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Author Topic: how to save Xorg mouse/trackpoint sensitivity settings?  (Read 2313 times)

Offline GNUser

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how to save Xorg mouse/trackpoint sensitivity settings?
« on: January 15, 2020, 05:34:40 PM »
I've noticed when using a graphical interface (Xorg-7.7 and fluxbox) in Pure64 11-beta that my mouse (actually a trackpoint, a.k.a. "nipple mouse") is much more sensitive than I'm used to in Pure64 10.1. The difference makes it difficult for me to control the pointer.

I have 10.1 and 11-beta in two separate partitions. Can you please help me figure out what I need to transfer from 10.1 to 11-beta so that the trackpoint behaves similarly?


Offline GNUser

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Re: how to save Xorg mouse/trackpoint sensitivity settings?
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2020, 07:51:08 PM »
The change I'm experiencing may be due to different defaults in  xf86-input-evdev (tcl 10.x) vs xf86-input-libinput (tcl 11.x):
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/TrackPoint

I'm going to explore /sys/devices/platform/i8042/serio1/ to see if the attributes in 10.x vs 11.x are different.

Offline GNUser

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Re: how to save Xorg mouse/trackpoint sensitivity settings?
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2020, 09:11:28 AM »
Strangely, all attributes in /sys/devices/platform/i8042/serio1/ are identical between 10.1 and 11-beta.
In that case, I'm at a loss for how to make xf86-input-libinput react to my TrackPoint in the same way as xf86-input-evdev.
If anyone knows, please share.

Offline GNUser

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Re: how to save Xorg mouse/trackpoint sensitivity settings?
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2020, 10:01:17 AM »
SOLVED.

It turns out that the two input libraries present very different device properties to X, so I don't think it will be possible to replicate the TrackPoint behavior exactly.

This is in TCL Pure64 11-beta using the default xf86-input-libinput:

Code: [Select]
bruno@box:~$ xinput --list
⎡ Virtual core pointer                    id=2 [master pointer  (3)]
⎜   ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer              id=4 [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ TPPS/2 IBM TrackPoint                    id=10 [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎣ Virtual core keyboard                    id=3 [master keyboard (2)]
    ↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard              id=5 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button                            id=6 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Video Bus                                id=7 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard            id=9 [slave  keyboard (3)]

# note that id of TrackPoint is 10

bruno@box:~$ xinput list-props 10
Device 'TPPS/2 IBM TrackPoint':
Device Enabled (181): 1
Coordinate Transformation Matrix (183): 1.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000, 1.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000, 1.000000
libinput Natural Scrolling Enabled (316): 0
libinput Natural Scrolling Enabled Default (317): 0
libinput Scroll Methods Available (318): 0, 0, 1
libinput Scroll Method Enabled (319): 0, 0, 1
libinput Scroll Method Enabled Default (320): 0, 0, 1
libinput Button Scrolling Button (321): 2
libinput Button Scrolling Button Default (322): 2
libinput Middle Emulation Enabled (323): 0
libinput Middle Emulation Enabled Default (324): 0
libinput Accel Speed (325): 0.000000
libinput Accel Speed Default (326): 0.000000
libinput Accel Profiles Available (327): 1, 1
libinput Accel Profile Enabled (328): 1, 0
libinput Accel Profile Enabled Default (329): 1, 0
libinput Left Handed Enabled (330): 0
libinput Left Handed Enabled Default (331): 0
libinput Send Events Modes Available (301): 1, 0
libinput Send Events Mode Enabled (302): 0, 0
libinput Send Events Mode Enabled Default (303): 0, 0
Device Node (304): "/dev/input/event5"
Device Product ID (305): 2, 10
libinput Drag Lock Buttons (332): <no items>
libinput Horizontal Scroll Enabled (333): 1

# the above properties look very different than what I see in TCL 10.1 with the default xf86-input-evdev
# note that Accel Speed is property #325

bruno@box:~$ xinput set-prop 10 325 -0.4

Now TrackPoint is better behaved. Not identical to xf86-input-evdev defaults, but tolerable. I'll get used to it.

Offline curaga

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Re: how to save Xorg mouse/trackpoint sensitivity settings?
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2020, 12:27:08 PM »
You can install evdev. Even though libinput is considered the future, old drivers won't stop working for many years.
The only barriers that can stop you are the ones you create yourself.

Offline GNUser

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Re: how to save Xorg mouse/trackpoint sensitivity settings?
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2020, 01:46:50 PM »
Thanks, curaga. Good to know evdev will be around for a while.

Offline GNUser

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Re: how to save Xorg mouse/trackpoint sensitivity settings?
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2020, 11:59:35 AM »
BTW, I discovered that this also works (and is much more intuitive):
Code: [Select]
xinput set-prop 'TPPS/2 IBM TrackPoint' 'libinput Accel Speed' -0.4
I can also confirm the Arch wiki's claim that with libinput, TrackPoint+middle-button scrolling is turned on by default :) (with evdev, a few xinput set-prop lines were required to activate it)