3 mouse buttons with Optipac possible?

[Pyro]

I have finally started building my CP and have run into a question that I haven't found an answer for. Is it possible to have left, middle, and right click mouse buttons (3 total) using an Optipac? If so, how is it done? From my understanding, as it sits, the Optipac is designed to have two mouse buttons (left and right) for each of two players. Is it possible to use one of the second player button inputs as a middle click for player 1?

Thanks,

Pyro

[Level42]

Interesting question. I

[mccoy178]

If it only has the two inputs for each player, I would believe all you would have to do is use the tab menu in Missile Command or whatever games you're using for and map it that way.  If you are going to use it for more than that, you would have to find what the name of that input is for being recognized by the emulators you are trying to use.

[mccoy178]

I just looked at mine and they do indeed only have two inputs for each player.

[squirrellydw]

So is there away to configure it to use 3 buttons?

[mccoy178]

So is there away to configure it to use 3 buttons?

Can you reprogram the Opti to recognize the P2 B1 to be P1 B3 or something?  I think you would have a better chance in remapping mame then the opti for that.

I bet this has been covered in the Ultimarc forum over at:

www.mameworld.info

[Pyro]

Thanks for the tip on the Ulitmarc forum. I hadn't ran across that one before. I did a brief search in there but didn't come up with an answer yet. If I find something I'll be sure to post it here.

I can always play with the configuration after wiring everything up too if I don't get a definite answer.

I'm beginning to think maybe my CP design should have been based a little more on  the inputs available on my encoding devices, and less on asthetics. This is a fun learning experience though.

Pyro

[Kremmit]

If you already have a control panel with a middle mouse button, and you really want the button to appear to the computer as a mouse button instead of running it through your keyboard or gamepad encoder, then I guess you could do a mouse hack for just the one button.  Since you don't care about using the mouse hack for spinners, trackballs, etc., any 3-button mouse will do- optical, ball, USB, PS2, Serial, whatever.  You must have an old mouse laying around somewhere.

[Pyro]

You must have an old mouse laying around somewhere.

I, like most everyone else here I am sure, have too much extra computer crud laying around  I may end up doing a mouse hack to get the three buttons working.

I have basically completed my cp top with 3 trackball/mouse buttons included. Unfortunately it was before I realized that my Optipac (apparently?) supports only two mouse buttons.

Thanks for the mouse hack idea.

Pyro

[Tiger-Heli]

Why do you want it to work that way?

If you need it for browsing Windows or for some non-MAME emulator, then a mouse hack might be your best bet.  If it's for single player games in MAME, just set MAME to use one of the other inputs.  If it's for multi-player games in MAME, you might look at hacking a gamepad.

[hypernova]

After realizing the same thing, I've decided to make that third mouse button just a repeat of the first, accounting for righties and lefties alike when using them.

See, back in the old days, we used to get by with just two mouse buttons.  You young'uns are just so goshdarned spoiled.  Although I do have a trackman fx with 4 buttons, I only use three of them, and the third functions as the double click, which is something I COULD live without.  Plus, on my arcade, I'll just be using mamewah anyway, so double clicking won't be needed...I think?  Even if it is, I can live without.

[Pyro]

I could get by with two mouse buttons just fine, but I had already designed my cp with three which is aesthetically more pleasing to me with the layout I have. I was trying to combine the best of both function and looks for my needs.

I do like the idea of doubling up on the inputs though for either left or right handed use. Thank you for the idea.

Pyro