Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

When i try to get the mouse pointer up in the web browser to select page text to copy it mostly doesn't work, bringing up the copy address/download image menu instead. I've tried using the stylus, my finger and my nail with the same effect with each. I've watched the nokia vid on hand gestures in the browser and read a few threads including this one which gives a step by step guide:

http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php...er+web+browser

Any help or tips welcome as other than this (and the battery life!) I'm loving the n900.

I'm in the uk so not on the latest update - in case that makes a difference. Pointer and copy and paste worrk fine elsewhere it's just getting into that mode in browser that's the issue

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

Works for me. Can you describe exactly what you do?

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

It never works for me either. I get the mouse to come up and start moving it with my finger but after a second it loses it and it's a pain in the but to use. Luckily, I don't find myself ever needing to use it.

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

It's actually quite easy if you know how: open up the keyboard. Get the pointer (stylus recommended). Use the thumb on the hand holding the phone (left for right-handers) to hold shift, then just swipe on the screen. Finally, copy with ctrl+c
Maybe it's just me, but i think it works like a charm

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

Just to check the obvious... Are you tapping on the mouse icon that appears? I'm in the UK on PR 1.1 too and whlst not the most useful thing in the world I don't seem to be having the issues you are.

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

1. activate pointer
2. click once on any text
3. now you can start selecting texts

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

Cheers MrGrim :) Just tested that several times and I seem to be getting the hang of it - have even managed to highlight some text! Does the kb have to be open for it to work?

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

this is how i do it

1/ swipe from the left onto the screen to bring up the pointer
2/ tap the pointer icon that appears on the bottom right so that it gets a red line through it
3/ use your finger to select the text you want

:)

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

aha! I think this thread has intimidated it into working as it seems fine everytime now. Or, more likely, the thread has educated me so thanks to all :)

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

On my N900 I have to swipe left to right very quickly & I mean fast! Then select the large arrow that appears bottom left(a red line goes through it), again I do this quickly as it disappears after ~1s, and then I can select text copy etc.

Repeat manically if large arrow does not appear first time lol This process works better for me if I swipe the bottom 1/5 of the display.

Just found hover mode :) Moving slowly in from bottom left and moving slighty upwards.

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

I agree it was difficult at the beggining to get the pointer working. But know I can copy paste with no problem.

As the thread you pointed say, you have to put your finger/stylus in the left lower corner (Outside the screen) and bring it in (Without lifting it). You should see the arrow icon below your finger.
Position the icon at the beggining of the text you want to copy, press the shift key and drag the pointer until the end of the text (Never lift your finger until you finish selecting). Then press Ctrl+C and you're done!

You can also lock the mode as it is seen in the video, pressing the arrow icon in the lower left corner.

Cheers

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

I copy paste using N900 many times in a day and i have been amazed how good i can pick small text without zooming to the text.

1. I would guess most of us use fingers 90% of time when using N900. So calibrate the touch screen using your fingers too. My N900 is calibrated so that it's some millimeters away if i would have used stulys.

2. Swipe from the left to right so you get the pointer icon when browsing

3. Just tap the pointer icon that appears and it should get redlined. Now the pointer is locked. Tapping it again will unlock it.

4. Use your finger to highlight the text. Then just ctrl-c and ctrl-v away :)

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

Recalibrate. It doesn't matter if it's with the stylus or fingers, but since the margin for the swipe detection is way too small, a minor miscalibration will prevent the system from detecting the gesture correctly.

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

I have no problem it works so well I kind of wonder how a team capable of something so clever could have made some of the other mistakes. I would say it is perfect and makes flash and some ajax web apps. as fluid as is humanly potable given you use your finger as an input.

once selected i use the keyboard to cut and past

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

I think there are a few issues:

1. I can never get the arrow to appear on the left every time I make the swiping action. Sometimes it does, simetimes it doesn't. I wish I could figured out what magic it takes to make it appear every time.

2. How do you use the cursor to hover over a menu? I think that's my main problem. Using it to select text is easy, but what if you need to move the cursor over a menu so a submenu drops drop? The cursor never seems to stay with my finger and it's a pain in the butt most of the time.

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

So I had loads of issues at first but the more I play the more I find they have been considered and a suable solution has been applied.

