If you ever worked with any 3D modelling software you will know the middle mouse button is an intuitive button to operate many camera operations, or navigating the world space.
But for whatever devil reason, Adobe do not implement middle mouse operation into their software.
Why?!
Just installed InDesign and instantly hit by how awful camera navigation control. I had been using X-Mouse Button Control for Photoshop for ages, instantly programmed a set for InDesign.
Link to Software : https://www.highrez.co.uk/downloads/XMouseButtonControl.htm
X-Mouse Button Control is a software that can override your mouse input for specific software, with a new set of input. For example in Photoshop, you need to press Space while holding left mouse button to pan. Why... Why... Why not just use the dang middle mouse button for that whole operation, just like a 3D modelling software did?!
Photoshop middle mouse pan & zoom
Add the software EXE, at the right side under "middle mouse", select "Simulated Keys" and hit the gear button at the right side of it to enter it's configuration window.
In the configuration window, what you want to insert in the "Enter the custom key" text box is sequences of keys to operate, in this case Space + Left Mouse Button. You don't need to type these manually, just hit the drop down menu marked (1) in picture above, and select from drop down list.
Then change the "How to send the simulated key stroke" to "3 During". And make sure the "Block original mouse input" checkbox is checked. You done. Save everything and you should be able to hold middle mouse button to pan in Photoshop!
Do you know that the key combo of Alt + Space + Left Mouse Button is for smooth zooming in Photoshop? Now that Space + LMB already simulated in Middle Mouse Button, you can actually hold Alt and hold your Middle Mouse Button for smooth instant zooming.................................
Summary : hold middle mouse to pan, ALT+hold middle mouse to zoom!
In Design mouse operation settings
For InDesign, currently I have 3 set of operation assigned, exactly the same method as Photoshop's configuration as above, just different key strokes. Refer picture below.
- middle mouse for panning, same as photoshop's setting
- wheel up override with ALT + wheel up, so I don't need to hold alt to zoom.
- wheel down override with ALT+wheen down.
Since I panning with middle mouse already, I don't need to use the wheel to scroll the document.
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Of course you can also apply the same stuff to any other software that you find haveing weird unintuitive mouse control.
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