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Last active April 4, 2022 15:05
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Using Two Mouse Pointers on X.org
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two-mouse-or-touchpad-pointers-on-X.md

ORIGINAL HERE: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4012352/linux-dual-mice-multiple-mice-with-multiple-mouse-pointers

I've found a way to do it, but it causes major tearing with Gnome.

  1. Open a terminal and type in xinput (all commands should be done as normal user).
  2. Look at the id of the one of your mice or touchpad.
  3. Then create a new master device with this command xinput create-master "name". (any name of your choice.)
  4. Get the new master "name" numeric id.
  5. Now you just need to reattach one of your mice to the new master xinput reattach "mouse id" "new master id".

Done.

Note this works but is not practical, at least until it's implemented properly in the GUI. To revert this you will probably have to do it blind, but the commands are as follows xinput reattach "mouse id" "old master id" then xinput remove-master "new master id".

Notes:

  • "name" means the name to give the new master, anything will work
  • "mouse id" is the id number of the mouse you want to attach to the new master
  • "new master id" is the id number of the new master you created
  • "old master id" is the id number of the master that was there to begin with
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