Right Drag on Mac

Question

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

Solution

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.

Comments

[HikeMike]

It works wonderfully in my Windows virtual machine. Are you on Windows using Boot Camp?

[Dunc]

Came here for TortoiseGit move operation in Boot Camp, similarly stuck!

[NReilingh]

The right-click shortcut on mac is just control-click. No shift necessary.

[Mafuba]

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.

[HikeMike]

What OS does this work on? I cannot get it to work on Mac OS X 10.8 nor a Windows 8 virtual machine.

[adastragrl]

I'm using Mac OS X 10.8.2, but on a Windows 7 machine via RDC.

[Dave Van den Eynde]

I think it's ridiculous to suggest one to adopt a Mac OS X "lifestyle" while in a Windows environment.

[Scott - Слава Україні]

The previous answers seem to suggest that it is possible.

[Szak1]

No they don't. Those answers apply to legacy models, before 2011, with physical trackpad buttons.

[Andy]

In 3D modelling, generally, the more types of click and drag at one's disposal, the better.

[Arjan]

...and how to combine that with right-clicking?

[adastragrl]

My own answer no longer works at least on Max OS X Yosemite 10.10.5 and then using Citrix to get to my Windows 10 work machine. Instead of Ctrl+Shift, just the Alt (Option) key is necessary. I will update the answer.

[Amir Abiri]

In certain cases the "Mac way" is not an option, and in fact has nothing to do with OS. 3D modelling and games have an established standard of "hold down right mouse button and drag" to rotate the camera. Some software adjust to OSX and provide an alternative. But in those cases that don't, it would be useful to have the ability to mimic. For example Option + 3 finger drag would be simple and great for those non-Mac aware software.

[Mafuba]

Are you talking about in MacOS? Or Windows? The original question was about Windows on a Mac (i.e. Bootcamp).

[Amir Abiri]

I’m aware. But the problem is that it’s among the top 3 results in Google for “Mac right click drag”. So for anyone searching for that in context of games on Mac, let them find the answer here.