ESEsportToys·Sep 10, 2025
I wrote https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse a while back with the “grid mode” that moves the mouse cursor by bisecting the screen coordinate incrementally.
In Microsoft PowerToysEsportToys
TPMouse
AutoIt2022–2025
EsportToys / TPMouse
TPMouse
A virtual trackball for Windows, via vim-like homerow controls.
3Distinct people
17Mentions
0Explicit recommenders
154GitHub stars
What to know before exploring
What it is
A virtual trackball for Windows, via vim-like homerow controls.
GitHub
Where it is used
No documented product use has been verified yet.
What people are saying
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Also in these discussions
- gavinpen/ahkcoordgrid · linked in 2 of the same discussions
Mentioned in the same Hacker News threads. That is not proof they are substitutes.
This week on Hacker News
Nov 7–Nov 14 UTC · Direct repository links and separately labeled related project stories. Indexed through 11/14/2026, 5:04:57 PM UTC.
No direct repository links were found in the indexed HN discussions over the past seven days. Older discussions are available below.
Mentions over time
HN mentions by year17 dated mentions
Observed mentions: 2022-10-19 13:37:14 UTC to 2025-09-10 19:35:22 UTC.
Counts come from the repository’s dated source evidence. Index cutoff: 2026-11-02 08:16:59 UTC.
View mention counts and date ranges
| Period | Start (UTC) | End (exclusive, UTC) | Mentions | Submissions | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2022-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2023-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2023-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2024-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 11 | 1 | 10 |
| 2024 | 2024-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2025-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2025-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2026-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 1 | 0 | 1 |
What Hacker News says
17 sourcesThere are a few:
https://github.com/GavinPen/AhkCoordGrid
https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse
https://github.com/lesderid/keynavish
In Mouseless – fast mouse control with the keyboardThe friction/acceleration awkwardness can be solved by using a physically based timestep-independent formulation, which I implemented in TPMouse[0] and explained its derivation in a previous comment reply[1].
The gist of it is that the solution to a linearly damped particle is a linear system, so the x and y components can be calculated completely independently and the analytic solution is just an exponential of time.
It is a special case of the timestep-independent damped harmonic oscillator, which I previously wrote a blogpost about [10].
Namely it is the "unsprung" special case under "Overdamped"
The very same formulation is also what I used to implement LibreScroll[11] to add inertial scrolling to any mouse.
[0] https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse
[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/Trackballs/comments/ym9q2t/tpmouse_...
[10] https://news.
In Turning a keyboard into a mouse with LibevdevAnd for Windows, my https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse was inspired by warpd itself but more focused on making direct cursor motion more usable using momentum.
In Turning a keyboard into a mouse with LibevdevShameless plug, but you may like the Inertia Mode of my TPMouse script[0] if you need a keyboard-based workflow systemwide.
[0] https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse
In Floor Mouse (2018)I'm actually in the process of reworking it so that the keybinds can be fully remapped via a GUI. In fact, LibreScroll is my first step experimenting with multi-process delegation that will enable that functionality, since the current way of having to edit the code directly in scattered locations is very much not ergonomic.
In the meantime, for the current version of TPMouse on the dev branch, to change the remapping of arrows and mouse buttons, you need to edit `keybinds.au3` in three spots:
1. the virtual-key constant at the static array at the top
2. the hotkey string at the static array at the top
3. (this is really poor UX I know) in the static struct declaration inside the respective callback function, change the referenced virtual-key constant.
The list of virtual key codes can be found in `vkeys.au3`:
https://github.com/EsportToys
Read the rest
/TPMouse/blob/dev/vkeys.au3
So for example, to remap mouse1 from F to A, I need to do the following:
Line 10:
<<< before >>>
$mb1 = [ $VK_F , '{f}' , callback_f ] , _
<<< after >>>
$mb1 = [ $VK_A , '{a}' , callback_f ] , _
Lin 68:
<<< before >>>
Local Static $struct = DllStructCreate('ushort MakeCode;ushort Flags;ushort VKey;'), $vkey = DllStructSetData($struct,'VKey',$VK_F)
<<< after >>>
Local Static $struct = DllStructCreate('ushort MakeCode;ushort Flags;ushort VKey;'), $vkey = DllStructSetData($struct,'VKey',$VK_A)
As for changing the activation hotkeys, if you wish to use a different modifier other than CapsLk, change the vkey code on line 74, 90, and line 107 of TPMouse.au3; for example, to change it from CapsLk to Alt:
Line 74:
<<< before >>>
Case $VK_CAPS
<<< after >>>
Case $VK_ALT
Line 90:
<<< before >>>
If $VK_Q = $struct.VKey And Not ( $sks($VK_CAPS) Or ($sks($VK_LSHIFT) And $sks($VK_RSHIFT)) ) Then Return
<<< after >>>
If $VK_Q = $struct.VKey And Not ( $sks($VK_ALT) Or ($sks($VK_LSHIFT) And $sks($VK_RSHIFT)) ) Then Return
Line 107:
<<< before >>>
If $sks($VK_CAPS) Or ($sks($VK_LSHIFT) And $sks($VK_RSHIFT)) Then
<<< after >>>
If $sks($VK_ALT) Or ($sks($VK_LSHIFT) And $sks($VK_RSHIFT)) Then
Show HN: LibreScroll – enable flywheel-scrolling on any generic mouse
Based on the framerate-independent momentum simulation[0] that I used in my TPMouse script[1]
If you've ever used a mouse with Infinite-scrollwheel such as Logitech, this utility for Windows basically recreates that functionality for any generic mouse.
