Mouse left button acts really strange

[Andreas Rönnquist]

Hi!

I have massive problems with my Logitech M705 - Or specifically with
the left mouse button. Sometimes (very often) singleclick becomes
double-click, dragging items is very hard, it drops the drag before I
release the mouse button. Clicking on the terminal icon in my xfce
panel often starts three terminals. The weird thing is that mouse
movement and the mousewheel works just fine. No problems there of any
kind.

This is independent of which program I use - in Claws Mail, the
Chromium browser, and also in virtualbox and Steam games.

This is on an up to date Debian 11 Bullseye (just upgraded to the first
point release), Xfce desktop, Nvidia graphicscard using the Nvidia
drivers on Xorg. All packages up-to-date with Debian 11.1.

On my latest boot of the system, it looked to me like the button acted
normally for about one minute, but then the usual crap started
happening again, so I assume that the mouse hardware is fine. (I have
also tried another mouse - same behaviour).

Mouse section in xorg.conf:

Section "InputDevice"
# generated from default
Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "auto"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mouse0"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection


It was this earlier:
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"

- but no difference, independent on which "Device" I use there.


Please help me solve this problem!

-- Andreas Rönnquist
mailin...@gusnan.se
and...@ronnquist.net

[Please don't CC me, if I mail to a mailinglist, I am subscribed to it.]

[Eduardo M KALINOWSKI]

On 09/10/2021 10:04, Andreas Rönnquist wrote:
> Hi!
>
> I have massive problems with my Logitech M705 - Or specifically with
> the left mouse button. Sometimes (very often) singleclick becomes
> double-click, dragging items is very hard, it drops the drag before I
> release the mouse button. Clicking on the terminal icon in my xfce
> panel often starts three terminals. The weird thing is that mouse
> movement and the mousewheel works just fine. No problems there of any
> kind.

Seems like a hardware problem. Have you tried another mouse?

--
Half Moon tonight. (At least it's better than no Moon at all.)

Eduardo M KALINOWSKI
edu...@kalinowski.com.br

[Roberto C. Sánchez]

On Sat, Oct 09, 2021 at 10:29:06AM -0300, Eduardo M KALINOWSKI wrote:
> On 09/10/2021 10:04, Andreas Rönnquist wrote:
> > Hi!
> >
> > I have massive problems with my Logitech M705 - Or specifically with
> > the left mouse button. Sometimes (very often) singleclick becomes
> > double-click, dragging items is very hard, it drops the drag before I
> > release the mouse button. Clicking on the terminal icon in my xfce
> > panel often starts three terminals. The weird thing is that mouse
> > movement and the mousewheel works just fine. No problems there of any
> > kind.
>
> Seems like a hardware problem. Have you tried another mouse?
>

He did. This is what he said:

> > On my latest boot of the system, it looked to me like the button acted
> > normally for about one minute, but then the usual crap started
> > happening again, so I assume that the mouse hardware is fine. (I have
> > also tried another mouse - same behaviour).

Regards,

-Roberto

--
Roberto C. Sánchez

[Richard Owlett]

On 10/09/2021 08:04 AM, Andreas Rönnquist wrote:
> Hi!
>
> I have massive problems with my Logitech M705 - Or specifically with
> the left mouse button. Sometimes (very often) singleclick becomes
> double-click, dragging items is very hard, it drops the drag before I
> release the mouse button. Clicking on the terminal icon in my xfce
> panel often starts three terminals. The weird thing is that mouse
> movement and the mousewheel works just fine. No problems there of any
> kind.
>
> This is independent of which program I use - in Claws Mail, the
> Chromium browser, and also in virtualbox and Steam games.
>
> This is on an up to date Debian 11 Bullseye (just upgraded to the first
> point release), Xfce desktop, Nvidia graphicscard using the Nvidia
> drivers on Xorg. All packages up-to-date with Debian 11.1.

[SNIP]

I don't know about Xfce, but MATE can adjust the double-click interval
at System->Preferences->Hardware->Mouse . It also has a setting for
"Drag and drop threshold".

I suspect Xfce has similar.

HTH

[Dan Ritter]

Andreas Rönnquist wrote:
> I have massive problems with my Logitech M705 - Or specifically with
> the left mouse button. Sometimes (very often) singleclick becomes
> double-click, dragging items is very hard, it drops the drag before I
> release the mouse button. Clicking on the terminal icon in my xfce
> panel often starts three terminals. The weird thing is that mouse
> movement and the mousewheel works just fine. No problems there of any
> kind.
>

> On my latest boot of the system, it looked to me like the button acted
> normally for about one minute, but then the usual crap started
> happening again, so I assume that the mouse hardware is fine. (I have
> also tried another mouse - same behaviour).

