Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

wy4tt · Feb 4, 2004, 03:19 AM

i ran a search, but didn't find anything conclusive.
anyway, with my powerbook/trackpad, sometimes it's hard to get to the sometimes small +/-/close buttons for some finder windows. can we resize these buttons to make them a little larger? sorry if this belongs in a different forum, still getting used to the osx way. thanks.

moonmonkey · Feb 4, 2004, 04:35 AM

Originally posted by wy4tt:
i ran a search, but didn't find anything conclusive.
anyway, with my powerbook/trackpad, sometimes it's hard to get to the sometimes small +/-/close buttons for some finder windows. can we resize these buttons to make them a little larger? sorry if this belongs in a different forum, still getting used to the osx way. thanks.

No you can't.

You could lower your resolution and they would appear bigger, but that would be silly.

Your best best is to ask someone in the GUI customization if a Shapeshifter theme exists which does this.

Learning these command keys cold also help you.

Command W = close window
Command M = minimize to dock

wy4tt · Feb 4, 2004, 06:06 AM

thanks moonmonkey. i suppose using the cmds is the way to go anyway. i wonder if a genie effect on the buttons would be an annoyance or a help. when i have an external mouse hooked up, it's not a big deal. but sometimes that trackpad is quirky. anyway, thanks again.

Developer · Feb 4, 2004, 07:48 AM

I'm pretty sure it would be a major annoyance. Moving targets are even harder to hit than small targets.

We will have resolution independent UI by 2009. That will solve your problem.

wy4tt · Feb 4, 2004, 08:13 AM

good. i hate long waits.

wy4tt · Feb 4, 2004, 08:33 AM

btw, i meant magnification, not genie effect. sorry, it's late here.

Nai no Kami · Feb 4, 2004, 02:07 PM

Originally posted by wy4tt:
thanks moonmonkey. i suppose using the cmds is the way to go anyway. i wonder if a genie effect on the buttons would be an annoyance or a help. when i have an external mouse hooked up, it's not a big deal. but sometimes that trackpad is quirky. anyway, thanks again.

As you seem to be a switcher (and as I am assuming that), please be aware that the Mac trackpad works different that in most PCs.
Whereas on the PC the trackpad has no acceleration (i.e., it will move the pinter the same distance if you move your finger fast or slow), the Mac trackpad behavior involves speed. This means that if you move your finger slowly, the trackpad pointer will move much less that if you cover the same distance at a fast speed.
Try it for yourself: move the ponter to the right edge of the screen and then move your finger slowly about an inch. The pointer will move a little. Now do the same but moving your finger quickly: the distance covered by the pointer will be much greater. (the mouse also behaves this way).
If the effect is not too perceptible, adjust the trackpad speed.
This is very handy to make precision movements as well as going from one edge of the screen to another reasonably quick.
With a bit of practice, you will even be able to do even some Photoshop work using the trackpad.

Photo678 · Feb 4, 2004, 07:55 PM

ahhhh, thats great, im new to mac as well, and did not know this. The one thing is that how much photoshop work i can actually do with the trackpad, i thought for sure it would be hopeless, but i love it.

Good job apple

wy4tt · Feb 4, 2004, 10:29 PM

thanks for the advice. and i am indeed a switcher. as for the mouse, the accelerated mouse is a great function. however, there are, at times, erratic movements from the mouse/pointer that are abnormal. perhaps it's static electricity, but it will literally jump several inches across the screen, regardless of how fast i move my finger. it's times like these that make me wish for larger buttons.

by the way photo678, if you haven't tried sidetrack yet, download it and give it a spin. it's one of the best things i've done to my pb. really helps out with the trackpad.

Developer · Feb 4, 2004, 10:47 PM

Originally posted by wy4tt:
however, there are, at times, erratic movements from the mouse/pointer that are abnormal. perhaps it's static electricity, but it will literally jump several inches across the screen, regardless of how fast i move my finger.

That only happens when I unconsciously have another finger on the trackpad for me.

if you haven't tried sidetrack yet, download it and give it a spin. it's one of the best things i've done to my pb. really helps out with the trackpad.

I trashed it because it felt like it also changes the acceleration curve to the worse.

wy4tt · Feb 5, 2004, 02:54 AM

right. it did take a little getting used to the trackpad in order to avoide brushing it with another finger or part of the hand. what i'm referring to isn't this though. like i said, i think it's static electricity, since the issue completely goes away after assuring there is no static buildup. matter of fact, it will jump around by simply running my finger close to the pad...but not actually touching it. anyway, i love it, and this rarely happens anyway.

which version of sidetrack were you using?