Disable barrel button

[Chris Fry]

Is it possible to disable the barrel button when using ActivStudio 2? Apparently it was possible with AS1 and was useful when allowing young students to use the board, preventing accidental appearance of pop-up menus.

[Rob Radcliffe]

Good question! There is an option to add additional functionality to the barrel button (eg hold for 3 seconds to launch camera tool) but so far haven't found a way to disable it....

[Richard Archer]

Indeed, the staff at my school are keen to find this feature. We recently added AS2 as an alternative to AS1 for staff to use in their classrooms and many are trying to move over, but are frustrated by the frequency with which the context-menu pops up univited.

Most of the staff here made use of AS1's facillity to disable the button, but AS2 just doesn't seem to have it.

[Peter Lambert]

I can't think of a reason why this option didn't make it through to Version 2. If there is no prohibitive reason I will try to get it re-instated for the next release.

[Chris Fry]

Originally posted by Peter Lambert:
I will try to get it re-instated for the next release. Thanks, my colleagues will be happy to hear this. Can you hint at a possible timescale?

[franky]

The teacers here too will be pleased, as this is a much missed feature.
even a standalone exe that can be added as a custom button would do me.

Would that take less time than waiting for another AS2 release?
Is there a way to extract this feature from AS1? i looked around and theres no disablerightclick.exe in the folders, drat

thanks

[Tiggermet]

We too are missing this tool particularly when children are using the board. The old disable button was brilliant and is sorely missed!

We look forward to having this ability in the very near future!

[scotthk]

Just to add my support to the above posts. The AS2 software will be arriving in our centre soon and the button was widely used here.

[Geoff Gould]

Please reinstate it - I hate seeing the pupils with flashing menus all over the board.

[Jason Evens]

Yes please !I try to avoid writing in lessons because I get so annoyed by menus popping up. This even seems to happen sometimes without physically pressing the side button.

[Jayne Gordon]

I have the same problem as Jason Evens - once one pop down menu has accidentally appeared on the board then without even touching the barrel button this happens repeatedly. I found it a necessity to deactivate the button with the seven year olds and now I'd like it to be reinstated for my use too!

[ktc]

Any news on when this will be sorted? It seems I'm not alone in wanting it back.

[clappertong]

This is one of the many changes from AS 1 to AS 2 that in my opinion has been a step back and has forced me, after several frustating weeks, to go back to using AS1. I will now only use AS2 when I need something like the ruler or protractor.

[sartley]

I understand what you're saying, but have to disagree strongly - the features and functionality of AS2 is in my view far superior to AS1. When I first began to use AS2, I used to acidentally click the right button as well, so began to hold the pen in such a way that the right button faces inwards and to click it when I do want a menu, use my thumb. I showed the children how to do this as well and they soon get the hang of it.
Don't give up on AS2 - it really has so many excellent features not available in AS1.

[Rob Radcliffe]

I agree with Sharon. Although it is a useful feature to have, learning how to hold the pen correctly when using the board is an integral part of IWB use - just as is holding a pen correctly when learning to write.

I for one couldn't go back to AS1 now I'm hooked on AS2! :cool:

[Richard Archer]

Sharon, Rob,

As Jayne stated above, this not always a case of clumsy button-pressing. We frequently have problems with the menus popping up without the barrel button being pressed.

This may be a board issue, or a pen issue, or even a person issue, but on the basis that most staff here simply do not use the right-mouse button, it's frustrating that the disable option is no longer there.

[Margaret Allen]

Hi everyone,

I think we "the team" have got the message - about the button and as Pete said earlier in the thread it will be reinstated if at all possible.

Like all features to the software they are there because teachers have requested them and this is the software's stength. As a colleague of mine, says to teachers, "you wrote the software"!

Cliff has started a possible "wish list" thread and so you will be aware that we are trying to accommodate people's wishes/needs. Bear with us, we don't always get it right, but wouldn't life be boring if everything was perfect first time round! :p

[Rob Radcliffe]

Understood Richard - I have seen the "spurious right click" myself on occasion, so the option to turn it off altogether is definitely a useful feature...

[Tiggermet]

Thank you, Thank you and Thank you!

I have just noticed that I have the ability (upgrade patch v2.0.345 and higher) to turn off the right click function (pen barrel button) in ACTIVstudio 2!

If you haven’t noticed this add on extra then all you have to do is go to the Tool Store and you will see the new icon at the end of the presentation tool row.

Just add it to your toolbar and hey presto you have that excellent tool option which stops the children (and some teachers in my experience) from creating right click mayhem when they are using the pen!

Well done Promethean – great job! +wave+

David Metcalfe
ICT Manager
Shakespeare Junior School
http://shakespeare.school.hants.gov.uk (http://shakespeare.school.hants.gov.uk/)