Hi & Happy New Year.

I have a Griffin PowerMate mouse and I'd like to see if I could get it work via my "Linux Box", Linux Mint 13 (Maya). I found some how to instructions for PowerMate and Linux but don't understand what I'm suppose to do... to get the PowerMate to work.

Griffin Powermate on Linux | screamingroot.org


Thank you for any assistance of making sense on how I'm suppose to implement this data.

The instructions you mention (Griffin Powermate on Linux) seem to be rather straightforward.

- What doesn't work?
- Any errors?
- ????

Please provide relevant information so we might be able to help you.

I'm sorry, I should have been more specific in my lack of understanding of what the instructions wanted me to do. How do I implement them? Do I type this code,data, or program via the terminal? What and how does "evrouter" work in getting the powermate to work? I'm a Linux novice; I was lost when the instructions stated, "Create /etc/udev/rules.d/powermate.rules with the following content:" Thank you.

The documentation does assume one has some experience with the CLI (terminal) and Linux. All the instructions are done from the command line (a terminal) and need root privileges (sudo works on Ubuntu based systems).

Maybe this will help (copy/paste code blocks to a terminal):

- Create and fill /etc/udev/rules.d/powermate.rules: - Check if you are member of the video group:If your user name is NOT present do the following:- Restart udev: - Download evrouter: Use browser to get package

- Install evrouter: I'm assuming the amd64 version, change if you need the i386 version.


- Create /etc/evrouterrc:- Create /usr/local/bin/powermate: - Setup your session to auto-run powermate on login: ??? Ubuntu specific, don't know.


Disclaimer: I'm not an Ubuntu user and do not have a Griffin PowerMate mouse. I am assuming that the commands in the article are correct.

Thanks for your assistance. I recieved this when I typed in the first block in the terminal...

studio1@studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ $ sudo cat > /etc/udev/rules.d/powermate.rules << "EOF"
> SUBSYSTEM=="input", ATTRS{idVendor}=="077d", ATTRS{idProduct}=="0410", SYMLINK+="powermate", MODE="660", GROUP="video"
> EOF
bash: /etc/udev/rules.d/powermate.rules: Permission denied
studio1@studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ $
studio1@studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ $ sudo chmod 644 /etc/udev/rules.d/powermate.rules
[sudo] password for studio1:
chmod: cannot access `/etc/udev/rules.d/powermate.rules': No such file or directory
studio1@studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ $

hmmm..

The only thing I came up with were another set of instructions, Using Griffin Powermate in Linux - http://www.mp3car.com/input-devices/...-in-linux.html

I guess you do need full root access. Open a terminal and become root user: Also see: How To Set Root Access While Using Linux Mint Terminal

Now repeat the commands in post #4 WITHOUT the sudo part. Example: sudo restart udev ---> restart udev

BTW: If you get an error there is no point in trying the commands that follow.

The instructions are pretty straitforward. Although not if you don't know much or anything about linux and it's terminal. Basically you are going to create and/or edit two files and install some software. The other stuff is mostly optional if you reboot (m$ methodology).

Edit file:
/etc/udev/rules.d/powermate.rules
(as root)

Edit file:
/etc/evrouterrc
(as root)
(optionally as user in ~/.evrouterrc)

And insert the stuff from that link.

Install software:
http://www.bedroomlan.org/projects/evrouter

There appears to be some downloadable .deb files. For debian based systems(like ubuntu):
$ sudo dpkg -i <file>.deb

And then run an application:
$ evrouter -c /etc/evrouterrc /dev/powermate

It's a little unclear if that should run as root or as user. Assume as user initially. And it hints at making it run automagically, but doesn't go into how to do that.

This is was I got back after post command in post #4.

studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ # restart udev
udev start/running, process 9365
studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ # sudo dpkg -i /path/to/evrouter_0.4_amd64.deb
dpkg: error processing /path/to/evrouter_0.4_amd64.deb (--install):
cannot access archive: No such file or directory
Errors were encountered while processing:
/path/to/evrouter_0.4_amd64.deb

First of all I told you to remove the sudo part from all the commands.

You need to substitute the red part with the actual location you downloaded the file to. Probably: /home/your_username_goes_here/Downloads, but only you know where you put the file.

Redo this step and assuming it works continue where you left of (Create /etc/evrouterrc:)

Patience druuna... patience.

