Ctrl key stuck (because of mouse buttons assignments)

[GeorgeOne]

Dear Folks,

When I assign one of the mouse buttons to "Close" or to a keystroke combination (Ctrl-F4, Alt-F4, Ctrl-W etc.), after using the mouse buttons the Ctrl (or Alt) key behaves erratically as if it were stuck on the keyboard.

This is not a hardware fault of the keyboard, I tried different types and makes. I have Vista64 but I read on various forums people have this on Win7 as well, both 32 and 64. Worst of all it happens both with Microsoft Explorer (MiniMouse in my case) with Intellipoint and Logitech VX Revoution and their Setpoint. (Newest versions were installed). Other people report it with further mice.

Nothing is turned on regarding Accessibility and Sticky keys. As to date I found no evasion to this frustrating issue except not assigning mouse buttons the way I want. Is there some merciful soul out here who will share a solution ? Logitech know of this but their newer versions did not solve this, same goes for MS. Please help, thank you,

Kind Regards

George

i7 GigabyteUD3 GA-NV96 etc. not relevant I think

 

[Gandalf]

I'm no sure if I qualify as a merciful soul, but have you checked your Device Manager?
Is the mouse properly assigned?

 

[GeorgeOne]

Thanks. All is OK in Device Manager and the mouse is working well. The issue remained after I unistalled a Logitech mouse and its software (Setpoint) and replaced it with a Microsoft mouse and Microsoft software (Intellipoint). It depends on mouse button assignments. I am used to using the middle button on the mouse (with Logitech) or the pressing the scrollwheel (with Microsoft) to close the current tab or window, which is much faster than pointing at the little "X" and clicking it. When I assign this button a "Close" or a "Ctrl-F4", for instance (depends for what application, i.e. for Internet Explorer tabs - Ctrl-F4), subsequently the keyboard starts to behave as if the Ctrl button was stuck. It has something to do with the way the mouse drivers interpret events over USB, I suppose.

tks, brgds George

 

[lunytoons1]

I have the exact same problem with my mx 3200 and still trying to find an answer to the problem ._.

Thanks. All is OK in Device Manager and the mouse is working well. The issue remained after I unistalled a Logitech mouse and its software (Setpoint) and replaced it with a Microsoft mouse and Microsoft software (Intellipoint). It depends on mouse button assignments. I am used to using the middle button on the mouse (with Logitech) or the pressing the scrollwheel (with Microsoft) to close the current tab or window, which is much faster than pointing at the little "X" and clicking it. When I assign this button a "Close" or a "Ctrl-F4", for instance (depends for what application, i.e. for Internet Explorer tabs - Ctrl-F4), subsequently the keyboard starts to behave as if the Ctrl button was stuck. It has something to do with the way the mouse drivers interpret events over USB, I suppose.

tks, brgds George

 

[fowang]

Press the magic x to close 😀

Assigning buttons on your mouse just to close the active window is just lazy and only saves a fraction of a second.

Appologise to the OP but i dont see the point.

 

[GeorgeOne]

Well, fowang,

I am too lazy to point and shoot at the little "x" if I buy a fancy mouse with assignable buttons where it is possible to press a button on the mouse instead. Besides that, consider the possibility that some people have sight impairements or motoric handicaps that can take the point somewhat beyobnd being lazy.

Thank you very much for your hugely unhelpful contribution.

brgds

George

 

[fowang]

Fair comment, i didnt considder a user with a condidtion like that, but i would say a user with said condition would use keyboard shortcuts rather than using the mouse.

 

[GeorgeOne]

OK, fowang, no hurt feelings, to be honest I am frustrated mainly by the technical point of view - it is a feature that is supposed to be working and it irritates me that it misbehaves.

Another thing, if for instance you have a slow internet connection like I had when I moved into a new house with no cables in the street - I found it useful to Ctrl-click links into new tabs so that new pages could load in the background while I was still reading the current page. Reading news for example you end up with a lot of open tabs. Then it is nice and quick if you close the tabs when you've read them quickly and neatly not having to move the cursor to hunt for the small grey "x" button.