I see this problem with Logitech wireless pointer products
(mouse, trackball...) when the distance between the USB receiver
and the pointing device is marginal or partially blocked. That
includes a distance of less than one meter where the USB
receiver is blocked by metal in the computer's case from seeing
the mouse.

If you get a USB extension cable or otherwise relocate the USB
receiver so that it is closer and has unblocked line of sight to
the mouse, I suspect your problem will go away.

-dsr-

[Charles Curley]

On Sat, 9 Oct 2021 15:04:30 +0200
Andreas Rönnquist <mailin...@gusnan.se> wrote:

> I have massive problems with my Logitech M705 - Or specifically with
> the left mouse button. Sometimes (very often) singleclick becomes
> double-click, dragging items is very hard, it drops the drag before I
> release the mouse button. Clicking on the terminal icon in my xfce
> panel often starts three terminals. The weird thing is that mouse
> movement and the mousewheel works just fine. No problems there of any
> kind.

On the XFCE desktop, right click, Applications -> Settings -> Mouse and
Touchpad. In the tab labeled Behavior, check the values. I have: Drag
and Drop Threshold, 8 px; Double Click Time, 400 ms; and Distance 5 px.

--
Does anybody read signatures any more?

https://charlescurley.com
https://charlescurley.com/blog/

[Alexander V. Makartsev]

On 09.10.2021 18:04, Andreas Rönnquist wrote:

Hi!

I have massive problems with my Logitech M705 - Or specifically with
the left mouse button. Sometimes (very often) singleclick becomes
double-click, dragging items is very hard, it drops the drag before I
release the mouse button. Clicking on the terminal icon in my xfce
panel often starts three terminals. The weird thing is that mouse
movement and the mousewheel works just fine. No problems there of any
kind.

Judging by these symptoms it is a hardware problem, as Eduardo suggested earlier.
If you have problem with left mouse button only, it means micro-switch worn off.
Even if you said you've tried another mouse, there is a high chance that spare mouse got this common problem too.
It it most used mouse button after all, and every micro-switch has limited lifespan.
You might fix micro-switch by applying a drop of sewing machine oil inside.¹ (I've done it before and it really helps to fix "phantom clicks" for a period of time)
The other solution is to replace micro-switch. (Which I've done too, since micro-switches from OMRON manufacturer are available in my local store)


¹: https://www.reddit.com/r/razer/comments/3nw537/oiling_up_mouse_switches_could_fix_double_clicking/

-- 
With kindest regards, Alexander.

⢀⣴⠾⠻⢶⣦⠀ 
⣾⠁⢠⠒⠀⣿⡁ Debian - The universal operating system
⢿⡄⠘⠷⠚⠋⠀ https://www.debian.org
⠈⠳⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀ 

[Andreas Ronnquist]

On Sat, 9 Oct 2021 10:41:53 -0400,
Dan Ritter<d...@randomstring.org> wrote:

>Andreas Rönnquist wrote:
>> I have massive problems with my Logitech M705 - Or specifically with
>> the left mouse button. Sometimes (very often) singleclick becomes
>> double-click, dragging items is very hard, it drops the drag before I
>> release the mouse button. Clicking on the terminal icon in my xfce
>> panel often starts three terminals. The weird thing is that mouse

>> movement and the mousewheel works just fine. No problls. The weird
>> thing is that mouse movement andems there of any

>> kind.
>>
>> On my latest boot of the system, it looked to me like the button
>> acted normally for about one minute, but then the usual crap started
>> happening again, so I assume that the mouse hardware is fine. (I have
>> also tried another mouse - same behaviour).
>
>I see this problem with Logitech wireless pointer products
>(mouse, trackball...) when the distance between the USB receiver
>and the pointing device is marginal or partially blocked. That
>includes a distance of less than one meter where the USB
>receiver is blocked by metal in the computer's case from seeing
>the mouse.
>
>If you get a USB extension cable or otherwise relocate the USB
>receiver so that it is closer and has unblocked line of sight to
>the mouse, I suspect your problem will go away.
>

Hi

Thanks - I have tried with both lowering the range between the mouse to
the receiver, but that doesn't help (It's at about 30 cm now) - in fact,
it is the same if I swap to a corded mouse (Also logitech, if that would
matter). Really frustrating stuff. Sometimes it goes away, and I think
the problem is solved, but without exception, the problem comes back
(within minutes).

