having both Snaptics touchpad and external mouse available simultaneously

Danathar · 08-26-2004, 09:44 AM

Is there a way to have either the snaptics touchpad or my external mouse (usb/ps2) available.....one when the laptop is closed...the other when the laptop is open?

I've tried serveral configurations in X....the current config I have allows to have both on at the same time, but causes strange behaviour with the external mouse (every now and then its like somebody takes control of the mouse and throws it off of the screen!)

Thanks for any help (Really!)

-Doug

strikeforce · 08-26-2004, 08:21 PM

I would say no. You couldn't because under xfree86 you need the default pointer or whatever hte word is core pointer I think.

You can only have 1 of them so I don't think so.

Danathar · 08-26-2004, 08:27 PM

Thanks!

That's what I figured. Currently my friend has the "corepointer" keyword used twice. I'm amazed it works at all really.

I hope this is added as a feature at somepoint in xorg. Windoze users can do it.....X uers should be able to as well!

-Doug

anthony1101 · 08-26-2004, 09:00 PM

Yes..there is a way to do it! I have my touch pad working and have my external USB Microsoft Intelimouse (optical) working. In fact it works much better under Fedora Core 2 than Windows 2000. I say that because if I put my computer to sleep and then try an reattach the external mouse it becomes very jumpy and requires a reboot. Linux does not have that issue at all. It makes no difference if I have it plugged in at startup either. I have had that problem since the day I bought my Dell and now Linux has fixed it!!!

I am kind of new at this stuff too...but if you want to look at some of my config files I will be more than happy to forward/post them along.

I do have another forum open on trying to get my wireless networking card (2Wire) going on the same machine so it will be a bit easier once that it working to help out...but in the mean time I can still cut, paste, save in windows partition and reboot.

cosiek · 08-29-2004, 02:13 PM

I solved this problem.

Touchpad + USB mouse simultaneously, works for me.

Code:

Section "ServerLayout"

    Identifier	"Simple Layout"
    Screen	"My Screen"

    InputDevice "Touchpad" "CorePointer"
    InputDevice "USB Mouse" "SendCoreEvents"
    InputDevice "My Keyboard" "CoreKeyboard"

EndSection

Danathar · 08-29-2004, 03:31 PM

Thanks for the info....

That works fine. The funny part was why the mouse was acting strangely. The guy I was helping had an optical mouse and he was using it on a standard plastic semi-shiny mouse pad. Evidentally the optical laser was refracting slightly off of the mousepad! Once he moved to another surface he no longer had the issue of the mouse acting strangely.

Who would of thought.....