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How do you perform a right-click-drag operation on Mac hardware? I know you can right click, but there does not seem to be a right click drag gesture. In my specific case I am using a MacBook Pro, and I am in a Windows environment.

The question is more than just theoretical. I ask because there is functionality that uses this gesture, at least in the Windows world. For example, right now I'm trying to do a copy and rename in the TortoiseSVN repository browser. I think there are things you can do with a right drag in graphical editors like Photoshop as well. In windows you get a context menu when you right drag files. For those familiar with the software, I know I can do it in other ways; I'm not looking for workarounds to specific problems.

I have tried this suggestion on the macrumors forums by Darth.Titan, but either have not been able to get it to work or do not understand what they are talking about: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=678836

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It works wonderfully in my Windows virtual machine. Are you on Windows using Boot Camp? – Daniel Beck Jun 2 '11 at 12:56
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2 Answers

up vote 1 down vote

It is in your best interest to leave the shackles of your old platform behind you and embrace the "new" way. If you keep looking for ways to get OS X to behave like Windows, and remain in your Windows Comfort Zone, you will never be happy with OS X, and/or you'll end up going back to Windows, effectively "wasting" your money as so many anti-Mac pundits claim.

That said, you may explore the Trackpad preferences pane in System Prefs. There are options in there for multi-finger drags, selects, etc.

According to what Darth says, it sounds like he's doing a 3-finger drag. Again, its easier to accept the Mac convention and embrace the toolset provided on the platform, rather than trying to bend the conventions until they break by wanting it to behave like Windows.

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CTRL-Click acts as right-click - does the same key modifier work for dragging?

Have Mac but not a Win environment on it, so can't verify.

I suppose a USB mouse is out of the question?

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The right-click shortcut on mac is just control-click. No shift necessary. – NReilingh Jan 6 '11 at 22:10
A USB mouse works fine. I am just interested in if there is a way to do it using purely Mac hardware. Control click does not work in a windows environment. You can use a two finger tap or click if you have a trackpad, or use the old school Shift+F10 after selecting something to bring up a context menu, but neither of these allow you to drag. – Mafuba Jan 7 '11 at 23:49
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