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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Ignore accidental trackpad input, why isn't it?

Ignore accidental trackpad input, why isn't it?
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Nov 26, 2003, 04:24 PM
 
There's an option under Keyboard & Mouse to "Ignore accidental trackpad input" which is supposed to "[Make] the computer ignore the trackpad while typing.

As it stands I have this option checked off. I pretty much always have. Yet I find very frequently that when I'm typing, I end up switching out of the application I'm typing in when the cursor hits one of my hot corners while jumping around the screen...

Anybody know why this option in the preferences has absolutely no effect what-so-ever???
     
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Nov 26, 2003, 06:13 PM
 
I believe that the ignore accidental trackpad input option does not disable it while typing, it will make it so the mouse only moves when it is a finger-sized touch with adequate movement. It will only ignore very light touches or a large patch, such as your palm resting on the pad.
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Nov 28, 2003, 04:42 AM
 
This option never worked for me either, I believe it had to be an Apple mouse to be ignored!

But it works now in Panther, the trackpad is ignored - I had a nasty few moments when I found my trackpad not working but then I remembered and on unplugging the mouse it worked again.

     
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Nov 28, 2003, 05:04 AM
 
I just tested it (with the setting on and off). It does work, just not very effectively. The trackpad does not cause any pointer movement while the keys are being pressed. Of course, this is usless if you move between key presses. But, I suppose you can't have an unresponsive trackpad after someone finishes typing.
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Bobby  (op)
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Nov 28, 2003, 11:51 AM
 
Originally posted by ccsccs7:
I just tested it (with the setting on and off). It does work, just not very effectively. The trackpad does not cause any pointer movement while the keys are being pressed. Of course, this is usless if you move between key presses. But, I suppose you can't have an unresponsive trackpad after someone finishes typing.
I am using Pather and I type at a rate of 50+ wpm (which is relatively fast)... I actually have to slowmyself down so that I don't get interupted by my palm accidentally hitting the trackpad. What would be ideal is if the setting would disable the drack pad for a second each time a key is pressed. This way it wouldn't move the mouse when I type, and it also wouldn't cause the trackpad to stop funcitoning for too long while/after typing...
     
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Nov 28, 2003, 06:37 PM
 
Originally posted by Bobby:
I am using Pather and I type at a rate of 50+ wpm (which is relatively fast)... I actually have to slowmyself down so that I don't get interupted by my palm accidentally hitting the trackpad.
I guess I forgot to mention that I must have been typing at least 100+ wpm. So, the feature is there, but perhaps that 1 second delay you mentioned would work. Hey! Let's send feedback to Apple about it. I've had many folks who have been frustrated while trying to type with my iBook (actually leading to people saying that they do not like the iBook).

Edit: I don't actually type that fast. It was just random letters.
(Last edited by ccsccs7; Nov 29, 2003 at 12:50 AM. )
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Nov 29, 2003, 10:10 AM
 
I noticed that when I installed some macally drivers that the trackpad ignore feature didn't work. Without the drivers, it seemed to work fine.
     
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Dec 8, 2003, 03:00 PM
 
Got a iBook G4 14" and I am having the same problem. I'll be typing along and then notice that the cursor has been placed in a different place and now there is a paragraph in the middle of a paragraph. It is very frustrating knowing that I've checked the feature in the Mouse/Keyboard prefs to ignore the trackpad while typing (TRACKPAD NOT MOUSE) As i am writing this it has happened 3 times in the past 10 seconds to my girlfriend sitting accross from me on the said iBook 14".

Is this just an overly sensitive trackpad? Is panther just messed up on iBooks? Does this problem exist for PowerBook users? I'm on a Pismo and I don't have that problem, possibly cause the trackpad is a little lower(sunken into the palm rest) so my hand doesn't even touch it. BUT that still doesn't excuse the fact that the feature of turning 'ignoring the trackpad while typing' does not work.
     
Bobby  (op)
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Dec 9, 2003, 12:23 AM
 
Originally posted by bigcrabtree:
Got a iBook G4 14" and I am having the same problem. I'll be typing along and then notice that the cursor has been placed in a different place and now there is a paragraph in the middle of a paragraph. It is very frustrating knowing that I've checked the feature in the Mouse/Keyboard prefs to ignore the trackpad while typing (TRACKPAD NOT MOUSE) As i am writing this it has happened 3 times in the past 10 seconds to my girlfriend sitting accross from me on the said iBook 14".

Is this just an overly sensitive trackpad? Is panther just messed up on iBooks? Does this problem exist for PowerBook users? I'm on a Pismo and I don't have that problem, possibly cause the trackpad is a little lower(sunken into the palm rest) so my hand doesn't even touch it. BUT that still doesn't excuse the fact that the feature of turning 'ignoring the trackpad while typing' does not work.
From what I can tell this "problem" plauges PowerBook's as well as iBooks...

I've reported this issue to apple's os x feedback. As of now the best I can recomend is for you to leave feedback as well... Hopefully something can be done...
     
   
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