Microsoft KB Archive/48180

Word: Using a Non-Microsoft Mouse

PSS ID Number: Q48180 Article last modified on 11-02-1994

5.00

MS-DOS

= SUMMARY =

Word supports the following mice:


 * 1) The Microsoft Mouse
 * 2) The IBM PS/2 Mouse with Word version 3.11 and later versions

If you are using a non-Microsoft mouse with Word, Microsoft suggests thay you follow any guidelines offered by the hardware manufacturer to make your mouse emulate a Microsoft Mouse.

If you are having difficulties doing so, contact the mouse manufacturer to resolve any Microsoft Mouse compatibility problems.

= MORE INFORMATION =

Each mouse manufacturer attempts to sell a mouse and mouse driver that provide at least the functionality that is standard in the industry at the time.

However, the state of the art in pointing technology may be thought of as a moving target, that is, it is continually changing. New application programs are expected to take advantage of the latest technology, and this demands that pointing devices keep up as well.

Theoretically, any mouse that rolls and has two buttons should be able to work correctly with Word 5.00, provided that the proper mouse driver is written for it. The MOUSE.SYS file that comes with Word 5.00 is NOT the right mouse driver for non-Microsoft mice.

The electronic signals (representing cursor movements and button presses) generated by the mouse hardware will vary from device to device. In fact, different signals are generated by Microsoft mice depending on whether a bus, InPort, serial, or PS/2 mouse is used. Microsoft provides a single mouse driver for the Microsoft Mouse that captures all of these signals and sends them to the software via a consistent interface.

For legal as well as practical reasons, Microsoft does not provide mouse drivers with each of its products for other manufacturers’ mice. Shown below is a partial list of manufacturers that sell pointing devices.

Some mouse manufacturers stretch mouse technology in different ways (for example, more buttons or higher resolution) so that these manufacturers must write their own drivers.

One of the largest competitors of the Microsoft Mouse is Logitech. Logitech writes drivers for its mice that usually work correctly with Microsoft products. However, Logitech must keep updating its drivers as does Microsoft when new, important software products are marketed. Logitech did this when Word 5.00 was released.

Smaller manufacturers of pointing devices are not always as capable or willing to maintain compatibility with new applications.

The following is a partial list of pointing device manufacturers:

Manufacturer Comments ———— ——–

Amstrad ATI AT&T DFI Three button Genius GM-6000 350-1050 dpi HiRes serial three button GM 6 Plus ST M2 HP IBM Same as Microsoft Logitech C7 Clear case serial three button C7 bus half card three button C7 Plus three button Dexxa HiRes 320 half card three button HiRes serial PS/2 320 three button PS/2 three button New C7 three button New C7 bus three button Microsoft Bus two button Serial two button InPort two button Microspeed Fasttrap Trackball serial three button Fasttrap Trackball bus three button Mitsubishi HiRes Mouse Systems Omnimouse serial PC Mouse II Numonics Cordless OEM (by Logitech) two button Procorp Three button Smart Mouse Suncom SUN022 three button Tandy Tecmar Zenith Z-NIX 240 Super three button 340 HiRes three button

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================================================================ Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1994.