Actually, it's even better than that: this allows for simultaneous horizontal and vertical scrolling, so essentially it combines two of the best features of the Logitech MX Master -- horizontal wheel, and unlocked momentum scrolling -- into one intuitive control scheme.
To enable horizontal scrolling, set the X-sensitivity to a value you prefer.
[0] https://old.reddit.com/r/Trackballs/comments/ym9q2t/tpmouse_...
[1] https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse
43 points · Open discussionI had written a Windows script for adding three-finger drag[0] that I use daily, perhaps it could provide some inspiration.
Basically, it is an independent subscriber to RawInput messages that only keeps track of whether or not to send three-finger drag, and posts emulated mouse messages using SendInput. I have a few other scripts that each run as independent userland processes that only monitors their own trigger and nothing else.
Tangentially, my TPMouse[1] script implemented inertia in a framerate-independent way so that it uses very little resource while having perfect simulation stability.
A previous discussion where I explained the analytic derivation for this low-resource exact-solution damped inertia can be seen in [10]
[0] https://github.com/EsportToys/PrecisionThreeFingerDrag/blob/...
[1] https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse
[1
Read the rest
Fun fact: every videogame on Windows is potentially a userspace keylogger if you let it run in the background while, e.g. browsing the web etc.
Basically, any application that uses the Raw Input API can request to receive raw device events even when the application is not running in the foreground, by using the RIDEV_INPUTSINK flag.
The app will then receive every raw device input packet that the hardware sends to the system, replete with timestamps[0] and your mouse position when the event happened[1].
In the case of keyboards it would provide the virtuak-key codes and scancodes[10].
Rawinput is used by modern FPS game like Valorant[11], so if you leave it running in the background it may potentially be able to observe your every single keystroke while you use your browser, enter passwords, etc.
TPMouse, my opensource trackball-emulation
Read the rest
script that lets you use the homerow as a trackball for your cursor[100], uses Raw Input with the RIDEV_INPUTSINK option so that it runs entirely in userspace without needing to hook to low level drivers.
It is certainly a double-edged sword -- for open source it's a convenience blessing since what you're running can be inspected directly, but in the case of close-sourced games like Valorant you're relying on your trust of Riot Games's intentions and competence.
[0] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/winuser/...
[1] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/winuser/...
[10] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/winuser/...
[11] https://playvalorant.com/en-gb/news/game-updates/valorant-pa...
[100] https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse
With the TPMouse script, I implemented the activation shortcut as [LShift][RShift][C (trackball mode) / G (grid mode) / Q (quit)], which I felt had a nice balance between deliberateness and easy-to-reach (since you are using it with your hands on homerow).
Though because some keyboards have key rollover issues with using both Shifts, [Capslock][<modekey>] is also allowed as an alternative activation shortcut.
[0] https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse
In Toward a more useful keyboardAutoIt is also great especially for quickly prototyping GUIs.
I recently built a proof-of-concept for a modernized method of interacting with RTS cameras[0], which unfortunately could not be achieved with frameworks like SDL due to their abstraction obscuring some of the native OS functions needed to create my idea.
Using AutoIt lets me basically just treat it as a minimal-boilerplate sandbox to make DllCalls. This also means that I could directly listen as well as post raw device messages. For example, I implemented an inertia-based cursor script that basically lets you use your homerow vim keys like it's a trackball[1], which I now use everyday whenever I'm not with my ThinkPad.
[0] https://github.com/EsportToys/NaturalEdgePan
[1] https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse
In Somehow AutoHotKey is kinda good nowJust had a quick look and highlighted those 2 ones:
- https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse
- https://github.com/GavinPen/AhkCoordGrid (based on AutoHotKey)
In The ThinkPad TrackPoint tried to build a better mouse (2020)I personally use AutoIt a ton as a super fast way to quickly prototype GUIs. It's basically a really simple entrypoint for WinAPI.
Shameless plug: my script for emulating a trackball with your keyboard [0], and my tray app for quickly tweaking your cursor speed (usually for when I'm drawing something)[1]
There are also some really useful utility apps like WhyNotWin11[2] that's made entirely using AutoIt
[0] https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse
[1] https://github.com/EsportToys/MouseTray
[2] https://github.com/rcmaehl/WhyNotWin11
In AutoHotKey V2 (Breaking Upgrade)Show HN: TPMouse - A Virtual Trackball for Windows, controlled from the homerow
Hello all, I apologize for the repost as the previous submission was made from an unfortunate timezone.
I've been refining my app to the point that it's pretty much become an indispensable daily driver in my own workflow.
Hoping to hear some critiques/feedbacks on its usability!
3 points · Open discussionAsk HN: Tips for making concise demo clips?
Recently I released v1.0 of my vim-like cursor control for Windows[0], and for its README I recorded some clips of myself using the various modes, but constantly find the result unsatisfactory when played back.
I was quite baffled as to how to contrive short use-case scenarios that are self-explanatory without explicitly annotating what is happening on the screen.
It seems to me that doing it well is a sophisticated art, yet I could hardly find any satisfactory literature in helping one become proficient at it.
I would very much appreciate if folks here could kindly share insights and experiences about this particular art. Thanks.
[0] https://github.com/EsportToys/TPMouse
5 points · Open discussionShowing the 15 most recent of 17 sources. Enable JavaScript to search and browse every indexed mention.