Subject: Logitech mice == Apple Extended Mouse Protocol
To: None <port-mac68k@NetBSD.ORG>
From: Ken Nakata <kenn@remus.rutgers.edu>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 09/02/1995 02:05:37
Sorry, I was just surfin' thru www.info.apple.com for some technotes
without working on what I'm really supposed to work on, but I found an
interesting technote.  It's titled

"ADB-The Untold Story : Space Aliens Ate My Mouse"

and the URL is

"http://www.info.apple.com/dev/technotes/Hardware/hw_01.html"

In this technote, an ADB protocol for multi-button relative pointing
device is discussed among other things, and the protocol looks exactly
like the one used by my Logitech TrackMan.  The protocol (Extended
Apple Mouse Protocol) even defines the content of the register 1 for
more precise identification of the device (name, dpi and number of
buttons).  I read the register 1 of my TrackMan, and it returned that
"LT01" was its name, resolution was 200dpi, and it had 3 buttons.
There's no doubt that Logitech MouseMan/TrackMan (at least newer ones)
support this protocol.

I don't know how many mice out there support this protocol other than
Logitech's ones, but I'll change my Logitech support according to this
Extended Protocol definition, and submit a patch.  The Extended Apple
Mouse Protocol supports up to 4 buttons, so there's some hope that
Kensington Thinking Mouse might support the protocol.

If you have a third-party mouse with many buttons, call the manufacture's
tech-support number, and ask them if your mouse supports the Extended
Apple Mouse Protocol.  If they answer no, tell them "you suck!" B-)

kenn
--
Ken Nakata <kenn@remus.rutgers.edu> | "ftp://remus.rutgers.edu/pub/NetBSD" -
 Rutgers - The State University of  | yet another unofficial NetBSD/mac68k
            New Jersey              | anon-FTP area.  For more NetBSD info,
     New Brunswick, New Jersey      | visit "http://www.NetBSD.ORG/".