Assign mouse buttons to a specific task

[MkIII_Supra]

Okay, I have been all over the web... all over JustLinux and pretty much spent several months trying to find one simple answer. How do I easily map two applications to my trackball?

I have a Kensington Expert Mouse Model K64325. It has a scroll wheel, and 4 mouse buttons. I have used xev to figure out which button is which. The upper left = 2 and the upper right = 8. I want the upper left to open Firefox when I click it. I want the upper right to open REALBasic when I click it.

I know this can be done (really easily too!) in Windows. I want to do it in Linux. Especially since I have several systems like this. Also I can then take what I learn from my own experience and start mapping OTHER people that are total Linux newbs, mice for them.

The mouse works great all I want are the two feature/options I just listed and I cannot find a single answer anywhere on the web that seem to address my question. SO I am hoping someone here will have a laymans answer.

Thanks.

[deathadder]

Since you can get the "keycode" from xev for your mouse button can you use xbindkeys to do what you want?

[Edit]
The answer to my question appears to be "yes you can" :)

http://linux-trackball.dreamhosters.com/

A more general Google for you: http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=linux+trackball+xbindkeys&btnG=Search&meta=

[JohnT]

Lifted from the net.....how far do you want to venture?


I assume that your trackball is a HID (human interface device).
so it should be complaint to the USB HID specs:

http://www.usb.org/developers/hidpage/

If you need further help with HID's I would recommend you to visit
the discussion forum at
https://www.usb.org/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=1