MICROSOFT BALLPOINT MOUSE RELEASE NOTES (Software version 9.01)
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp. 1993
This document contains information that supplements the "Microsoft
BallPoint Mouse User's Guide" and accompanying software. The
Microsoft BallPoint Mouse software is designed and tested for
the Microsoft Mouse.
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CONTENTS
I. Important Ergonomic Safety Information
II. The Microsoft BallPoint Mouse Setup Program
1. Modifications Made by Setup
2. Returning Your System to Pre-Setup Condition
3. Setting up to a Floppy Disk System
4. Loading MOUSE.EXE into Upper Memory
5. The SHARE.EXE File and Multidisk Setup
6. Reinstalling Your Virtual Keyboard Driver
III. The MOUSEPWR Feature
IV. Microsoft Windows NT Support for Your BallPoint Mouse
V. OS/2 Support for Your BallPoint Mouse
VI. Meet the BallPoint Mouse
VII. Notes on Mouse Manager Features
1. Windows and MS-DOS Features
2. Magnify
3. Screen Wrap
4. Snap-to
5. Mouse Trails
VIII. Other Issues
1. MS-DOS Support for the IBM XGA Video Card
2. Hot Keys on LCD Screens
3. Large and Medium Pointers
4. Windows 3.0 Support
5. Exiting from Microsoft Windows with a Serial Mouse
IX. More Ergonomic Information
_________________________________________________________________
I. IMPORTANT ERGONOMIC SAFETY INFORMATION
*******************************************************************
* Some studies suggest that long periods of repetitive motion, *
* coupled with an improper work environment and incorrect work *
* habits, may be linked to certain types of physical discomfort *
* or injury. These include carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), *
* tendinitis, and tenosynovitis. It is important to follow all *
* instructions carefully. Failure to do so may result in CTS, *
* tendinitis, or tenosynovitis. These instructions may not only *
* help minimize your chances of experiencing one of these *
* conditions, but will also help you to work more comfortably *
* and effectively. Ensuring that your chair, work surface, and *
* the placement of the BallPoint mouse are in the correct *
* positions is important. In addition, you should take frequent *
* breaks to avoid sitting in the same position for extended *
* periods of time. See the end of this README for more important *
* ergonomic information. *
*******************************************************************
_________________________________________________________________
II. THE BALLPOINT MOUSE SETUP PROGRAM
1. Modifications to Your System
The following changes are made to your system if you set up the
software using all the default conditions during the BallPoint
mouse Setup program (default directory is c:\ballpt).
For the BallPoint mouse driver in MS-DOS, Setup makes the following
changes:
a. Installs or modifies lines similar to the following in AUTOEXEC.BAT:
set mouse=c:\ballpt
c:\ballpt\mouse.exe /q
b. Adds ballpt to the PATH statement.
NOTE: Setup adds mouse to the beginning of your PATH statement.
However, the end of your PATH statement may be truncated if it
contains too many elements.
c. Deletes the following line (if it exists) from CONFIG.SYS:
device=c:\mouse.sys
For the BallPoint mouse driver in Windows, Setup makes the following
changes:
a. Adds the following line to the load line in WIN.INI:
[windows] section c:\ballpt\pointer.exe
b. Modifies the following lines in SYSTEM.INI:
[boot] section mouse.drv=c:\ballpt\mouse.drv
[boot.description] section mouse.drv=Microsoft Mouse version 9.01
[386enh] section keyboard=c:\ballpt\mousevkd.386
c. Adds a group to PROGMAN.INI:
groupn=c:\ballpt\mouse.grp
(where n = group number and \ballpt=BallPoint mouse directory)
d. Setup updates to the latest CTL3D.DLL file to the Windows System
directory (if it's not already there).
e. If you have Microsoft Windows version 3.0, Setup installs WINHELP.EXE.