1) you may not be applying enough pressure (while I don't like capacitive screens this would solve that issue) also make sure you start on the black bezel. it works every time for me.

2) once you swipe, the cursor is under you finger only while you apply pressure to the screen. (it works like you mouse with no clicking) when you lift your finger off the mouse is for all practical purposes there, but inviable, allowing you to click of the rolove content in flash or whatever. if you touch the screen anywhere it defaults back to no cursor.

3) to double click - needed in some ajax applications you swipe in from the left and then click the mouse icon this makes the touch screen mouse exclusive (now you can't pan and scroll - you can use your keys to scroll) but you can double click. having this ability enables ajax and flash content not available to all other finger touch UI devises, (except windows Vista/7)

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

Hey I Really Need Help.. I canT Use Hover mode in my n900 Browser.. When i swipe From Left Of the Screen.. The page moves towards right.. watch This Video To Get to know What Problem i m facing please help as soon as possible http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hMwhmJyTi8

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

Hi, from that video it looks as though some people may be doing it wrong .. using your stick, you do not have to swipe so fast, and it looks as though when moving the stick, the stick may not always be touching the screen. Start in the black area outside of the screen as the video shows, push into the black with a little pressure, and move slowly into the usually lighter/white browser area, making sure your stick ALWAYS touches the screen. the stick must NEVER let go of the screen when moving from the black to white area. You should then be able to see the pointer icon on the screen.

You can be just about as slow as you like when you move with the stick from the left. You should then see the giant mouse pointer on the left, indicating the new mouse mode, and also the new mouse arrow pointer thats moving around the screen when you move too, just like a normal computer mouse. You must always keep the stick touching the screen (use some pressure-unlike that youtube video in the above post-where the user is moving too fast and likely to be pressing too lightly)! If you dont, you will have to start again by swiping from the left black area.

I think they should not have called the action to use mouse mode a "swipe", as that suggests that you must do it quickly, when really you can be very slow, as long as there is pressure and you dont take your stick off the screen at any time. Once in mouse mode, you can then use the shift key (next to Z) to do a standard left mouse click. I have to agree that doing certain tasks in mouse mode (copying and pasting etc) can take time in getting used to, but it takes practice. Ive noticed if I move from the left black area to white, take my stick off the screen (!) and then use my stick to click once on the giant mouse pointer (before it disappears!), I can then lock myself in the 'mouse mode', allowing me to be able to take the stick off the screen, but I then have to use the arrow keys to move up and down a page. To get out of mouse mode, simply click on the giant mouse pointer again.

The other solution of course is to try a different browser to see if you prefer that for similar mouse mode tasks- firefox and opera seem to be more compatible (and possibly more often updated) when compared to the built in n900s browser (which sometimes misses items that the other two browsers show on screen-when comparing them all to a desktop pc), but the built in n900 browser seems to be the fastest in its performance at the moment.

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

................
ahhh i have tried every thing i can but still its not working :(

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

Calibrate your screen folks.

N900 thinks you put your pen down from inside the page. make sure you are at 1.2, otherwise install the calibration fix. If at 1.2, don't get / remove calibration fix.

Touchscreen is larger than the actual screen, that's how N900 knows you swipe from "outside". If it's miscalibrated, it doesn't know.

Additionally, some issues exist where the left side of the screen is less sensitive. Make sure you use some pressure. Use a soft point, I like wooden toothpicks, because they crumble on too much force and make sure there's pressure.

@princesaqib
a) does it work when swiping the other way? Right-to-left should get you into history
b) please, please stop waving the camera when shooting. Stable is the way to go. I'm not watching that again. If you need your hands, get someone to hold the camera or use a prop to hold it. Use some books and hold the N900 vertical.

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

try this, im not sure if allot of people know, but you can use the space bar on the keyboard as a "right click":

1. swipe from left to right just ask everyone has already noted
2. use your left thumb to hover like your mouse
3. use right your right thumb to click the space bar, and you can highlight/select things as you would on a computer.
4. then of course ctrl+C to copy, then paste

hope this answers your question and helps you

Re: Using mouse pointer in web browser driving me mad!
 

That's insensitive..what if he has the Parkinson Disease?