Double tap to left click and drag on trackpad

Greetings all,

The “Tap, then tap and slide one finger in any direction"  gesture to perform a “left-click and drag” is not supported in Windows 8.1 for precision touchpads such as Touch Cover 2 and Type Cover 2.

The “left-click and drag” function can be performed on Touch Cover 2 and Type Cover 2 by holding the left touchpad button down and then sliding a finger in any direction.

 

We’ll be updating the inaccurate information in Touchpad: A built-in mouse.

Steven B,

I agree with another poster on this forum -- saying that this is a documentation error isn't dealing with the problem.  I would really like Microsoft to acknowledge that if this feature is made unavailable by design, then the Type Cover 2 has a serious flaw.

Microsoft users who have a Type Cover 2 are probably some of the most die-hard fans you have. Personally, I have a Surface Pro 1 with the original Type Cover and now a Surface Pro 2 with the Type Cover 2. Instead of just saying this is a documentation inaccuracy, Microsoft's policy should be to help users like us get the most out of Surface products. We want to be appreciated for being your customers!

But I'd like to also present the logic to you so Microsoft can understand why this really is a design flaw. I have been using the alternative gesture, "holding the left touchpad button down and then sliding a finger in any direction". There are serious problems with this mechanism on the Type Cover 2.

(1) There is no tactile feedback when the left touchpad button is depressed, except for an almost inperceptible low-pitch audio.

(2) On the Type Cover 1, the left button is activated by a physical depression, but because of the new "flat" (flush with the base) touchpad design on the Type Cover 2, I am never sure when the left button is actually activated.

(3) Compounding this problem further, the area on the Type Cover 2 touchpad which corresponds to the "left button" is extremely tiny. With the new flat touchpad design, I have to use my eyes to ascertain whether I am actually pushing on the area which qualifies as the "left button" because the perimeter of the touchpad is inperceptible to my fingers. This means I have to take my eyes off the screen momentarily to make sure my left finger is really hitting the "left button". If I don't use my vision as feedback, I have to do this by trial-and-error and it almost always takes a few tries before my left finger can accurately hit the "left button".

So, please, Microsoft, if you intentionally remove this feature from the Type Cover 2, this is a serious design issue for the Type Cover 2. Users like us, and your most loyal customers, would really appreciate it if you could fix this problem and help us regain our trust in Microsoft, to assure us that you are on the customers' side. I really am a huge fan of your Surface products. Truthfully, I will not unload my Type Cover 2 just because of this problem. But I feel I should be rewarded for being a Microsoft fan, rather than treated as a victim of a documentation inaccuracy. Or may be I should use my Type Cover 1 on my Surface Pro 2?

It actually doesn't work on my Touch Cover 2 (nor does the finger rolling thing).

Considering this is fixable at the software level, I think it's reasonable to expect that feature from a $100+ keyboard.

Interesting because I spent a bit of time at the Microsoft store testing it and showing their people the problem. I wonder if they had a touch cover 1 out even when they said it was the 2.

Anything is possible I guess, but I was pretty sure it was the 2 because of the slight differences. I will go back mad check again.

In any case, it should be simple for them to fix.