2. Returning Your System to Pre-Setup Condition
To return your system to its previous condition before you
ran the BallPoint mouse Setup program, make the following modifications:
a. Remove the following line from WIN.INI:
c:\ballpt\pointer.exe
b. Change the following lines in SYSTEM.INI to read:
[boot] section mouse.drv=mouse.drv
[boot.description] section mouse.drv=Microsoft, or IBM PS/2
[386enh] section keyboard=*vkd
3. Setting up with a Floppy Disk System
Setup supports only hard disk systems and floppy disk systems
with two drives. If you are installing files onto a floppy disk
system that has only one drive, you must decompress and copy the
files manually. EXPAND.EXE, a file-decompression program, is
provided on the Setup disk for this purpose.
To install using a single-drive floppy disk system:
a. Insert the Setup disk into drive A and type:
expand mouse.ex$ b:mouse.exe
b. When prompted by MS-DOS, remove the Setup disk and insert
your destination disk.
c. Reinsert the Setup disk in the drive and type:
expand mousemgr.ex$ b:mousemgr.exe
d. When prompted by MS-DOS, remove the Setup disk and
insert your destination disk.
To load your BallPoint mouse driver, type:
mouse
Run Mouse Manager to set pointer options, if desired.
To run Mouse Manager, type:
mousemgr
If you install the software using a dual floppy disk system,
set up the BallPoint mouse software from drive b to drive a.
4. Loading MOUSE.EXE into Upper Memory
The MS-DOS BallPoint mouse driver automatically loads itself into
upper memory, if available. Using the MS-DOS loadhigh command
may cause your BallPoint mouse software to load into low memory.
5. The SHARE.EXE File and Multidisk Setup
For multidisk Setup (360 KB or 720 KB disks) only:
Do not load the SHARE.EXE file (included with MS-DOS) before
you run the BallPoint mouse Setup program. If SHARE.EXE exists in
your AUTOEXEC.BAT, it must be removed before running
the BallPoint mouse Setup program. After Setup is complete,
you can reinstall SHARE.EXE.
6. Reinstalling Your Virtual Keyboard Driver
If you received a message at the end of Setup similar to the one below:
Setup replaced your Virtual Keyboard Driver
you may wish to reinstall your Virtual Keyboard Driver if you are
experiencing problems with your mouse. To do this, change the following
line in the SYSTEM.INI file to read:
[386enh] section keyboard = c:\N.VKD
Where N is the path and name of your VKD. The location and name of your
former VKD is displayed in the message box at the end of Setup.
_________________________________________________________________
III. THE MOUSEPWR FEATURE
Some laptop computers have the capability to go into a sleep mode
to conserve power when not being used. Load the MOUSEPWR feature if
your BallPoint mouse becomes erratic after you resume from sleep mode.
MOUSEPWR restores pre-sleep mode settings of the BallPoint mouse when
you resume work on the laptop.
It's not necessary to use MOUSEPWR if your system has Advanced
Power Management (APM). However, this feature requires very
little memory (592 bytes) and won't conflict with APM if both
are loaded on your system.
The MOUSEPWR feature is not automatically copied during the
Setup program. Use the MS-DOS copy command to load
MOUSEPWR.COM to your system. The MOUSEPWR feature must
be loaded at the MS-DOS prompt only (not in Windows). If
you need to load MOUSEPWR to your system, add it to your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file so that it loads each time you turn your
system on. For example, if MOUSEPWR is in the root directory,
add the following line to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
c:\mousepwr.com
Otherwise, you'll need to load MOUSEPWR manually each time you
want to use it. Type the following line at the MS-DOS prompt
to load the MOUSEPWR feature manually:
\ballpt\mousepwr.com
where 'ballpt' is the directory containing the MOUSEPWR.COM file.
____________________________________________________________________
IV. MICROSOFT WINDOWS NT SUPPORT FOR YOUR BALLPOINT MOUSE
Microsoft Windows NT will support only Mouse mode for BallPoint mouse.
That is, the BallPoint mouse must be attached to the right side of the
keyboard, and the primary and secondary buttons must be the upper two
buttons. For additional BallPoint mouse support for Microsoft Windows NT,
contact Microsoft Customer Service upon release of Microsoft Windows NT.
Inside the U.S.A., call 1-800-426-9400. Outside the U.S.A.,
please contact your subsidiary.
____________________________________________________________________
V. OS/2 SUPPORT FOR YOUR BALLPOINT MOUSE
If you wish to use your BallPoint mouse on the left side of the keyboard
with OS/2 2.X, use the following procedures. If you will be using the
BallPoint mouse on the right side of the keyboard, you should use the drivers
supplied with OS/2.
