Q100501: How to resolve erratic mouse movement in Modo on macOS devices

Joseph

Updated : October 30, 2024 10:27

Created : April 30, 2019 21:21

SYMPTOMS
On macOS, the mouse cursor can move erratically or drift. Sensitivity may also feel overly or underly sensitive. This typically occurs on new installs of Modo, or after upgrading to Mojave (10.14) or above.

This may also cause the Render Region to misbehave, long delays when opening file menus, and the mouse cursor to “fly away” off of the visible screen.

CAUSE
Modo adjusts mouse movement during regular operation and interaction with tools. This is normal behavior, but due to security updates introduced in macOS Mojave, this behavior needs additional permission to operate correctly. Typically, this permission is granted when Modo first runs via a system pop-up dialogue. However, if this pop-up is dismissed or closed without granting permission, then the mouse cursor’s movement can become erratic.

RESOLUTION
1. Select the Apple icon in the top left of the screen, then choose System Preferences… from the resulting pop-up window. 

2. Select Security & Privacy from the resulting System Preferences window.

Figure 1: The “System Preferences” menu on macOS Catalina

3. In the Security & Privacy window, select Accessibility under the Privacy tab.

4. Ensure the lock icon is unlocked. If it is not, click the icon to unlock it.

5. If the version of Modo you are using is not listed in the Allow the apps below to control your computer box, select the + icon underneath the box.

6. Navigate to the Modo14.1v1 application in your installation directory, then select it and press Open.

Figure 2: The Privacy menu in macOS Catalina

Now, Modo should run without the erratic mouse movement. If a dialogue box appears asking for permission the next time you run Modo, grant Modo permission to prevent further issues. 

NEXT STEPS

To test Modo in a clean environment and verify if a plugin or kit is contributing to any unexpected behaviour, you can run Modo temporarily without plugins or customizations by launching it in Safe Mode. Instructions on running Modo in Safe Mode can be found in the “Launching Modo in safe mode” article.

FURTHER HELP

If you encounter any issues performing the steps outlined in this article, then please open a Support ticket and let us know the issue you are encountering, and the troubleshooting steps you have taken so far. For more information on how to do this, please see the following article: Q1000064: How to raise a support ticket.