Re: [gentoo-user] How to configure thochpad sensitivity (using hal)?

[Mick]

On Sunday 14 November 2010 02:37:57 Dale wrote:
> Grant Edwards wrote:
> > Can anybody point me to a hint on how to configure synaptics touchapad
> > sensitivity?
> >
> > The touchpad on my Thinkpad T500 is so sensitive you don't even have
> > to touch it. Merely bringing a thumb or finger within 1/8 - 1/4 inch
> > will cause the cursor to twitch spasmodically for a second and then
> > jump to the lower left corner of the screen.  Once you have a finger
> > on the touchpad, it seems to work OK.
> >
> > I've figured out how to disable it temporarily using the "xinput"
> > command, but I would like to actually get it working right.
> >
> > All the docs I can find seem to assume two things:
> >   1) an xorg.conf file
> >
> >   2) the xf86-input-synpatics driver
> >
> > I'm using neither.
> >
> > I decided finally to give in and let Xorg use HAL like it wants to by
> > default when you do a Gentoo install.
> >
> > What a huge mistake.  I really, really hate HAL.  With xorg.conf, all
> > the settings were in one file, in an easy to read, easy to edit
> > format. Now with HAL, they're scattered over several files.  And to
> > make sure you can't edit or read them, they're in XML.  I have no idea
> > what "problem" HAL is supposed to be solving, but it apprently wasn't
> > a problem I ever had -- AFAICT HAL is nothing but pain.
>
> You must be fairly new here.  I realized the same thing a while back and
> trust me, I posted it here so everyone else would know that it isn't
> easy to work with.  It either works out of the box or you are in a huge
> mess.
>
> Before you go to great pains to get this working, you do know that hal
> is checking out right?  Even the person who wrote it realized the mess
> it was and it is dying pretty soon.  I think it is policykit or polkit
> or something to that effect.  If you want to start using that instead,
> it may save you some headaches later on when it is no longer a option.

As Dale suggests don't waste your time on hal and its fdi files.  xorg 1.8.x 
will be going stable soon and that does away with hal configuration.  I 
recommend that you unmask it and see if you can control your touchpad easier 
using an xorg.conf and evdev.  However, the synaptics driver is there for a 
reason ...

http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/desktop/x/x11/xorg-server-1.8-upgrade-guide.xml

BTW, if you want to remain with xorg 1.7.x then I recommend you try the 
following:

1. Add synaptics to your INPUT_DEVICES in /etc/make.conf - most often than not 
it will just work™ and no further adjustment of sensitivity is necessary.

2. Then run lshal to see if your touchpad is recognised.  In my laptop (I use 
hal) it shows this:
==================================================
udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_8086_d132'
  info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer'  (string)
  info.product = 'Core Processor DMI'  (string)
  info.category = 'input'  (string)
  info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/platform_i8042_i8042_AUX_port'  
(string)
  info.product = 'SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad'  (string)
  info.subsystem = 'input'  (string)
  info.udi = 
'/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/platform_i8042_i8042_AUX_port_logicaldev_input'  
(string)
  input.device = '/dev/input/event6'  (string)
  input.originating_device = 
'/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/platform_i8042_i8042_AUX_port'  (string)
  input.product = 'SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad'  (string)
  input.x11_driver = 'synaptics'  (string)
  input.x11_options.ClickButton1 = '1'  (string)
  input.x11_options.HorizEdgeScroll = 'true'  (string)
  input.x11_options.MaxTapMove = '2000'  (string)
  input.x11_options.TapButton1 = '1'  (string)
  input.x11_options.VertEdgeScroll = 'true'  (string)
  linux.device_file = '/dev/input/event6'  (string)
  linux.hotplug_type = 2  (0x2)  (int)
  linux.subsystem = 'input'  (string)
  linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/platform/i8042/serio1/input/input6/event6'  
(string)
==================================================

In the info section above it tells me that touchpad is recognised.  Looking 
into /usr/share/hal/fdi/policy/10osvendor/11-x11-synaptics.fdi I see that by 
installing the synaptics driver a hal configuration file was created.

Copy this to /etc/hal/fdi/policy/11-x11-synaptics.fdi (you can call it 
something different if you wish) and add an option line to adjust sensitivity:

<merge key="input.x11_options.PressureMotionMinZ" type="integer">25</merge>

Play with different integer values to see what works and also look at the 
synaptics man page for different options, in case PressureMotionMin is not 
what you need.  Each time you make a change you should restart hal or the 
xserver to see the result.

3. Without synaptics a lot depends on what the evdev or mouse drivers can do - 
they may not have pressure related options to play with.  Again I would start 
with their man pages and follow the example above, as long as lshal shows 
which driver has captured the touchpad events.

HTH.
-- 
Regards,
Mick