I thought you meant for me to exlude sudo for only post #4. But anywho...
Question: Are there certain rules for if and when you run sudo... is it exclude if your the "root user", for example?

I ran everything in the terminal, no error message, but the Powermate didn't work. I got stuck at, "Setup your session to auto-run powermate on login", I'm going to assume this is my problem. I'll try and figure it out at this point, you've been very helpful. Thank you and Shadow_7 for showing me and teaching me something I don't think I would have figured out on my own. I'm not completley unfamiliar with using the terminal but still very much a rookie in understanding how to use commands and how they should run. Linux Mint For Beginners, has some chapters on the command line and how to install apps/software, I think I better read it carefully. :smile: I will be back afer I figured out how to ge the PowerMate to work.

Ok, I got the PowerMate working in a limited fashion.

The Powermate will scroll up and down when I turn the nob, but I should be able to press the botton left / rides sides to open and close files and programs. It should move (via the curser) when I move around on my computer table. What was driving my crazy was the "autorun" thing. Ducked searched and came upon this... http://http://dottech.org/118513/how...-ubuntu-guide/

The auto-run command for Ubuntu is this... sudo ln -s /usr/bin/"ProgramName" ~/.config/autostart

I think I can get it to be fully functional, I'll be back.

The sudo command lets you execute commands as a different user. It is most often used to execute commands, as a normal user, that need root privileges.

How and when to use it depends on how sudo is set up:
- In post #4 I used sudo in front of every command and it turned out that certain commands still showed permission denied. This told me that Mint did not set up sudo to allow all commands.

- In post #6 I used sudo -i to become root user (as explained by the included link). Once you are root there is no need any more to use sudo (you are root user already).

Maybe this link will help: How to start a program automatically in Linux desktop (The link in your other post doesn't seem to work).

Thank you druuna for the links and explanations. As I mentioned, I got my Griffin PowerMate ot scroll up and down on a webpage, control the volume of my Audacious music player and open a page to another window. That is if I use another curse and place it on the tab and/or link or on the tab/ music player.. As I review the instructions (in the links I provided in my post above) both authors had specific and limited commands on what they wanted their PowerMate to do. PowerMate is supposed to be programmable to meet your needs. If I want to be able to left and right click, I'll have to figure out that code myself. I have much to learn before, I can even go there.

I'll mark this as solved and I'll post the extras steps I did to get the PowerMate to work. There's was neither rhymme nor reason on what I did, I just guessed. These are my notes and I can't recall which one worked, notes, A & B. I could find the Powermate folder to save my life, but check my files, they have to be their. I know... :smile:


After copying the last code in druuna post. This is what I did.

- Create /usr/local/bin/powermate: Notes:Part A

studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ # sudo cat > /usr/local/bin/powermate << "EOF"
> #!/bin/sh
> evrouter -c /etc/evrouterrc /dev/powermate
> EOF
studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ #
studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ # sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/powermate
studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ # sudo ln -s /usr/bin/powermate ~/.config/autostart
ln: failed to create symbolic link `/root/.config/autostart': File exists
studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ # evrouter -c /etc/evrouterrc /dev/powermate
device 0: /dev/powermate: Griffin PowerMate
Display name: :0
Parsed 3 rules, 216 bytes
studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ # EOF
EOF: command not found
studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ #



Notes: Part B

Create /usr/local/bin/powermate:

studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ # sudo cat > /usr/local/bin/powermate << "EOF"
> #!/bin/sh
> evrouter -c /etc/evrouterrc /dev/powermate
> EOF
studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ # Code:
sudo cat > /usr/local/bin/powermate << "EOF"
#!/bin/sh
evrouter -c /etc/evrouterrc /dev/powermate
EOF

sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/powermate

studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ # sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/powermate
studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ # sudo ln -s /urs/bin/powermate ~/.config/autostart
ln: failed to create symbolic link `/root/.config/autostart': File exists
studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ # !/bin/sh
-bash: !/bin/sh: event not found
studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ # evrouter -c /etc/evrouterrc /dev/powermate
device 0: /dev/powermate: Griffin PowerMate
Display name: :0
Parsed 3 rules, 216 bytes
studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ # sudo ln -s /usr/bin/powermate ~/.config/autostart
ln: failed to create symbolic link `/root/.config/autostart': File exists
studio1-GA-78LMT-USB3 ~ #