1. Installing an OS/2 Mouse Driver for use on the left side of the keyboard
(OS/2 versions 2.0 only)
To install the OS/2 mouse driver
a. Copy OS2MOUSE.V20 to C:\OS2\OS2MOUSE.SYS
b. Edit your CONFIG.SYS file to remove the line that points
to your current mouse driver. This line will vary according
to the type of mouse installed, but it will be similar to this:
DEVICE=C:\OS2\MOUSE.SYS (remove this line)
c. Insert the following line in your CONFIG.SYS file:
DEVICE=C:\OS2\OS2MOUSE.SYS
d. Save these changes and restart your computer.
2. Setting Orientation and Buttons for OS/2
Because there is no Mouse Control Panel supplied for OS/2,
you must set BallPoint mouse orientation and make button
assignments at startup through settings on the DEVICE= line
in your CONFIG.SYS file.
To set orientation, use the R= option to specify the number
of degrees of rotation from the default (right-hand side)
BallPoint mouse position.
To set buttons, use the B= option. The B= option
specifies button assignments for all three BallPoint mouse buttons.
The letter P designates the primary button, S designates the secondary
button, and zero (0) indicates an unassigned button.
When you use the B= option, you must give a value for each
of the three BallPoint mouse buttons, and only one button at a time can
be either primary or secondary. The unassigned button becomes
the clicklock button if this feature is used (see below).
Example: The default (right-hand side of the keyboard) configuration
for the BallPoint mouse would be represented by the following line
in CONFIG.SYS:
DEVICE=C:\OS2\OS2MOUSE.SYS R=0 B=P0S0
Note that button number 1 is primary and 3 is secondary.
Button 2 is unassigned and becomes the clickock button.
A left-hand configuration would be represented by:
DEVICE=C:\OS2\OS2MOUSE.SYS R=180 B=S0P0
Note that button number 3 is primary and 1 is secondary.
Button 2 is unassigned and becomes the clicklock button.
To enable the clicklock feature for OS/2, use CLICKLOCK= option:
DEVICE=C:\OS2\OS2MOUSE.SYS CLICKLOCK=ON
To disable clicklock, use CLICKLOCK=OFF.
Note that the OS/2 options R=, B= and CLICKLOCK=
can appear in any order on the DEVICE= line in CONFIG.SYS, and that
none is required.
____________________________________________________________________
VI. MEET THE BALLPOINT MOUSE
Meet the Mouse is a short, animated demonstration that is
available for viewing when you run the BallPoint mouse Setup program.
You can also watch Meet the Mouse from Mouse Manager. Meet
the Mouse takes approximately two minutes to run if you have
the minimum required configuration set up for Microsoft Windows.
Meet the Mouse may run slower if you have less than the required
configuration, or if you have a 24-bit graphics card.
To save disk space, you can remove this demonstration by deleting
the ERGODEMO.DLL file from the directory that contains your
mouse software.
____________________________________________________________________
VII. NOTES ON MOUSE MANAGER FEATURES
1. MS-DOS and Windows Features
When you choose Set Buttons, Overall Pointer Speed, Acceleration,
and Orientation from Mouse Manager in Windows, the changes
do not affect the MS-DOS driver until you reboot your computer.
However, if you set these features from the Mouse Manager in
MS-DOS, the changes affect both MS-DOS and Windows.
2. Magnify
Once you activate Magnify with the keyboard key and BallPoint mouse,
release the key and BallPoint mouse button. Click any BallPoint mouse
button to return your pointer to normal.
If you move the magnified pointer quickly in highly graphical
applications, it may take a few seconds for the screen to fully
redraw.
You cannot use the Magnify feature on pull-down menus because
the activating keystroke causes the pull-down menu to close. This
also applies to other items that are deactivated by a single
keystroke.
3. Screen Wrap
Screen Wrap cannot move off the edge of the screen while
Microsoft Windows is busy (for example, while the pointer
is an hour glass).
