touchpad configuration

Problems with hardware & laptops not being detected or supported during or after install.
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bfc0713
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2018 2:03 pm

touchpad configuration

Post by bfc0713 »

Just installed Fedora 29 on a fresh laptop (Dell Inspiron) and going insane trying to get it to be fully useful. It can left and right click, but can't get
the middle button working. Usually I do this with pressing both buttons, but I understand people have moved on to gestures, I guess 3 taps at a time.
So I've also tried configuring it that way. But even tap to click doesn't work.

My big question is... what is the correct LXDE way of configuring the touchpad? I've mostly been using dconf-editor to seemingly no effect.
Also tried gsettings and the commands are taken OK but also no effect. I've either logged out or rebooted after changing the settings.

More hardware info now:
% xinput -list
AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint

%cat /proc/bus/input/devices | grep -i touchpad
N: Name="DELL0810:00 044E:120A Touchpad"

Since this is ALPS not Synaptics, I also have to ask... do people sometimes just substitute in the Synaptics driver instead? (I know, outside
of LXDE domain). Trying to figure out quickly whether it's worth keeping this laptop or trying to return it.
drooly
Posts: 791
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:45 am

Re: touchpad configuration

Post by drooly »

this article suggests that synaptics also works with alps touchpads.
show us the output of

Code: Select all

synclient
bfc0713
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2018 2:03 pm

Re: touchpad configuration

Post by bfc0713 »

Thanks for the reply @drooly -- I think your "SELECT ALL" link just points at this posting.. was it supposed to point elsewhere? I'll try substituting the synaptics driver.
drooly
Posts: 791
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:45 am

Re: touchpad configuration

Post by drooly »

^ i did not make the "SELECT ALL" link, the forum software does that.
it's just one command:
synclient
enter that in a terminal and copy-paste the output here.
bfc0713
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2018 2:03 pm

Re: touchpad configuration

Post by bfc0713 »

In reading synaptics doc i finally stumbled on a working middle-button method: 3-fingered click on the left button. I'd still like to enable the 2-pad-button to emulate the middle button, but I"ll keep working at that. In looking at synclient stuff, it seems that at least EmulateMidButtonTime has to be set to 1. When I do that, there's certainly no immediate fix, and logging out and back in removes the setting. Do the MiddleButtonArea* variable also have
to be set? But i'll keep googling. I also assume i really want to use the synaptics driver and not the ALPS driver.

Without that change, my output looks like this:

% synclient -l
Parameter settings:
LeftEdge = 480
RightEdge = 2720
TopEdge = 345
BottomEdge = 1959
FingerLow = 12
FingerHigh = 15
MaxTapTime = 180
MaxTapMove = 173
MaxDoubleTapTime = 180
SingleTapTimeout = 180
ClickTime = 100
EmulateMidButtonTime = 0
EmulateTwoFingerMinZ = 141
EmulateTwoFingerMinW = 7
VertScrollDelta = 78
HorizScrollDelta = 78
VertEdgeScroll = 0
HorizEdgeScroll = 0
CornerCoasting = 0
VertTwoFingerScroll = 1
HorizTwoFingerScroll = 0
MinSpeed = 1
MaxSpeed = 1.75
AccelFactor = 0.0507228
TouchpadOff = 0
LockedDrags = 0
LockedDragTimeout = 5000
RTCornerButton = 0
RBCornerButton = 0
LTCornerButton = 0
LBCornerButton = 0
TapButton1 = 0
TapButton2 = 0
TapButton3 = 0
ClickFinger1 = 1
ClickFinger2 = 3
ClickFinger3 = 2
CircularScrolling = 0
CircScrollDelta = 0.1
CircScrollTrigger = 0
CircularPad = 0
PalmDetect = 0
PalmMinWidth = 10
PalmMinZ = 100
CoastingSpeed = 20
CoastingFriction = 50
PressureMotionMinZ = 15
PressureMotionMaxZ = 80
PressureMotionMinFactor = 1
PressureMotionMaxFactor = 1
GrabEventDevice = 0
TapAndDragGesture = 1
AreaLeftEdge = 0
AreaRightEdge = 0
AreaTopEdge = 0
AreaBottomEdge = 0
HorizHysteresis = 19
VertHysteresis = 19
ClickPad = 1
RightButtonAreaLeft = 1600
RightButtonAreaRight = 0
RightButtonAreaTop = 1889
RightButtonAreaBottom = 0
MiddleButtonAreaLeft = 0
MiddleButtonAreaRight = 0
MiddleButtonAreaTop = 0
MiddleButtonAreaBottom = 0
%
drooly
Posts: 791
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:45 am

Re: touchpad configuration

Post by drooly »

^ cool, synclient is working and doing its thing.
most of the options are self-explanatory.
now read

Code: Select all

man synclient
and find out how to change & apply them.
once you got that, come back here, i'll help you to make it permanent.
bfc0713
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2018 2:03 pm

Re: touchpad configuration

Post by bfc0713 »

I suspect synclient currently has no effect because the synaptics driver isn't really in play (though it along with ALPS are both built into the kernel). So that puzzle is first. Thanks!
drooly
Posts: 791
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:45 am

Re: touchpad configuration

Post by drooly »

if you just issue

Code: Select all

synclient
without any options, it will tell you whether it's active or not.
VirginiaVaughan
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2019 12:21 pm

Re: touchpad configuration

Post by VirginiaVaughan »

i have upgraded my system from windows to Linux but now i am unable to configure my touchpad i have tried many steps and configurations steps still unable to find any solution. i am using HP Z600
drooly
Posts: 791
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:45 am

Re: touchpad configuration

Post by drooly »

VirginiaVaughan wrote:i am using HP Z600
i cannot find any laptop by that name.
please give a precise maker & model.
als, which linux distro did you install?
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