Hi, i've been trying to make Debian 9 allow tap-to-click on my laptop.

I've removed the xserver-xorg-input-synaptics package:

apt remove xserver-xorg-input-synaptics

Installed xserver-xorg-input-libinput:

apt install xserver-xorg-input-libinput


And when creating 40-libinput.conf file:

echo 'Section "InputClass"
Identifier "libinput touchpad catchall"
MatchIsTouchpad "on"
MatchDevicePath "/dev/input/event*"
Driver "libinput"
Option "Tapping" "on"
EndSection'
sudo > /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/40-libinput.conf

It displays Permission denied...
Can anyone give me an advice on how to execute the file created?

Fixed!

Update:
Can't get in with the correct password after restarting DM:
systemctl restart gdm3

You perhaps mean
Your problem is: the shell opens the file for writing *before* it invokes sudo.
Quoting the > is no solution either (sudo does not invoke another shell that handles the > )
A solution:
sudo runs a program that writes the file. And the shell can feed the sudo with a pipe.
The shell opens the pipe to sudo, this does not need privileges.

1 members found this post helpful.

First make sure the installation of libinput didn't already create the file by default in /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d ... (it does, for instance, in Arch Linux).

Then, just copy the file to the /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ directory and edit it to add the tapping option.

Cheers.

1 members found this post helpful.

It worked but another problem came up...
Once i restarted the DM:
systemctl restart gdm3

i can't seem to be able to enter, once i place my pw it does nothing... Did i screw up?

Hi rlcosta,

This is odd.

When you copied and edited 40-libinput.conf, did you simply add the tapping option to the touchpad block or did you make any other changes (ex. remove anything, change something else ...) ? I am reaching here - I wouldn't expect this type of mistake to negatively impact the functionality of your DM.

Did you make any other changes at the same time ?

If the above doesn't help, what I would do is disable the systemd service for gdm, boot into the console, completely remove gdm, reboot, reinstall gdm and retry manually starting it. Then try to log in via the DM and if it works again, re-enable the gdm service.

If this doesn't work, time to examine the logs for anything unusual ... If it comes to that, and you need guidance, let us know and either I or some of the other members should be able to help.

Let us know how you make out.

1 members found this post helpful.

I really apreciate the help, what i've done is follow this tutorial:

https://unix.stackexchange.com/quest.../337218#337218

Starts on "Debian Stretch (updated)"

Everything worked until executing the systemctl restart gdm3
I'll try figure out how to do the steps above.

I've done Ctrl+Alt+F3, then placed login info and got in, i assume i'm in the console atm, how do i remove gdm?

when you remove gdm you will have no graphical display any more (just that console). So probably it is not what you want.
you can try to remove the file created (/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/40-libinput.conf), probably that helps to restore the original configuration. But if you have modified other things ....

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So the systemctl restart gdm3 isn't the reason for it not be working, could be the file that i created?

yes, I think

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rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/40-libinput.conf

remove /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/40-libinput.conf? y
cannot remove '/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/40-libinput.conf' Permission denied.

Hi again rlcosta14,

As mentioned in my above post, I would also suggest you begin by verifying that 40-libinput.conf file. What is important is that when you copied it into the /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ directory and edited it, you *added* the tapping option line but *did not change anything else*.

So first, compare the 2 files: /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/40-libinput.conf and /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/40-libinput.conf .... They should be identical except for that line you added. If not, as suggested above, delete the file you edited and start over.

You will only be able to create, edit or delete a file in the /etc directory tree with elevated privileges (it being a system directory). So use sudo. For example :

... See how your system behaves after rebooting. If you are still unable to login again with gdm, you can try the next level of troubleshooting (removing and reinstalling gdm).

Let us know how things go !

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Literally figured how what i was doing wrong...
Once i tried rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/40-libinput.conf
and it didnt work i tried:
sudo rm/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/40-libinput.conf
without the space between the rm and the file name -.-"
I'm now able to boot, its all good.

Still need to figure out how to enable tap-to-click though...

Excellent news - is your tapping option wirking as well ?

1 members found this post helpful.

Just ran egrep -i 'synap|alps|etps|elan' /proc/bus/input/devices

found out i have a synaptics touchpad.
I'm using Gnome and was able to enable it.
It's all solved, i'll close the thread.
Thanks for all the help, from everyone.

Fantastic - cheers !

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