Move and zoom using only the mouse

[Davide78]

Hi, I'm asking you just to be sure if it's possible to navigate a file using only the mouse... maybe I have a wrong initial setting, when I open a file I always have the Hand (move) command activated (mouse pointer in the shape of a hand).
It is actually very convenient to zoom, just hold down ctrl and scroll with the mouse to zoom, when you release ctrl you go back to Hand (move).
Sometimes, however, my left hand is busy holding the point on a sheet of paper or on the calculator and it would be convenient for me to alternate pan and zoom using only the mouse, but is there a way?
I think that you have to use the "follow with zoom" command, but I'm asking anyway because I've often discovered certain unexpected features and conveniences on this forum!
Thanks and sorry for the banality of the request!

[PHK]

Hold down the left mouse button whilst using the Hand tool should work for you. Or I may have optioned it to work like that but forgotten that I had. But that means you can, too.

[Davide78]

Thanks for the feedback! I think it would be enough to find a setting (if it exists) that allows you to zoom out with the mouse wheel instead of scrolling the document, but I don't see it

[PHK]

Thanks for the feedback! I think it would be enough to find a setting (if it exists) that allows you to zoom out with the mouse wheel instead of scrolling the document, but I don't see it

For me, the mouse wheel works two ways now: scrolling through pages with just the wheel and zooming magnification with [ctrl]-wheel. Does yours not?

[Davide78]

Exactly, maybe I explained myself badly...I would like to know if there is a setting that allows me to zoom without having to press the ctrl key.
Even reversing the two commands you described would be enough for me when I need it, namely:
- scrolling through pages with [ctrl]-wheel
- zooming magnification with just the wheel

[PHK]

Thanks for the clarification, Davide, I get it.

I don't see anything, either, in the commands to achieve your desired set up. Then, I thought there might be something in the mouse software that might allow users to flip those functionalities. So I looked at the software for my mouse which is a Logitech MX Ergo but there does not seem to be a way of doing that. But you might want to look at the software for your mouse (assuming not the same as mine) to see if there is a capacity for customizing how the wheel works. Sorry I cannot offer any better advice.

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello,

I am sorry to have to confirm currently there is no way to change the handling in this area. It has come up many times, and our Dev team is aware of the demand, but its implementation is still not a high priority.

Personally (If I could), I would like to see normal scrolling when only the wheel is being used, and if you are are holding the LMB then the scroll wheel works as a zoom action instead, alongside an option to invert the default handling for those who want it. (maybe even allow for LMB+RMB+scroll to perform L/R scrolling, to do everything with one hand!).
As a frequent tea-drinker, I also like to have the option to perform standard tasks like this one-handed.

If you have some examples of other software's which make good use of mouse wheel scrolling (beyond adobe, who I know offers a checkbox for it), I would be keen to hear about them so I can site them in a follow-up report to the Dev team.

Kind regards,

[Mathew]

• Firefox: Wheel moves up and down the page, CTRL-wheel zooms.
• Bluebeam rather annoyingly uses just the wheel for zoom, and CTRL-wheel to change pages (actually that program can be erratic because sometimes CTRL-wheel will also zoom.) So I get messed up switching between pdf programs - constantly switching pages when I mean to zoom in!

Would be great to have an option so we can choose.

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]

Hello Mathew,

Bluebeam aims more at people coming from e.g. architectural drawings, and Cad software I believe use the mouse wheel on it's own for zooming in, maybe that's why this is their default as well!

However pretty much any browser or other PDF viewer I can think of (or any other software that works with long documents) would default to the mouse wheel being for scrolling up/down the document and for zoom (which is the operation less frequently needed) to use a modifier key like Ctrl.

Kind regards,
Stefan

[Davide78]

Since you have now become, by merit, my only reference in the world of PDF, the analogies of operation with other programs that I can give you are usually inspired by Autocad, not by your competitors. I add that many questions I ask you concern analogies of consultation of documents equivalent to the use in Autocad (planimetric documents, multi-page schematic files, etc.)

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]

Hello Davide78,

Yes - and we appreciate the feedback, however for the majority of people who do not work on architectural plans the current behaviour of the mouse wheel is better. I will ask our devs on their opinion on offering this as a switchable option, but I can not make any promises that it will be approved.

Kind regards,
Stefan

[Davide78]

Of course, it is right that the operation is designed to satisfy the greatest number of users!
I always ask because I assume that the program has solutions for some of my problems that I can't find by myself (as has often happened)!
Everything you implement will be appreciated, and even if this request is not fulfilled, as long as I can I will use your program because it speeds up many work activities for me
Best regards

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]

Hello Davide78,

And we greatly appreciate all user feedback, and as you have noticed - we try to implement the majority of feature requests that do make sense, but sometimes something might be too niche, hence my 'warning' above that I can not make any promises. Our devs will look at this request likely a bit later this week, and if there's any movement from their side I will post again here in the topic!

Kind regards,
Stefan

[Yorgi]

Note to Stefan and PDF Xchange: It would be great if there was a toggle that could allow setting the behaviour of the mouse scroll wheel to be reversed (ie wheel = zoom and Ctrl+wheel = scroll). We have many users of PDF Xchange in my industry of Architecture and Engineering, and in these industries, most CAD applications use the mouse wheel to zoom by default. I also use Bluebeam when required by client stipulations and that software has the mouse configured to zoom with the mouse wheel and then Ctrl+wheel = scroll. It makes it very frustrating when switching back and forth to remember which function is active in each app. Please consider adding this as it would be very helpful to have the option to switch the function around for those of us that need it. Thanks.

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, Yorgi

Thank you for adding your support to the discussion above. This is what Stefan and Davide have been discussing up until now, and by extension is the topic I mentioned in my initial post here. It is a known demand, but at this time, we cannot make any promises for a change. I am very sorry that I cannot give you the promise that you are looking for, but know that the Dev team will look into it when we can find the time.

Kind regards,