Refracta Development, Scripts, etc.
Post a reply
dzz

- dzz
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 11:53 am
- Location: Devon, England

## Laptop touchpad in a live session

Thu Jan 10, 2013 1:28 pm

Post-Lenny, laptop touchpads seem to need manual configuration. The Debian wiki http://wiki.debian.org/SynapticsTouchpad says to do this in xorg.conf or xorg.conf.d

> xserver-xorg-input-synaptics (in Squeeze) has tapping disabled by default for touchpads with one or more physical buttons

That method is most inconvenient for a live session (but maybe necessary for some hardware or more advanced capability).
Here a simple autostart script that calls "synclient" works well in most cases. It can be included in a live image.
How does anyone else sort touchpads?
nadir

- nadir
- Posts: 1160
- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 4:18 am
- Location: here

## Re: Laptop touchpad in a live session

Fri Jan 11, 2013 8:54 am

I ignore the problem.
If someone would tell me how to deal with the problem, and in plain words, i would deal with it.
dzz

- dzz
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 11:53 am
- Location: Devon, England

## Re: Laptop touchpad in a live session

Fri Jan 11, 2013 1:59 pm

Tested on many different laptops here, this one-liner (as normal user) works in most cases:

Code:
  `synclient TapButton1=1 LBCornerButton=2 RBCornerButton=3 MaxTapTime=140 SingleTapTimeout=140 MaxDoubleTapTime=140`

"synaptics" touchpads seem the most common types, I don't know if that or similar works for others
fsmithred

- fsmithred
- Posts: 2101
- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 9:13 pm

## Re: Laptop touchpad in a live session

Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:28 am

I put that command into a script and added that script to the autostart applications, un-checked it so it's not active, but it's there if you need it. Will that work, or are you stuck with no way to get to it except to plug in a mouse?
Other way to start it is to run touchpad_on from command line. And in the next beta, you'll be able to hit alt-F2 and then Enter to get a terminal on the desktop.
dzz

- dzz
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 11:53 am
- Location: Devon, England

## Re: Laptop touchpad in a live session

Sat Jan 12, 2013 1:24 pm

Not yet seen a laptop where the actual buttons and scrollpad don't work for a (debian-) live session, the annoyance is the "tap" function never does.
Here is a more detailed "run once" script I use, which will test first for a synaptics device:

Code:
  `#!/bin/bash
  # script name: synaptics.sh
  # script location: /usr/local/bin
  # set up synaptics touchpad with basic defaults
  # not tested on other than synaptics
  # run once (after login) then is automatic on relogin
  # check for NOT root
  if [[ ! $EUID -ne 0 ]]; then
  echo "This script should not be run as root" 1>&2
  exit 1
  fi
  if ! grep -iq "synaptics" /proc/bus/input/devices; then
  echo "No synaptics touchpad was found"
  exit 0
  fi
  ####### xfce autostart
  if [ -d ~/.config/autostart ]; then
  if ! [ -f ~/.config/autostart/synaptics.desktop ]; then
  cat > ~/.config/autostart/synaptics.desktop <<EOF
  [Desktop Entry]
  Comment=Enable synaptics touchpad
  Encoding=UTF-8
  Exec=/usr/local/bin/synaptics.sh
  Hidden=false
  Name=synaptics
  StartupNotify=false
  Terminal=false
  Type=Application
  Version=0.0.1
  EOF
  fi
  fi
  # execute now
  echo "starting synclient..."
  synclient TapButton1=1 LBCornerButton=2 RBCornerButton=3 MaxTapTime=140 SingleTapTimeout=140 MaxDoubleTapTime=140`

I would like to know if something similar can work for other than "synaptics" types but got nothing here to test that. Apparently some HP machines use a different type.
A key combo to get a shell is an excellent idea.
fsmithred

- fsmithred
- Posts: 2101
- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 9:13 pm

## Re: Laptop touchpad in a live session

Sat Jan 12, 2013 6:30 pm

Thanks. After I posted, I was wondering about testing for a Synaptics touchpad, and you've already done it. I replaced my script with yours and turned it on in autostart apps.
Post a reply
Jump to:

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group.

phpBB Mobile / SEO by Artodia.