4. Snap-to
If Snap-to does not work in some dialog boxes, it is because
the default buttons in these dialog boxes do not adhere to the
standard Microsoft Windows user interface specifications.
5. Mouse Trails
You can not adjust the length of Mouse Trails for Paletized
video drivers through Mouse Manager.
_____________________________________________________________________
VIII. OTHER ISSUES
1. MS-DOS Support for the IBM XGA Video Card
A file called XGA.VDM is on your BallPoint Mouse Setup disk, but is not
automatically copied during Setup. You need to copy this file to your
BallPoint mouse directory only if you have an IBM XGA card in your
system. This file will give you MS-DOS support for your XGA card.
2. Hot Keys on LCD Screens
On some LCD screens some of the hot keys do not show up or are
not highlighted.
3. Large and Medium Pointers
When using a large or medium sized pointer, some MS-DOS
applications may not redraw the pointer correctly, resulting
in "mouse droppings."
When using a large or medium sized pointer, some applications
for Windows may not enlarge the pointer correctly.
4. Windows 3.0 Support
Setup does not update Mouse Manager in the Windows Control
Panel, version 3.0. But Setup still creates a BallPoint mouse
program group which contains Mouse Manager.
There is no support for the BallPoint mouse driver in an MS-DOS windowed
application within Windows 3.0. To get mouse support, run your
MS-DOS application full screen within Windows (ALT + ENTER switches
between a window and full screen).
5. Exiting from Microsoft Windows with a Serial Mouse
If you find that exiting from Microsoft Windows is slow with your
serial mouse, try modifying the following line in the SYSTEM.INI file
to read:
[386enh] section keyboard = *VKD
___________________________________________________________________
IX. MORE ERGONOMIC INFORMATION
Personalizing your environment so that it is comfortable for your work
situation promotes a healthy physical and mental lifestyle. Studies
show that a carefully planned work environment can actually increase
productivity. Of course, only you can judge what’s best for you, so
we encourage you to adapt these tips to your own needs.
Exercises
Exercise and frequent breaks play an important part in staying alert
and comfortable on the job. Take periodic breaks to rest your eyes,
move your body, and get your circulation flowing. Try some of the
following exercises several times during the day.
Gently press your hands against a table, stretch, and hold for five
seconds. Stretch and massage your fingers, hands, wrists, and forearms
throughout the day. Gently shake your hands and fingers to relieve
tension and help blood flow. Rotate your shoulders in a full forward
circle four times. Then roll them backward four times. Then rotate
each shoulder separately four times. Do this at least twice daily.
Organize your work so that you alternate using your computer with
other activities. Try to use different muscle groups throughout the
day. Get up and walk around several times a day.
Note: If you experience pain while using your computer, consult a
qualified health professional.
Keyboard and BallPoint Mouse
Position the keyboard directly in front of you on the desk. While
you are typing and using the BallPoint mouse, keep your shoulders relaxed
and let your upper arms hang freely at your sides. Let your elbows hang
loosely near your body Your forearms should be nearly parallel and at
approximate right angles to the floor as you type and use the
BallPoint mouse.
The design of the Microsoft BallPoint mouse accommodates a wide
variety of grips and lets you use it in either hand. Keep your upper
arm vertical and bend your elbow so that your forearm is straight ahead
and parallel to the floor. Rest the side of your hand on a flat surface.
Rest your thumb on the mouse ball and your index finger on the curved
indentation of the button along the side. Adjust the tilt of the
BallPoint mouse if you have to reach for the buttons or the mouse ball.
The BallPoint mouse should fit comfortably into the cupped shape of your
hand so that you maintain a relaxed, natural position while you work.
_________________________________________________________________
Download Driver Pack
After your driver has been downloaded, follow these simple steps to install it.
Expand the archive file (if the download file is in zip or rar format).
If the expanded file has an .exe extension, double click it and follow the installation instructions.
Otherwise, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Device Manager.
Find the device and model you want to update in the device list.
Double-click on it to open the Properties dialog box.
From the Properties dialog box, select the Driver tab.
Click the Update Driver button, then follow the instructions.
Very important: You must reboot your system to ensure that any driver updates have taken effect.
For more help, visit our Driver Support section for step-by-step videos on how to install drivers for every file type.