macOS trackpad: three-finger-drag (to move windows, files, faders, knobs etc!) Who knew?

[joeyluck]

Special thank to Gaz Williams for pointing this out during today's Sonic TALK

You'll find the setting under System Preferences > Accessibility > Mouse & Trackpad > Trackpad options... > Enable dragging > three finger drag

three-finger-drag.jpg (146.99 KiB) Viewed 846 times

This works great for moving controls in software such as Reason without having to click and apply pressure. The upshot is it seems to remove the ability to use the three finger gestures for other things. Swiping between full-screen apps then becomes a four finger swipe. Anybody else here using this or knew about this trick? Any other hidden features in macOS that you use?

Something I found when I enabled the three finger drag via Accessibility, it that it seems to have also automatically enabled 'tap to click' under the regular Trackpad settings (System Preferences > Trackpad > Point & Click). I don't like that feature, but was able to turn it off and keep the three finger drag behavior. Not sure if anybody else might encounter this, but figured I'd give the heads up.

tap-to-click.jpg (178.57 KiB) Viewed 846 times

[joeyluck]

By the way, this came up after the discussion about this, AudioSwift:

https://audioswiftapp.com/

It's a macOS app that allows you to use your trackpad as a control surface and MIDI controller. And you can move several faders independently at a time. Cool idea, but doesn't look like Reason is fully supported yet. From the FAQ:

In Mixer Mode, AudioSwift is currently supported with Logic Pro, Pro Tools, and Ableton Live. In Trigger, Scale and XY mode, it works with any DAW just like a MIDI controller.

There is a free trial so I might give it a shot for other things.

Not to get off topic, back to trying out this three finger drag
And using this app, you would have to disable three finger gestures...

[stratatonic]

Special thank to Gaz Williams for pointing this out during today's Sonic TALK

https://youtu. be/mf-qeq-ebM8?t=3010


You'll find the setting under System Preferences > Accessibility > Mouse & Trackpad > Trackpad options... > Enable dragging > three finger drag


three-finger-drag.jpg


This works great for moving controls in software such as Reason without having to click and apply pressure. The upshot is it seems to remove the ability to use the three finger gestures for other things. Swiping between full-screen apps then becomes a four finger swipe. Anybody else here using this or knew about this trick? Any other hidden features in macOS that you use?

Something I found when I enabled the three finger drag via Accessibility, it that it seems to have also automatically enabled 'tap to click' under the regular Trackpad settings (System Preferences > Trackpad > Point & Click). I don't like that feature, but was able to turn it off and keep the three finger drag behavior. Not sure if anybody else might encounter this, but figured I'd give the heads up.


tap-to-click.jpg

Good old Gaz! Gets it out eventually.
Actually this could be useful. Doesn't seem to do well for horizontal faders, but I think its a keeper anyways.
Thanks for the tip!

EDIT: Works fine for horizontal faders if you swipe horizontally... Pre-coffee experimentation...

[joeyluck]

Special thank to Gaz Williams for pointing this out during today's Sonic TALK

https://youtu. be/mf-qeq-ebM8?t=3010


You'll find the setting under System Preferences > Accessibility > Mouse & Trackpad > Trackpad options... > Enable dragging > three finger drag


three-finger-drag.jpg


This works great for moving controls in software such as Reason without having to click and apply pressure. The upshot is it seems to remove the ability to use the three finger gestures for other things. Swiping between full-screen apps then becomes a four finger swipe. Anybody else here using this or knew about this trick? Any other hidden features in macOS that you use?

Something I found when I enabled the three finger drag via Accessibility, it that it seems to have also automatically enabled 'tap to click' under the regular Trackpad settings (System Preferences > Trackpad > Point & Click). I don't like that feature, but was able to turn it off and keep the three finger drag behavior. Not sure if anybody else might encounter this, but figured I'd give the heads up.


tap-to-click.jpg

Good old Gaz! Gets it out eventually.
Actually this could be useful. Doesn't seem to do well for horizontal faders, but I think its a keeper anyways.
Thanks for the tip!

EDIT: Works fine for horizontal faders if you swipe horizontally... Pre-coffee experimentation...

Yeah it's pretty handy