{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/trackpad--family-03","type":"mechanic","id":"trackpad--family-03","lang":"en","title":"Hold and release","summary":"Touch starts a note and release can end it. AudioSwift’s separate sustain mode can retain the sound after finger contact ends.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/trackpad--family-03/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/trackpad--family-03.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/trackpad--family-03.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Trackpad interactions","Mechanics catalog"],"sourceIds":["source-80fb36760a664f26","source-27c6b989daeb79c9","source-8303b0f3aad42806","source-fd215230c062deb7"],"sources":[{"id":"source-80fb36760a664f26","title":"AppKit: contacts and system gestures","url":"https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/EventOverview/HandlingTouchEvents/HandlingTouchEvents.html","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-27c6b989daeb79c9","title":"libinput: swipe, pinch, hold","url":"https://wayland.freedesktop.org/libinput/doc/latest/gestures.html","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-8303b0f3aad42806","title":"W3C: Pointer Events","url":"https://www.w3.org/TR/pointerevents/","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-fd215230c062deb7","title":"AudioSwift","url":"https://audioswiftapp.com/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"The duration of the contact and the moment of its completion control the charge, timing or confirmation of the action."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-03-variants\"></a>\n\n- Hold the button. Gesture: Do not release the click while the action is being performed. In the interface: Temporary tool, view, continuous action. In the game: Auto-fire, block, work with the tool. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. The physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: An exit is needed when focus is lost, canceled or released outside the element. <a id=\"variant-21\"></a>\n- Hold a contact without clicking. Gesture: Keep your finger on the surface without pressing it. In the interface: Temporary mode or touch preview. In the game: Touch turns on the shield or holds the object. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on a device does not guarantee this. Conditions: A stationary cursor is not equal to a stationary contact; regular mouse events are not enough... <a id=\"variant-22\"></a>\n- Long press. Gesture: Launch a command after a time threshold of a held click. In the interface: Contextual command, secure confirmation. In the game: Hacking, repair, interaction with the mechanism. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. Physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: A progress indicator and cancellation during movement are needed. To hold without clicking you need T. <a id=\"variant-23\"></a>\n- Auto repeat when held. Gesture: After a delay, repeat the command at intervals. In the interface: Changing a value, paging, a set of identical elements. In the game: Serial construction, command queue. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. The physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: The limits and acceleration of the repetition are set by the application. <a id=\"variant-24\"></a>\n- Accumulation over time. Gesture: Hold duration increases the selected value. In the interface: Adjust the intensity in the absence of a force sensor. In the game: Shot charge, jump or throw force. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. The physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: The duration and physical force of pressing are different channels. <a id=\"variant-25\"></a>\n- Release action. Gesture: Confirm a command when releasing a held button. In the interface: Preview before final selection. In the game: Shoot a charged projectile, launch a throw. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. The physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: Release of the button is available through P; lifting your finger without clicking requires T. <a id=\"variant-26\"></a>\n- Hold without moving. Gesture: Stay within the permissible deviation. In the interface: Stable confirmation, selection with cutting off random movement. In the game: Maintain balance, sight stabilization. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. The physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: Allowance for natural tremor is required; physical contact without button requires T. <a id=\"variant-27\"></a>\n- Holding inside the target. Gesture: Maintain the click and position of the cursor in a given area. In the interface: Confirmation within a button or work area. In the game: Welding, grabbing, continuous target tracking. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. Physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: The boundary and exit behavior should be clearly shown. <a id=\"variant-28\"></a>\n- Leaving the area to cancel. Gesture: Move the cursor away from the target before releasing. In the interface: Safely cancel a selection or confirmation. In game: Cancel a spell, throw or place an object. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. Physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: Cancellation of an OS event and voluntary cancellation by the player must be processed separately. <a id=\"variant-29\"></a>\n- Switchable hold. Gesture: One click turns on the mode, the next one turns it off. In the interface: An alternative to long pressing; tool fixation. In the game: Switchable sight, capture, automatic movement. Access level: Cursor and buttons; The application gets the usual pointer and buttons. Physical fingers and their separation may be unknown to him. Conditions: The condition must be visible; This is a software fix, not a property of the sensor. <a id=\"variant-30\"></a>"},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Author's working classification for designing games and interactions. Options can overlap and combine; the list is not a generally accepted standard or proven exhaustive list. Application examples are conditional unless a specific verifiable observation is indicated nearby. Sources support individual techniques and technical limitations."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"trackpad","id":"family-03","title":"Trackpad interactions","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/trackpad/#family-03","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Hold and release","description":"Touch starts a note and release can end it. AudioSwift’s separate sustain mode can retain the sound after finger contact ends.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/control-audioswift-6.webp","width":1024,"height":576,"game":"AudioSwift","sourceUrl":"https://audioswiftapp.com/","originalUrl":"https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hggbp41f16g87i1mb8z5s/07-Workflow-Scale.mp4?rlkey=1i7ekbx0r5m32sudh0er3r4lb&st=byr4pjge&raw=1","sourceFrameSeconds":3,"credit":"Nigel Ríos; host apps and instruments retain their respective rights","rights":"Imagery © Nigel Ríos; host apps and instruments retain their respective rights. Developer-distributed screenshot or frame; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"AudioSwift Scale: trackpad contacts are used to play notes","alt":"AudioSwift Scale: trackpad contacts are used to play notes","markers":[{"x":30,"y":52,"label":"A contact appears on the instrument’s virtual surface"}]},"tips":["Define release behavior and prevent active actions from remaining stuck."],"examples":[{"title":"AudioSwift","url":"https://audioswiftapp.com/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/trackpad"}}