It could be that both those mice are indeed broken - but to me that
seems unlikely (I won't rule it out though).

Testing with yet another mouse (non Logitech) the problem is gone.

[Greg Wooledge]

On Sat, Oct 09, 2021 at 08:52:25PM +0200, sp...@caiway.net wrote:
> I really like Logitech mouses (fast scrolling!), but when used often
> they break each one/two year.
> Sometimes wire most of the time left button.
> I buy them per 3.

It's funny. I've got a 3-button USB Logitech "Wingman Gaming Mouse"
that I've been using for ages. No scroll wheel. It has a rubber ball
that has to be cleaned periodically. It has lasted longer than any
other piece of hardware I've ever had.

[sp...@caiway.net]

[sp...@caiway.net]

> > I really like Logitech mouses (fast scrolling!), but when used often
> > they break each one/two year.
> > Sometimes wire most of the time left button.
> > I buy them per 3.
>
> It's funny.

It's also funny that old time vacuum tubes last longer than
transistors dont't they?
:-)

[Yixuan Lin]

Proprietary things don't get really good, like mouse, so use a wired one.🙁

[Jeremy Nicoll]

On Sat, 9 Oct 2021, at 19:52, sp...@caiway.net wrote:
> I really like Logitech mouses (fast scrolling!), but when used often
> they break each one/two year.

I use my mice almost always in bed, with the mouse either on top
of the duvet or running around under it on the sheet. (The laptop
is on an overbed table.)

What kills them most often is me forgetting where they are and
getting out of bed causing the mouse to fly off the bed where it
often collides with a bookcase (or worse) the metal frame of the
overbed table.

The poor mice expire traumatically, not even managing to call for
help. No SQUEAK! Just a thud.

--
Jeremy Nicoll - my opinions are my own.

[Gene Heskett]

The most common failure is the solder joints on the bottom of the boards
under the swithes. That wave soldering process demands that the switches
be held solidly to the board, not floating 1 to 10 thou up it the air.
The solder is many times heavier than the switch so if not solidly held
down while the solder wave goes by, they will float just a hair, leaving
an air gap between the board and the bottom of the switch. This air gap
is closed by the finger pressing the button, which gradually loosens the
grip of the glue holding the copper to the bottom of the board and
eventually cracking the solder joint, leading to a quick double click
effect from the switch closing in response to the finger, then a break
as the crack opens, followed by a second click as the finger lifts again
and the crack closes, then the switch opens again, giving a double click
where the finger made but one push. Those of us that have a hot
soldering iron grafted to a hand can fix that, but we're often
considered rare birds to be avoided by the girls lest the geekiness is
catching. Some of us are even CET's, but that card, laid on the HR desk
has gotten me every job I ever wanted, some quite lucrative.

Cheers, Gene Heskett.
--
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author, 1940)
If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.
- Louis D. Brandeis
Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>

[Dan Ritter]

Gene Heskett wrote:
> where the finger made but one push. Those of us that have a hot
> soldering iron grafted to a hand can fix that, but we're often
> considered rare birds to be avoided by the girls lest the geekiness is
> catching. Some of us are even CET's, but that card, laid on the HR desk
> has gotten me every job I ever wanted, some quite lucrative.

I'm just going to point out that my wife is a better solderer
than I am, and also better at carpentry, sewing, and when I find
myself in need of advice on how to be a better manager, she's my
subject matter expert.

Soldering is not a gender-specialized activity.

-dsr-

[Andreas Ronnquist]

Indeed - I just replaced the faulty one with a new one of the same
model - the problem has gone away.

It was the hardware.

Thank you to everybody who has helped or tried to help.

best

[Joe]

On Tue, 12 Oct 2021 21:32:54 +0200
Andreas Ronnquist <mailin...@gusnan.se> wrote:

> On Sat, 9 Oct 2021 20:52:25 +0200,
> sp...@caiway.net<sp...@caiway.net> wrote:
>
> >I really like Logitech mouses (fast scrolling!), but when used often
> >they break each one/two year.
> >Sometimes wire most of the time left button.
> >I buy them per 3.
> >
>
> Indeed - I just replaced the faulty one with a new one of the same
> model - the problem has gone away.
>
> It was the hardware.
>

A common problem. There are usually only three or four button switches
used in mice, and yes, the quick answer is to keep broken mice, marking
them if they are broken because of a switch.

The switches are normally easily available new, the trick can be in
identifying the exact model. Mice are not usually very forgiving about
exact sizes.

In the last few days, I've had a left button go dodgy in a H-P mouse,
and I'm currently trying to get the case open without breaking it.

--
Joe