Configuration, backup and updates#
File locations#
| File | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration | %APPDATA%\mousetroke\config.json | ~/Library/Application Support/mousetroke/config.json |
| Runtime log | %APPDATA%\mousetroke\mousetroke.log | ~/Library/Logs/mousetroke/mousetroke.log |
Logs rotate to mousetroke.log.old after exceeding 1 MB. About → File locations displays the actual paths. Open folder opens the config directory; Open log opens the runtime log. Under Import & export, Show in File Explorer on Windows or Show in Finder on Mac reveals the configuration.
Export, import and restore#
Under Import & export → Mousetroke config file, click Export… and save a JSON backup. Import from file… reads a Mousetroke config JSON and replaces the current configuration, including preferences. It does not merge that file into your current bindings. There is no native-config merge option in this workflow. You can undo the import with Ctrl+Z on Windows or ⌘+Z on Mac while settings is open.
Before editing JSON manually, export a backup. For a direct restore, quit the engine and close settings, replace config.json with the backup, then reopen Mousetroke. Keeping settings closed avoids its autosave overwriting the restored file.
Reload and reset#
The engine watches the configuration's file timestamp. Windows checks about once per second; Mac checks in the maintenance branch scheduled every two seconds. A change received during a gesture is applied after capture ends. Invalid JSON leaves the previous active configuration in use and records an error in the log.
The current settings UI has no reset-to-defaults button. To start with built-in defaults, quit Mousetroke and close settings, back up and remove or rename config.json, then reopen. A missing file is initialized with platform-specific defaults. A malformed file is not a request to reset.
Updates#
Preferences → Check for updates automatically is enabled by default and checks GitHub once a day. Turn it off there to stop automatic checks. Use About → Check for updates for a manual check and What’s new for release notes. A new-version menu item also opens About.
On Windows, Update now downloads the executable, verifies its SHA-256, replaces the running copy and restarts. Open download page is available for manual installation.
On Mac, Update now downloads the DMG, checks SHA-256, bundle identity, version and the signing requirement, replaces the app and restarts. The old bundle goes to Trash after shutdown; failed replacement or restart handoff restores it. Download manually is available if the installation folder is not writable or the update fails. In-app updates avoid another browser-quarantine prompt and preserve the installation identity used for permissions. A fresh browser download may need Open Anyway again.
Uninstall#
Windows: turn off Enable gestures automatically at startup in Preferences, Quit from the tray, close settings, then delete the executable and %APPDATA%\mousetroke if you no longer need settings or logs.
Mac: Quit from the menu bar, close settings and delete Mousetroke.app. To remove data too, delete ~/Library/Application Support/mousetroke and ~/Library/Logs/mousetroke. Remove Mousetroke from login items in System Settings. Keep an exported backup if you may reinstall.
See troubleshooting for configuration errors and missing logs.