Linux 5 Button Mouse Setup

The question:
How do I get my 5 button mouse to work under linux?

The answer:
The way I accomplished this magnificent feet...

I edited the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file. You must be root or have sudo rights to do this.

There is a stanza for the mouse, likely showing as a Emulate 2 Button or Emulate 3 Button mouse. Comment out this stanza by placing a # in front of each line.

Insert the following stanza:

Section "InputDevice"
       Identifier "Configured Mouse"
       Driver "mouse"
       Option "CorePointer"
      Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
      Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
      Option "Buttons" "7"
      Option "ButtonMapping" "1 2 3 6 7"
      Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Now make sure the section title matches the InputDevice name in the ServerLayout Section.

Next step, restart X. In other words, log out an in again.

As a side note, some mice will use a ZAxisMapping setting of "6 7". If your scroll wheel does not work, try changing that setting.

If you are questioning the Buttons "7" setting. It is correct. The scroll wheel actually is shown as a button to the Linux operating system. If you have a tilt wheel mouse, contact me and I will get a post up on 5 button tilt wheel setup.