Bug 439610 - Autoscroll using middle click
Summary: Autoscroll using middle click
Status: CONFIRMED
Alias: None
Product: kwin
Classification: Plasma
Component: input (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: unspecified
Platform: Other Linux
: NOR wishlist
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: KWin default assignee
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2021-07-07 18:37 UTC by Gabriel
Modified: 2025-10-16 13:33 UTC (History)
14 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:


Attachments
Example of autoscrolling a PDF in Firefox (21.88 KB, image/jpeg)
2021-07-07 18:37 UTC, Gabriel
Details

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Description Gabriel 2021-07-07 18:37:20 UTC
Created attachment 139925 [details]
Example of autoscrolling a PDF in Firefox

SUMMARY
It would be quite nice to have autoscrolling by middle clicking and controlling speed and direction with the cursor and not just by using 'shift-arrow keys'. Such an option is wonderful to have when browsing through large documents. 

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Open a document in Okular
2. Middle click

OBSERVED RESULT
Nothing

EXPECTED RESULT
A symbol (see attachment) appears as a reference point and scrolls based on the cursors distance from it.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
KDE neon User edition 5.22

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 
Apologies if this is more relevant to another part of the software stack, e.g. Qt. If so, then please point me to the right place.
Comment 1 Laura David Hurka 2021-07-09 18:30:39 UTC
> STEPS TO REPRODUCE
> 1. Open a document in Okular
> 2. Middle click
> 
> OBSERVED RESULT
> Nothing

Is this description accurate? Okular should zoom in or out without discrete steps, that is what middle-click-and-drag is currently used for.
Comment 2 Gabriel 2021-07-10 09:08:40 UTC
Ah, that is true. I wasn't aware that dragging the cursor while middle clicking would do that. However, a simple middle click will still not do anything. Perhaps it would then conflict with the zooming action to have autoscrolling as well?
Comment 3 Laura David Hurka 2021-07-10 11:30:06 UTC
What you described is middle-click-and-release-then-drag, instead of middle-click-and-drag, right?

Now that I think about it again, I think that can be implemented both at the same time.
Comment 4 Gabriel 2021-07-11 09:22:57 UTC
Yes, that's correct. Simply middle clicking enters an autoscrolling "mode" which allows you to scroll the page by moving the cursor until the next click. It seems however that autoscrolling can usually also be done by holding middle click and dragging, but of course that would conflict with zooming in the case of Okular.

Perhaps it would still be fine to compromise between having both zooming and scrolling, however similar the actions to perform them are? I would certainly not mind and probably use both a lot, but I can't speak for everyone.
Comment 5 Axle 2021-08-11 23:16:01 UTC
I Think adding autoscrolling support across all application i.e.(discord, document viewer, web browser.) would be great.

I really don't like having to do hacky code just to get this feature.

I don't know if x11 can support it, but I think wayland is the future, and can probably be implemented in the wayland kwin compositor.
Comment 6 Visne 2022-06-25 18:45:57 UTC
I would also love to have this feature system-wide. It is basically the only thing I miss from Windows.
Comment 7 Liz Lee 2025-01-17 14:29:49 UTC
i second this.

the current behavior (zooming with middle-click) differs from common UX behavior, as all(tm) other programs in the field of "working with documents" use middle-click-scrolling.

whenever a UI/UX interaction differs from the commonly expected behavior, there should be an option to let the user choose the common behavior. this is not gnome.

the new kde plasma system-wide middle-click-scroll option does not mitigate this problem as it behaves very uncommon on its own.
Comment 8 Méven 2025-05-10 10:05:27 UTC
This would need to be implement in KWin.
Comment 9 Axle 2025-05-10 10:44:16 UTC
Libinput supports on-button scrolling (middle click autoscroll) and it looks like Plasma 6.2 added libinput's on-button scrolling.
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Plasma-6.2-Auto-Scrolling
Comment 10 cwo 2025-05-13 08:21:33 UTC
(In reply to Axle from comment #9)
> Libinput supports on-button scrolling (middle click autoscroll) and it looks
> like Plasma 6.2 added libinput's on-button scrolling.

On-button scrolling is not auto-scrolling. Auto-scrolling is automatic and moves the view continuously depending on the direction and distance where the pointer was clicked. On-button scrolling is a scroll-wheel emulation that translates movement, not position, to scroll events, and as such is not automatic - it's a direct response to immediate user input. Its primary purpose is to substitute for a scroll wheel on devices that do not have one. It's not intended to substitute for Windows-style auto-scrolling, so it's better to not use that term (and we don't do so in the mouse configuration page).
Comment 11 kmdest 2025-10-10 03:04:02 UTC
+1 this would be killer. The better the fundamental window and scrolling experience is, the more things KDE will have over windows. Not that windows does this any better, or at all.
Comment 12 aliahmadipersonal 2025-10-16 13:33:02 UTC
I hope its added to the Okular soon, this feature is very compatible with muscle memory of other PDF Viewers.
I know KDE added a MMB as Scroll in their Mouse settings, but that is a global change which messes up my browser and other apps.
Comment 13 aliahmadipersonal 2025-10-16 13:33:22 UTC
I hope its added to the Okular soon, this feature is very compatible with muscle memory of other PDF Viewers.
I know KDE added a MMB as Scroll in their Mouse settings, but that is a global change which messes up my browser and other apps.