[SOLVED] How to make Xorg recognise different mice as different input devices automatically?

10110111 · 11-26-2009, 04:41 PM

I would like to use Xorg ability to auto configure input devices. But, when i plug the second mouse, it is seen as the same as first one:

Code:

$ xinput list
⎡ Virtual core pointer                          id=2    [master pointer  (3)]
⎜   ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer                id=4    [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ <default pointer>                         id=6    [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎣ Virtual core keyboard                         id=3    [master keyboard (2)]
    ↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard               id=5    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Keyboard0                                 id=7    [slave  keyboard (3)]

In Xorg log i see this:

Code:

(WW) <default pointer>: No Device specified, looking for one...
(II) <default pointer>: Setting Device option to "/dev/input/mice"
(--) <default pointer>: Device: "/dev/input/mice"
(==) <default pointer>: Protocol: "Auto"
(**) Option "CorePointer"

To use MPX i have to have two different pointers instead of <default pointer>. If i configure this statically, i.e. via xorg.conf InputDevice sections, specifying /dev/input/mouse[0-9] instead of /dev/input/mice, mice do appear separately in xinput list.
But this way is not very usable since i have to configure scroll wheel etc. manually. So, how can i make each mouse separate but still use Xorg autoconfiguration?

David the H. · 11-27-2009, 09:26 AM

I'm not experienced enough here to give you any detailed advice, but in general, I believe what you want is to use the evdev driver and access the individual mice through their respective /dev/input/eventN devices.

"cat /proc/bus/input/devices" will tell you which mouse uses which event number. I believe evdev also makes it possible to bind individual devices to fixed interfaces.

10110111 · 11-28-2009, 11:35 AM

I found why i couldn't use automatic input devices naming. "AllowEmptyInput" must be enabled AND HAL must be configured so that it tells Xorg about connected devices for this to work. After i did this, everything works.