How to move from screen 1 to screen 3 by moving cursor to the left and vice versa?

Question

If I have to move the mouse from the left screen all the way to the right screen, the distance is quite big.

Is there a way to virtually connect the sides of the screen as if they were arranged in a circle? I could then move from the left screen to the right screen, by simply moving the cursor to the left.

Answer 1

Script to connect screens "circular"

The script below will do as you describe; if the mouse touches the right edge of the right (-most) screen, the mouse re- appears on the left (-most) screen. If it touches the left side of the left screen, it re- appears on the right side of the right screen.

Built- in precautions

The script assumes the screens are arranged in a non- overlapping configuration, x-wise, but it has a built- in correction in case the screens are not top- aligned, or of a different y- resolution. Although you wouldn't run into problems in most cases, in the situation below you would, unless the script takes into account the possible differences in y- resolution and /or (un-) alignment of the screens:

If the top of the left screen is below the top of the right screen, the cursor moves from top- right to the top of the left screen. Possibly un- aligned bottom idem ditto

The script

#!/usr/bin/env python3
import subprocess
import time

def get_screendata():
    data = [s.split("+") for s in subprocess.check_output(["xrandr"]).decode("utf-8").split() \
            if s.count("+") == 2]
    # calculate total x-size of spanning screens
    x_span = sum([int(item[0].split("x")[0]) for item in data])
    # sort screens to find first/last screen (also for 2+ screens)
    data.sort(key=lambda x: x[1])
    # find (possible) screen offset of first/last screen and vertical area
    scr_first = data[0]; shiftl = int(scr_first[2])
    areal = [shiftl, shiftl+int(scr_first[0].split("x")[1])] 
    scr_last = data[-1]; shiftr = int(scr_last[2])
    arear = [shiftr, shiftr+int(scr_last[0].split("x")[1])]   
    return (x_span, areal, arear)

screendata = get_screendata()
x_span = screendata[0]; areal = screendata[1]; arear = screendata[2]
new_coords = []

while True:
    time.sleep(0.5)
    new_coords = []
    # read the current mouse position
    pos = [int(s.split(":")[-1]) for s in \
           subprocess.check_output(["xdotool", "getmouselocation"]).decode("utf-8").split()\
           if any(["x" in s, "y" in s])]
    # if the mouse is on the left of the first screen
    if pos[0] == 0:
        new_coords.append(x_span-2)
        if pos[1] <=  arear[0]:
            new_coords.append(arear[0]+2)
        elif pos[1] >= arear[1]:
            new_coords.append(arear[1]-2)
        else:
            new_coords.append(pos[1])
    # if the mouse is on the right of the last screen
    elif pos[0] > x_span-2:
        new_coords.append(2)
        if pos[1] <=  areal[0]:
            new_coords.append(areal[0]+2)
        elif pos[1] >= areal[1]:
            new_coords.append(areal[1]-2)
        else:
            new_coords.append(pos[1])
    # move the mouse
    if new_coords:
        subprocess.Popen(["xdotool", "mousemove", str(new_coords[0]), str(new_coords[1])])

How to use

1. The script needs xdotool

   sudo apt-get install xdotool
   

2. Copy the script into an empty file, save it as circular_mouse.py

3. Test- run the script by running in a terminal:

   python3 /path/to/circular_mouse.py
   

   You should be able to make an infinite mouse movement to either right or left, circulation through your screens.

4. If all works fine, add it to startup applications: Dash > Startup Applications > Add the command:

   /bin/bash -c "sleep 15 &&  python3 /path/to/circular_mouse.py" 
   

Answer 2

You could try using Taralli. You would need to edit map_beef.c for your own monitor setup.

Alternatively, @ohayden posted a bash script here that could be customized to do what you're wanting to. To use it, you would need to install xdotool by running

sudo apt-get install xdotool

I'm afaid I only have one monitor, so I've not been able to try out either of these possible solutions.