[SOLVED] Touchpad functionalities disabled

Scribtor · 10-21-2019, 08:06 AM

Laptop ID: Lenovo IdeaPad 320-15IAP
OS ID: Slackware64 - current
Desktop env: KDE

I installed the recommended drivers from SB, but my option for ignoring touchpad while typing is simply disabled

Additional information: Sole user of the machine, with no sensitive files stored on the laptop.If need be, a fresh reinstall of the whole OS isn't out of the question (But I really believe it won't come to that)

ferrari · 10-21-2019, 11:26 AM

Can you not disable the touchpad while typing via KDE system settings? Or is the touchpad being treated as a generic mouse?

FWIW, here's an old post of mine where I show how to implement a simple script to do this for any pointing device (no matter how it is being handled or the DE in question)...
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...7/#post5819591

Scribtor · 10-21-2019, 12:22 PM

I can't access the option to enable the functionality that temporarily disables the touchpad while typing. The only temporary fix is disabling the touchpad altogether, but since I don't use a mouse, that's not the happiest solution.
Attached is the output of "xinput" and all respective devices "list-props" that are grouped under the first group along with a PrnScrn of what I meant by not being able to access the option.

BW-userx · 10-21-2019, 06:14 PM

Code:

xinput

xinput in your terminal to see what you're working with.
example

Code:

userx@slackcurrent64.net:~
$ xinput
⎡ Virtual core pointer                          id=2    [master pointer  (3)]
⎜   ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer                id=4    [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ Logitech USB Optical Mouse                id=9    [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ PS/2 Generic Mouse                        id=13   [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ Atmel Atmel maXTouch Digitizer            id=10   [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad                id=14   [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)]
    ↳ Sleep Button                              id=8    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ HP HD Webcam: HP HD Webcam                id=11   [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard              id=12   [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Speakup                                   id=15   [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ HP WMI hotkeys                            id=16   [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ HP Wireless hotkeys                       id=17   [slave  keyboard (3)]

might need an add on
https://slackbuilds.org/repository/1...nput-libinput/
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=215218
https://www.unixmen.com/autmatically...typing-ubuntu/

ferrari · 10-22-2019, 04:47 AM

Ok, the xinput output you shared shows thast your Elan touchpad is using the Xorg synaptics driver. For the KDE system settings to work the Xorg libinput driver would need to be in use. When the synaptics driver is installed it will override the default libinput driver (due to config file precedence in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/). Most touchpad hardware does not need the synaptics driver.

However, when using the synaptics driver, the 'disable while typing' feature can be implemented as explained here....
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php...d_while_typing

I note that your xinput output showed that palm detection was not enabled

Code:

Synaptics Palm Detection (331):	0

You can edit the relevant xorg config file to set that parameter so that it is enabled.

Scribtor · 10-22-2019, 05:48 AM

Adding "syndaemon -i2 -d" to my startup finally got the job done.
I tried using libinput only, removing synaptics driver, but that led to touchpad module not showing up on input devices menu altogether, and xinput only changed "synaptics" prefix with "libinput" so that was a no go.
This laptop in combination with Slackware's current current build, leaves the user no GUI option to change touchpad options, but rather to go back to the terminal.
This isn't too much of a hassle for me, but still, pointing it out for others that may come across the same or similar issue.

Thank you for contributing to help!

BW-userx · 10-22-2019, 06:52 AM

Touch pad, or any other hardware manipulation in a GUI is strictly WM/DT independent, and left up to the developer of same said DT/WM to add these features or not and the options on what it controls for each piece of hardware.

I do not use KDE, I've messed with it finding myself leaving it, every time, perhaps because of its too many bells and whistles format. It looks like they lost the ball in the whistle on this one.