this at a much cheaper price, as I do, but the new Ploopy nano is QMK compatible and could be set up for scrolling while moving while your main trackball does trackball things.
--- End quote ---
Thanks! I'm considering rotary encoders too, but the two trackball thing.. this may sound silly but the plan is to have a trackball attached on each side of my Ergodox build and I think it would look cool to have it symmetrical.
Ploopy nano looks cool, QMK compatible? I didn't even realize QMK supported mice/trackballs!
jamster:
Kensington Orbit has a wheel that surrounds the ball, and this wheel scrolls the page.
Doesn't help with the symmetry thing, but functionality-wise it's great.
tebla:
--- Quote from: jamster on Mon, 05 April 2021, 05:46:54 ---Kensington Orbit has a wheel that surrounds the ball, and this wheel scrolls the page.
Doesn't help with the symmetry thing, but functionality-wise it's great.
--- End quote ---
Thanks, Kensington Orbit is my daily driver, absolutely love it!
I'm actually planning to use two of them for the build. I'd like to have 6 axis of control: right trackball move mouse, right scroll wheel verticle scroll, left trackball horizontal and verticle zoom, left scroll wheel horizontal scroll. might seem a little excessive but these are all functions I use a ton in my DAW so having them as dedicated controls instead of with modifier keys would be pretty nice I think.
Another thing a little unusual I'm thinking of trying is having the left/middle/right mouse buttons mapped to keys on the left half of the ergodox. Might make click-dragging actions nicer instead of having to hold the mouse button and move the trackball at the same time with right hand.
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