Changing the trackpad around

[Chuma]

I just got Lion, and I'm rather confused about the new trackpad gestures, but I suppose I'll figure them out. But one thing I'm a little sceptical to is using three fingers to drag. I think I do dragging more often than scrolling, and it needs much more precision. So it would make sense to drag with two fingers, and scroll with three.

Is there some app that does this? Preferably one that will also work on my old computer with Snow Leopard, otherwise I'm going to get mighty confused.

I've been playing around with BetterTouchTool, and it does some cool things, but I can't seem to do this particular thing.

Another thing, while we're at it, that I've been wanting for a long time: Some sort of click that sends a window to the back. I can use Exposé, or that new thing, to put any window in front of the others, but after I've looked at it I would like to push it right back again without having to click all the other windows.

[NaOH]

Quote: Originally Posted by Chuma I just got Lion, and I'm rather confused about the new trackpad gestures, but I suppose I'll figure them out.

Easier than trying to figure out the gestures would be to go to System Preferences > Trackpad. Place your cursor over a listing and a demo movie will be shown on the right.

Quote: Originally Posted by Chuma But one thing I'm a little sceptical to is using three fingers to drag. I think I do dragging more often than scrolling, and it needs much more precision. So it would make sense to drag with two fingers, and scroll with three. Is there some app that does this? Preferably one that will also work on my old computer with Snow Leopard, otherwise I'm going to get mighty confused. I've been playing around with BetterTouchTool, and it does some cool things, but I can't seem to do this particular thing.

No promises, but if BetterTouchTool isn't giving you what you'd like, there's also MagicPrefs. It's also free, so it can't hurt to see if will enable what you'd like.

Quote: Originally Posted by Chuma Another thing, while we're at it, that I've been wanting for a long time: Some sort of click that sends a window to the back. I can use Exposé, or that new thing, to put any window in front of the others, but after I've looked at it I would like to push it right back again without having to click all the other windows.

If I'm understanding you correctly, I think keyboard shortcuts may be of help. It's unclear if you mean switching between windows of one application or among windows of multiple applications. Maybe both, but these shortcuts may help:

Command-Tab: This switches between running applications. If you hold Command and tap Tab you can move among whatever is open. If you quickly press Command-Tab you'll seamlessly move to the last application.

Command-` [the tilde at the top left of a US keyboard]: This switches between open windows of the current application. For example, if you have two Safari windows, pressing this will switch between them.

The Mac OS is designed with applications in mind (in contrast to Windows which has been focused on, well, windows). What this means is that unless you're using Mission Control, the typical navigation is first among applications then among the windows within an application. I don't know of anything outside of Mission Control which enables inter-application window switching using a click, but there are applications which enable you to switch among all windows (e.g., moving from a specific Safari window to a specific Word window). If you try the shortcuts I gave and find them not giving you the control you want, have a look at these applications (there are probably few options I'm forgetting, too):

Witch
Switché
Overflow
Optimal Layout

[Chuma]

Quote: Originally Posted by NaOH Easier than trying to figure out the gestures would be to go to System Preferences > Trackpad. Place your cursor over a listing and a demo movie will be shown on the right.

I know what the gestures do, I just meant I'm not quite used to them yet.

Quote: Originally Posted by NaOH It's unclear if you mean switching between windows of one application or among windows of multiple applications.

They might belong to different applications, at least sometimes. Just now, for example, I was working on a program in NetLogo, writing about the program in TextEdit, reading the manual in Safari, and looking at the program's folder in Finder. Then I decide to go check this thread, so I bring this window to the front with Exposé. After I'm done with it, unless I feel like closing it or minimising it, I have to use Exposé four times, to bring each of the four windows I was working in to the front. I'd like a button that did the opposite, sending this window to the back instead.

Quote: Originally Posted by NaOH The Mac OS is designed with applications in mind

So it seems. Sometimes that's good, but sometimes it annoys me. But I think I'll write about that in some other thread.

Anyway, thanks for the links, I'll try them out.

[NaOH]

From that description it sounds like using the keyboard shortcuts will be more pleasing to you (either the built-in ones or what the other software allows).