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geekhack Community => Input Devices => Topic started by: tebla on Tue, 16 March 2021, 04:40:26
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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.
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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.
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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.
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!
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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.
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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.
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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I use EitherMouse https://www.eithermouse.com/ (https://www.eithermouse.com/) on my desktop machine with 2 Elecom trackballs (left and right) with mirrored cursors. I keep one on my menus and use the other for drawing. Check it out - satisfied user here!