Anyway, cheers and best regards

George

 

[Michiel_m]

Hi all,

The reason is a strange programming thing, the command of unpressing Ctrl apparently is never sent once you close e.g. firefox with a command assigned to your mouse button (see http://uberoptions.net/setpoint-stuckmodifiers). Don't know how well the mentioned solutions work though, they do not sound ideal.

Problem: When using Keystrokes with modifiers (Ctrl+W, Alt+F4, etc.), the modifier is often left stuck down until you press and release the real modifier key (I.E. Ctrl is stuck until you toggle the Ctrl key).

The problem happens when SetPoint sends the first part of a keystroke (Alt key down, F4 key down) and then doesn't send the rest of the keystroke (F4 key up, Alt key up) leaving the computer thinking the modifier(s) are still being held down. One way this can happen is if you have a button set to close a window in a button profile, such as:

In All Other Programs profile: Button X sends Mouse: 3. Middle Button

In Firefox.exe profile: Button X sends Keystroke: Ctrl+W

When closing the last tab (and thus the entire window), only Ctrl key down and W key down will be sent before Firefox.exe closes. Since Firefox.exe is no-longer the active window, the Ctrl key up event is never sent, so the Ctrl key is left virtually stuck down.

Solution: This is a long-standing problem with SetPoint's KeystrokeAssignment handler, especially when used with application-specific button profiles. There are a few possible workarounds.

1. Don't use Keystrokes with modifiers. Trigger an SetPoint.AutoHotkey AutoHotkey macro, bind a normal key if possible, or use one of the built-in SetPoint functions instead. For Alt+F4, use Keys:Close (Alt+F4) in SetPoint, etc.

2. Use the **Keys: 2 Keystrokes function** (added by uberOptions) and set the 2nd keystroke box to just send the modifier key(s). So, Keystroke 1: Alt+F4, Keystroke 2: Alt+ (I'm not sure if this really helps or not).

3. Use SetPoint's KeyStroke handler instead of the KeystrokeAssignment handler (this takes manual editing of your settings file).
For instance:

Set a button to Keys:Close (Alt+F4) in SetPoint
Close SetPoint from the System Tray
Edit your setting file (in notepad.exe or the like). Start->Run->%25userprofile%25\Application Data\Logitech\SetPoint and then edit the user.xml file in that folder (see below).
Restart c:\Program Files\Logitech\SetPoint\SetPoint.exe or reboot

For Ctrl+W, change:

<Handler Class="KeyStroke">
<Param KeyName="%{F4}"/>
</Handler>


to:

<Handler Class="KeyStroke">
<Param KeyName="^w"/>
</Handler>


The modifiers are:

^ ctrl
+ shift
* win
% alt

Some extended keys are:
*{PGDN}
*{PGUP}
*{TAB}
*{ESC}
*~ (Enter)
*{BKSP}
*{RIGHT}
*{LEFT}
*{F1-F16} works (F17-F24 don't work, have to use the KeystrokeAssignment handler instead)

So, Ctrl+Shift+Win+Alt+Enter is KeyName="^+*%~" and Win+Q is KeyName="*q"

 

[GeorgeOne]

DEAR SIR,

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ANSWER TO THIS ISSUE, VERY KIND OF YOU,

CHEERS AND BEST WISHES


GEORGE

 

[GeorgeOne]

Best answer selected by GeorgeOne.

 

[GeorgeOne]

DEAR SIR,

THANK YOU VERY MUCH

for your answer to the stuck modifiers issue,

VERY KIND OF YOU, CHEERS AND BEST WISHES

George

 

[rbfb]

This is an old thread but it might help someone. Both Logitech and Microsoft have written buggy software for their mouse programs: Setpoint and Intellipoint, even the latest versions, cause the keyboard to act flaky--especially the ctrl key. Here is the solution: Remove the Setpoint and Intellipoint software. Install the FREE x-mouse program to program your mouse keys. http://www.highrez.co.uk/ It really works!

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey