Modal touch input

The invention relates to modal touch input. A data-holding subsystem holding instructions executable by a logic subsystem is provided. The instructions are configured to receive one or more touch-input messages reporting touch contacts recognized by a touch input device, if a touch contact reported by the one or more touch-input messages satisfies a first criterion, initiating a virtual mouse input mode, in the virtual mouse input mode, outputting a cursor position corresponding to a position of the touch contact that satisfies the first criterion, if no touch contacts reported by the one or more touch-input messages satisfy the first criterion, and one or more touch contacts reported by the one or more touch-input messages satisfies a second criterion, initiating a multi-touch input mode, and in the multi-touch input mode, outputting a multi-touch gesture command corresponding to the one or more touch contacts that satisfy the second criterion.