(For easiest reading, make sure Word Wrap is on.)


PROGRAM INFORMATION:

Title: ThumbTrack version 1.2
Author: Lior Ostrowsky.
Status: Freeware (The program may be freely distributed, but it's copyrighted by the author.)

DESCRIPTION:

This utility will hold the scroll bar control in nearly any windows for, and lets you scroll without the need to keep the left mouse button pressed down. 


SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:

- Windows 95, Windows98, or Windows NT 

- Enough free disk space to accommodate the software (less than 160KB)


INSTALLATION:

1. Copy the archive's contents to any folder (such as C:\ThumbTrack).

2. Run Cursor.bat -- or manually place Thumb.cur in the Windows directory.


UNINSTALLATION:

1. Delete the package contents.

2. Delete Thumb.cur.


BACKGROUND:

I've tried several mouse scrolling programs, but always seem to go back to using my thumb. This gives me maximum control over speed and the location of the scrolling text. The only problem is that I have to hold the left mouse button pressed all the time, and after some time, my left mouse button pressing finger starts to hurt. I haven't
found any utility that can hold the left mouse button for me while I'm scrolling, so I decided to write one and named it "ThumbTrack."    


HOW IT WORKS:

After installation, run ThumbTrk.exe. Now, When the mouse cursor is over the scroll bar control press and hold the left mouse button and click your right mouse button, and you can release the left mouse button and continue your scrolling just by moving the mouse. When you finish scrolling, just click one of the mouse buttons to free the scroll bar control. You'll notice that while the utility is working the mouse cursor changes to thumb.cur. If the utility can't find thumb.cur, then the cursor changes to your configured "start a program" cursor. To activate or deactivate ThumbTrack, just click on its system tray icon with your left mouse button.


VERSION HISTORY:

Version 1.0 - Initial Release

Version 1.1 - Added a special cursor to indicate that the scroll bar control is under the influence of ThumbTrack

Version 1.2 - The program trigger changed. Added Help to the icon pop menu. Added a command line parameter "noicon". 

PACKAGE CONTENTS:

- ThumbTrk.exe: The ThumbTrack program

- Thumb.dll: Needed to run the ThumbTrack program 

- Thumb.cur: ThumbTrack cursor

- ReadMe.txt: What you're now reading


CONTACT INFORMATION:

Web site: http://members.tripod.com/~leeos

(Other cool freeware programs can be found there.)

E-mail:

   lior_o@yahoo.com 
   lioro@hotmail.com 

Let me know what you think! Your feedback and criticism are welcome.


ADDITIONAL NOTES:

You can use the command line parameter "noicon" to run ThambTrack without the system tray icon. EXAMPLE: if ThumbTrk.exe folder is C:\ThumbTrack then type C:\ThumbTrack\ThumbTrk.exe noicon, Notice that ThumbTrack will be active until you shutdown or restart your computer.
       
I'm aware that some programs (like Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat) use the scroll box control only to change pages. And, some applications (such as Help files) don't update the window after you release the scroll box control. I don't like it, but unfortunately there's nothing I can do about it. ThumbTrack should work on every scroll box control on your system except (as far as I know) Internet Explorer version 4.xx. (It works fine with earlier versions and with all Netscape and Opera versions.) Please let me know if you have any problems, questions, or comments. 

Because of the wide variety of hardware and software combinations available today, it's up to the user to ensure that ThumbTrack functions well in his or her environment. The user must assume the entire risk of using the product.

My thanks to Ted Tatman for his assistance with the documentation.

          Have fun!