The procedure for modifying touchpad settings has changed in Lucid Lynx. Today I installed the Beta 1 and found that the earlier techniques for configuring touchpad settings in Jaunty and Karmic no longer work. In Ubuntu 10.04, the entire HAL system has died and is replaced with something called udev.
Alternatively, we can change the touchpad settings in the xorg.conf.d folder. Thanks for the tip Jensel!
Let’s look at both techniques
Using Udev
Users can place their configuration files for udev inside “/etc/udev/rules.d” The files have a certain syntax, but of course it’s best to simply copy someone else’s file and just modify it to what you want. I created a file called touchpad.rules (the file must have the extension “rules”). Here is what I put into it:
ACTION!=”add|change”, GOTO=”xorg_synaptics_end”
KERNEL!=”event*”, GOTO=”xorg_synaptics_end”ENV{ID_INPUT_TOUCHPAD}!=”1″, GOTO=”xorg_synaptics_end”
ENV{x11_options.MaxTapTime}=”300″
LABEL=”xorg_synaptics_end”
See the bold section? That’s where you put in your own settings similar to the rules we used to put into our .fdi files. Here are the settings in my earlier fdi file and here is the full list of options you can use.
I had to reboot the system to apply the changes – logging off didn’t work. If I find a better way to do this, I’ll post it here. The command posted on the official instruction page didn’t work for me either.
Using .conf files in xorg.conf.d
This is simple. Go to the folder “/usr/lib/X11/xorg.conf.d”. In there, find the file that has your synaptics settings. For me it was “10-synaptics.conf”. You can add your synaptics settings after the “Driver” line in the relevant “Identifier” section. My Identifier line was: Identifier “touchpad catchall”
Option “HorizEdgeScroll” “1”
Option “MaxTapTime” “300”
This will change the HorizEdgeScroll and MaxTapTime parameters. Just modify for whichever parameters you want to change. When you log out and log in again, your settings should be applied.
If you learn something more about these rules, be sure to let me know!
Hi,
… just to let you know, I have tried the udev way unsuccessfully. I have even create xorg.conf.d directory at '/usr/lib/X11' … and then copy my previously customized dataset there … and no positive results either …
This is truly a pain in the ass. Before reaching 'The year of the Linux Desktop' these kind of things shouldn't be so unstable.
Regards.
In reply to David
You're right David. Linxu does have to smooth some things out if it wants to go mainstream.
If the two methods aren't working for you, try the technique given above by bladtman242. That should definitely work.
In reply to Bhagwad Jal Park
Well Bhagwad,
it works … in fact, it already worked on 'Lucid Lynx' … unfortunately it's not operative since as soon as you reboot you lose whatever you have previously customized.
Thank you anyway. :-)
In reply to David
Just put the command in the startup list and you're set!
In reply to Bhagwad Jal Park
Hi Bhagwad,
I'm afraid I have made my very first Linux script … since I needed to customize eleven settings, I opened Gedit, I wrote all synclient commands there and I finally saved the file as name.sh … and … it worked !!!
When I run the script, it sets the eleven parameters properly … if I put the script in the startup list, only eitht parameters are properly set ¿? … so … I thought … something is overwritting three parameters …
After digging a bit, I found an entry at Configuration Editor not at /desktop/gnome/peripherals/touchpad but at /desktop/gnome/peripherals/AlpsPS@47@2@32@ALPS@32@GlidePoint which was the responsible of overwriting one parameter. I was unable to find the other two (not properly set) remaining parameters anywhere around.
I am not an expert at all, but I have been searching at System Log for the other two parameters in order to find out who is overwritting them … but I haven't found anything directly related. At Xorg.0.log I have only been able to find :
[ 37.180] (–) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: no supported touchpad found
[ 37.180] (EE) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint Unable to query/initialize Synaptics hardware.
[ 37.240] (EE) PreInit failed for input device "AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint"
[ 37.240] (II) UnloadModule: "synaptics"
I know EE means error, but the touchpad works … let's say 'a kind of OK' …
The two parameters are RTCornerButton and RBCornerButton … is there any tipical way to check who is overwritting their values ?
Thank you.
In reply to David
Sorry David, no idea about this…
So how do we get Ubuntu to recognize that a touchpad exists. When I cat /proc/bus/input/devices all that shows is a PS/2 mouse. I am running 10.10 (upgraded from 10.4) and it still doesnt' work.
The instructions above are great if I had Ubuntu recognizing the touchpad, but it doesn't. Any tips?
In reply to Josh Smith
That sucks…did it recognize the touchpad before you upgraded?
In reply to Josh Smith
I have the same problem.
My Dell notebook has an Alps touchpad and both Ubuntu 10.04 and 10.10 recognizes it as a standard PS/2 mouse.
In reply to Cuneyt Sina Koca
Wish I could help with this, but no idea why this is happening…
none of this works in kubuntu 10.04. system settings for touchpad are greyed out and there is no identifier for touchpad. all drivers are installed but nothing works.
For those who’s touchpad shows up as PS/2…
Basically, you need to add your device back to alps.c, recompile psmouse.ko, add into current /lib/modules/WHATEVER KERNEL YOU’RE ON
It works – at least it’s recognized…still working on everything else.
Good Luck!
In reply to ajm
Hi ajm,
could you please give more details about this procedure e.g. how can one guess how to modify alps.c? Or have you any update an this problem/solution?
Thanks!
Pure curiosity:
U sure that the “10-synaptics.conf” file is located under “/usr/lib/X11/xorg.conf.d”?
I can find a similar file (“50-synaptics.conf”) under “/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d”. In facr the folder “xorg.conf.d” folder is not even located in the lib-line.
For all with Touchpad issues: Try to press [Fn] + [F7]. I was looking for a solution for weeks, just to find out, that this hardware block even survives new installations!
And for all with scroll issues: Try to set the mode probe.
sudo rmmod psmouse
sudo modprobe psmouse proto=imps
for test. If imps doesn’t work, try exps
If any of those work, make it permanent by editing “/etc/modprobe.d/options” and add the following lines:
options psmouse proto=imps
restart x.
Cheers for that wonderful blog.
In reply to rodnox
Wow – thanks for the tips rodnox!
Got a HP dm4 i5 loaded 10.10. As usual wiped the MS 7 completely. Only hitch was the jumping touchpad. Once I did what Rodnox suggested everything worked like charm.
I have tried and tried all these methods on how to enable my touchpad vertical scroll on the right for my Dell Latitude E6510 and nothing seems to work. This scroll function is central to my work and the only way I can use it is through using an external mouse.
ANyone??? I really would like to know how to do this.
Sorry to have not kept up, but some new progress has been made!
I did supply links, but apparently those get stripped from my posting…apologies
I have gotten some results (Vertical scrolling on Dell Latitude E6510) by search Launchpad, Bug #550625
Also, in terms of actually recompiling alps.c – though I don’t believe it’s any longer necessary – that was originally found at “confluence dot nau dot edu” it was posted by Christopher M. Gray.
I believe its the first hit by searching “Recognize ALPS Touchpad on Dell E6510 in Ubuntu”
In reply to ajm
Thanks for the update ajm. I’m sure those reading will find it useful.
In reply to ajm
Some notes:
#1 Just scroll all the way down in Launchpad – unless you want to work through the long way.
#2 First hit via Google, of course…
How do I apply this “psmouse.ko” thing? New to ubuntu. Absolutely no knowledge. Help!
Good news! The scroll feature works fine after upgrading to Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal