There are several items about "multiple mice" but they are ancient based on internet time. I'm currently running Ubuntu 10.04 LTS but will likely update (clean install) soon. I'd like to know how to do this so that my new config plays with multiple pointers.

My laptop has a "track point" (eraser key) pointer built in. At times I connect a Logitech TrackPoint track ball. At other times I connect an external wheel mouse.

1. I would like to preconfigure so that whatever I connect, X11 does the same things and the right things with the respective pointer.
2. I also want X11 to know the details of my pointers so that I don't need to re-configure or tinker with parameters.
3. (Wish List) I'd like to have a separate pointer cursor set for each device (a) just because, and (b) might have value if I'm swapping in real time. (eraser convenient while typing; external for drawing or similar.)

Thanks in advance,
~~~ 0;-Dan

Hi,

What have you done to find a solution to the problem? Other than to post here.

We will aid you when you help yourself to a solution. Provide us with what you have attempted and then maybe someone will be able to assist. 



What do you see in 'dmesg' for the devices when plugged in? What abut 'lsmod'? Hopefully the devices are recognized, if not then you will need to create drivers for each of the devices for your kernel. If your distribution does have the drivers then it will be a matter to get things setup.

Configuring 'xorg.conf' should not be that difficult for your devices. Let the server setup known devices through 'xorg.conf'.

I think they are all seen as the same device and so all work with the same pointer.(a pain when you inadvertantly knock/touch one while using another.) My Windows laptop has trackpad, eraser and wireless mouse and works the same as my Ubuntu netbook - trackpad & USB mouse. I don't think the mouse definition is repeated within the X config files to show extra devices, there's only one definition.

Play Bonny!

Each "device" is connected as a unique USB-something.

On connection, each device seems to cause X11 to throw out the old and use the new
... wait it uses both somehow.
... wait lets edit xorg.conf -- poof it goes away or gets written over
... lets read the X11 docs ... wait everything is now dynamic and
the docs don't seem to exist much for the new way things happen dynamically
... built-in devices seem to get treated differently than ones that connect as external
because there is no connect event to launch the dynamic happenings

<rant defensively>
If I had found meaningful documents or howto, I would have tried them.
I did not find anything.

Maybe I did not know enough to create useful search tokens.
Maybe that is why I came here to ask questions...
... in hopes of learning enough to ask better questions and create better search tokens.

Maybe you are the most X11 knowledgeable person that walks the earth and
maybe my question caught you on a bad day. Happens to all of us.
Maybe your "help yourself" invective caught me on my worst day and was just enough
cow flop to convince me that the whole linux community consists of ego centric jerks.
I said, "maybe."

And maybe, I'll keep asking questions and learning from whomever and where ever and however I find beneficial.
</rant>

Thanks to all, in advance, for helping,
~~~ 0;-Dan