Accessibility on drag and drop options

[RoseRodent]

I am a disabled W7 user and I frequently find I have a problem when I am trying to select multiple files to work with (copy, move, delete) that my hand accidentally has the tiniest wobble and W7 takes this as a "ctrl drag and drop" and creates copies of everything I've selected so far. It's really tedious because every time I try to make a batch to work on I end up with 3 or more copies of everything before I successfully complete the batch selection.

Is there any way to reduce the sensitivity to this small movement, or turn off the "ctrl-click to copy" thing without removing all the drag and drop features? I just want to be able to ctrl-click a number of files without this annoying automatic copy if I have a small tremor in the middle.

Or perhaps there is another way to batch select a number of non-contiguous files without using ctrl-click so if I move it at least won't make me any copies!!

Thanks.

 

[Anak]

Hi! RoseRodent, welcome to 7F

In Vista and newer, including Windows 7 and Windows 8, there is an option to use check boxes for multi-selection. For some reason, this is turned off by default, but it is simple to turn on:

• In Windows Explorer, hit the ALT key one time to make the hidden menu bar appear.
• Select Tools > Folder Options.
• Select the View tab.
• Scroll down and select the option named “Use check boxes to select items”.
• Click Apply, then OK.

You will now have the option to select each file by simply placing a check to the left of each file name.


Or you can go >Control Panel >Folder Options >View tab >Scroll down and select the option named “Use check boxes to select items”.

Then go back to any Folder you want to work in, and you will see the boxes on or near the files you would like to select.
It depends on how you have your view settings set.

It can be reversed by going back into Tools or Control Panel >Folder Options >View >and deselecting the check box for check boxes.

 

[RoseRodent]

Thanks, I did that but it still only allows me to click one item at a time unless I am holding the ctrl key, so the problem remains, if you move while you are ctrl-clicking you still end up with copies. I'm looking for a way to select multiple items not next to each other besides using the ctrl key, or a way to turn off the ctrl-click automatically resulting in a copy of the file. Or maybe something in mouse settings to increase the central dead zone more like a joystick?

 

[Bongo]

I am a Quadriplegic with no finger movement I use my thumbs and a touchpad and use the check boxes all the time, you have to click inside the check boxes.
Jerry

 

[Anak]

Okay, Rose what I have found so far you may already know.

There is Microsoft Accessibility: Technology for Everyone, Home This link explains the ease of access center in win7.
You can reach the ease of access center by going to:
Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Ease of Access Center. Here you would use the numeric keypad to move the mouse pointer.

Follow the red rectangles make changes as you need them:
1. 2.
3.

In Control Panel\Mouse Controls click on the pointer Options tab, there you can slow down the pointer, if Enhance Pointer Precision is checked you may want to un-check it to test.


I did find one mouse control program that might work here:
SteadyMouse - Hand Tremor Mouse Accessibility Software

Have you ever installed a program before? After you download the program, right click on the icon and when the context menu opens run it as administrator.
See option #2 here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11841-run-administrator.html

This site has a list of programs for the physically disabled:
Software: Free enabling software for people with disability

 

[RoseRodent]

OK, I think I get it a bit more now... but that presents the different problem of aim - I need the checkbox to be about the size of the icon due to terrible aim with hand tremors. Perhaps zoomed up to 6x size I might be able to click in them! I rely on being able to click somewhere vaguely near the icon for it to pick up the selection, so a tiny box won't enable me to stop using the ctrl key. Probably why I wasn't able to tell that the checkbox would allow multiple selections.

There really isn't a way to stop it from taking ctrl-tiny-accidental-motion as "I'd really like copies of all this stuff, please"? I don't like putting in additional programs unless it absolutely 100% can't be avoided, it's just the way I like my system, if Windows will do it then I want Windows to do it, it tends to result in a less upset PC, particularly on programs which don't cleanly uninstall - something you don't tend to know till you want to do it.

Have you ever installed a program before?

I'm gonna guess you get people swinging by who haven't, but let's just say yes.

 

[Anak]

OK, I think I get it a bit more now... but that presents the different problem of aim - I need the checkbox to be about the size of the icon due to terrible aim with hand tremors. Perhaps zoomed up to 6x size I might be able to click in them! I rely on being able to click somewhere vaguely near the icon for it to pick up the selection, so a tiny box won't enable me to stop using the ctrl key. Probably why I wasn't able to tell that the checkbox would allow multiple selections.

There really isn't a way to stop it from taking ctrl-tiny-accidental-motion as "I'd really like copies of all this stuff, please"?

I don't like putting in additional programs unless it absolutely 100% can't be avoided, it's just the way I like my system, if Windows will do it then I want Windows to do it, it tends to result in a less upset PC, particularly on programs which don't cleanly uninstall - something you don't tend to know till you want to do it.

Have you ever installed a program before?

I'm gonna guess you get people swinging by who haven't, but let's just say yes.

I understand, if you read my Quote within your Quote

Going back to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Ease of Access Center,

Go to above where I showed you the mouse controls you will see \Make the computer easier to see.


Click on that, and you will next see:



From here you can turn on the magnifier, and make the focus rectangle thicker.
Test the different settings for now and see if they work for you.


I have to go out for a while, but I will check back, hang in there we will make this comfortable for you.

 

[paulmooreparks]

Hi, RoseRodent, I wrote a couple of utilities that might help with what you want to do. They allow you to adjust the distance that an item must be dragged before Windows interprets the movement as a drag operation.

There is a graphical UI version:
Windows Version of Dragsens « Parks Computing

and also a command-line version:
Dragsens version 1.4 « Parks Computing

The first one might be a little easier for you to use.