2 Accounts, 1 PC and Mouse sharing with Octopus Tutorial.

I just recently decided to get into this so my knowledge is not all that great. Upon first downloading and running Octopus I was completely lost. I searched the boards and didn't really find anything that is what you could call a step-by-step process to setting up Octopus. I basically had to figure it out on my own. The guy who released Octopus (sorry forget the name) has a website that I used and it helped a little. But like I said, it really wasn't a step-by-step process on how to set it up and use it.

After I got it up and running, I started to realize what it is that I needed Octopus to do for me. I am running 2 accounts on one computer. I rolled a druid and a mage. I got to level 5 and 4 before I learned how to use the built in maximizer in Octopus. After I started using maximizer is when things started to get interesting.

As I progressed in levels I was having to click each screen to loot and target (I was alternating between using /assist playername /cast spell macros). This was actually slowing me down because of the different windows I would have to click the inactive window once before I could click again to loot/target.

So I then began playing with the mouse sharing. At the time I was running each instance of WoW on its own monitor. After a lot of changes to the mouse sharing option I come to the conclusion that I needed help. So I searched the forums and found several posts saying that "You can't share the mouse for different windows if your running 2 or more on the same computer". This bummed be out.

Well, as it turns out, I played around with the settings and I finally got it working. So I decided to write up a little guide on how to do it, simply cause I'm bored and can't play wow at the moment. There also doesn't seem to be a lot of info on how to use Octopus...I personally love it, so I may write up more guides. Let me know what you think :)

Step 1 - Set up maximizer:

• Both windows need to be on the same monitor. Although, it should be noted that I was able to get mouse sharing to work when each window was on a different monitor but I can't duplicate it. So for now I will just say that each window needs to be set up on the same monitor. The size of each window needs to be the exact same. They can be different but your clicks will be off since it all depends on the resolution of the windows and their placement. So, set the WIDTH and the HEIGHT of both windows the be the exact same. The X and Y variables don't see to matter so long as both windows remain on the same monitor. Here is a screen shot of what mine look like. The X, Y, Height and Width will most likely vary depending on your resolutions so you may just have to play around with them.
  [align=center]http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/1...pusmax1ki3.jpg http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/5...pusmax2hd1.jpg [/align]

Step 2 - Edit Profile:

• Open your profile and make the following changes. Be sure to click the "Receives broadcast clicks" and "Receives broadcast cursor" on your ALT's client. On my profile, the druid is the main and the mage is the alt. Make sure both of the "Display" boxes have the same monitor number in them. And last, click your Main client and mark the maximizer settings to Main(druid in my case) and do the same for your Alt (mage in my case). I also have both windows set to topmost.
  
  [align=center]http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/4...profilecn0.jpg [/align]

Step 3 - Mouse Sharing:

• Now, I have had a lot of mixed results while playing around with this. I've tried several different options and this is the only one that really seems to work correctly. You have to set up two screens that have the same resolution as your monitor settings. I currently run at 1400x1025 so the width and height are both set to Width = 1400 and Height = 1025. I know it doesn't sound like it should work this way, but for some odd reason it does. One thing I noticed is that if you change the width and height of either window mouse sharing fails to work. I'm sure you can run windows side by side or top and bottom without problems. I currently run a top and bottom setup with the screen split in halves. Here is what my Mouse Sharing screen looks like (Druid being the top and Mage being the bottom).
  
  [align=center]http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/1...smousesye4.jpg
  [/align]

Step 4 - Setting up your Clicks:

• On the click settings, it is set up to ignore clicks by default.So your list should be empty. This is where you must decide which clicks you want to broadcast. I personally am still playing around with this because I mainly use my mouse to move my toons. There is a small annoyance that I have found as well. Each time you make a click that is to be broadcasted, the mouse cursor wants to jump to the center edge of the screen (not all the time though, it appears to happen randomly). Also, sometimes your toon will randomly change direction (only if you use your mouse RMB and LMB to move or look around). Finally, anything that calls for clicking and dragging can cause some odd behavior. I currently have it set to broadcast both RMB and LMB. The potential is great but I still have to re-do all my movement bindings. As of now I can loot, activate npc's, accept quests, abandon quests, use items in bags....basically everything you can do with one toon that requires clicking (aside from click + drags).
  
  [align=center] http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/5...clicks1fg1.jpg
  [/align]

What to expect and how it actually works:

• Clicking and dragging works to move inventory items (Although you really don't have to hold a click down to drag items, I do it just from habit though).
• Clicking and dragging does not work to change camera angles on both windows.
• Frequent direction changes if you use the RMB and LMB to move your toon.
• Mouse cursor gets reset to the middle edge of the screen after clicks sometimes. (I.E. It jumps off screen)
• Sometimes the mouse cursor will end up staying on the second window. Easy fix but can be annoying at times. I still find myself saying, "wtf, where did my cursor go?"
• When you click on your main screen, the cursor jumps (quickly) to the other window and makes a click in the same spot on the other window and then the cursor jumps back to the main screen. Just think of it as hoping back and forth between the two windows when you click.

In closing I would just like to say that you must have the proper broadcasting boxes checked. In all my screenshots I only have "Keys" and "Clicks" set to be broadcasted. Cursor is left unchecked (it made no difference in my tests) because theoretically your not sharing the cursor, just the clicks.

Hey, I'm all for a guide, but I must correct some things. If you find what I say wrong.. its a job for the bug department 8)

step 1: broadcast clicking should work with the windows on any display, even with displays in negative positions relative to the primary display (as configured in control panel/display settings). Personally I have 4 here and its working as expected. Clicks are not related to mouse sharing, or the maximizer. The actual positions of the windows are taken just before the click needs to be made so you ought be able to move them around (ok you cant do that with WoW but something else, I use cmd.exe as an example, but unfortunately that will not start correctly from a profile). The aspect ratio should be the same, but the resolution doesn't matter. The only area it will be unforgiving is if you change your display settings via control panel without either (i forget) starting the software, or restarting the server.

step 2: broadcast cursor option is totally unnecessary for one PC.

step 3: mouse sharing is unnecessary for one PC. It's solely for linking between PC's. It will only slow your mouse down.

step 4: I know that it will sometimes put the mouse in the second window after a click IF you move it during the automated clicking phase (after you release the button). I've tried to work around this but havn't come up with anything yet. Except that my mouse filter driver does not suffer from this! I don't know about it going anywhere else, but it may well be related to using mouse sharing. It there are problems with mouse looking, higher timings might help, probably event wait is too low.

just wanted to clarify a few things
hope it helps