HOW TO: Install Ubuntu on a HP TC1100 tablet pc

I just bought a 2nd hand HP TC1100 tablet pc, and have to say, I'm impressed. It came with a docking station (although I don't have much use for it), with a DVD/CDRW drive which can be removed and placed in an external USB caddy. I'd say this is one of the better designed tablets around (I also have a Fujitsu ST4110).

Ok. Down to business. This is what I have so far, and will keep this guide updated as more information arrives.

Ubuntu 7.04

After installing, everything pretty much works out of the box.

nVidia
Enable the NVIDIA driver from the Restricted Drivers Manager.

xorg.conf
Then you need to update the xorg.conf file:

Code:

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sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

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Edit the Device section and add:

Code:

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Option    "RandRRotation"    "on"
Option    "NvAGP"    "1"

---

This enables rotation capabilities. The 2nd line is to help suspend work properly.
Then edit the InputDevice section- Driver wacom - Identifier stylus add:

Code:

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Option    "Button2"    "3"

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This enables right-clicking with the pen button.

Rotation
You will need to install wacom-tools:

Code:

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sudo apt-get install wacom-tools

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You will need a script and map it to a key. The script:

Code:

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#!/bin/sh

# Change System Input orientation for Tablet Mode
# Depends on wacom-tools from repo

orientation=`/usr/bin/xrandr --query | /bin/grep "Current rotation" | /usr/bin/awk '{print $4}'`
if [ "$orientation" = "normal" ]; then
        /usr/bin/xrandr -o left
        /usr/bin/xsetwacom set stylus Rotate CCW
else
        /usr/bin/xrandr -o normal
        /usr/bin/xsetwacom set stylus Rotate none
fi

---

Save it as rotate.sh and put into the /usr/bin/ directory. The TC1100 has a 'Q' key on its edge. In Windows, this activates a popup menu, but the menu doesn't exist in Ubuntu. So we will use it for screen rotation. To map the key, open the Configuration Editor and browse to /apps/metacity/keybindings_commands. Edit command_1 (or the 1st available command) enter: sh /usr/bin/rotate.sh . Then browse to /apps/metacity/global_keybindings and edit the run_command_1 with 0x9f (or press the 'Q' button.

OSK: On Screen Keyboard
Cellwriter version 1.2.5 is the choice here for both OSK and hand-writing recognition. Under System>Preferences>Accessibility>Assistive Technology Preferences, you need to check the following:
Enable assistive technologies
Password dialogues as floating windows (the on-screen keyboard can be used for root access)
Start on-screen keyboard at log in

I did find a problem with the pen operating erratically during login where the cursor would not follow the pen and kept jumping to the lower-right of the screen. To stop this behaviour, uncheck 'Enable accessible login' in System>Administration>Login Window - Accessibility tab. This is probably a bug in the wacom driver.

To enable Cellwriter at login:

Code:

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sudo nano /etc/X11/gdm/Init/Default

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At the bottom of the script, add:

Code:

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cellwriter --keyboard-only --window-y=600 &

---

... so it reads ...

Code:

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fi
cellwriter --keyboard-only --window-y=600 &
exit 0

---

If you wish to use xvkbd at login instead:

Code:

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sudo apt-get install xvkbd

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... then enter ...

Code:

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xvkbd -geometry -300-100 -no-keypad &

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...or onboard:

Code:

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sudo apt-get install onboard

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...then enter...

Code:

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onboard &

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... into the /etc/X11/gdm/Init/Default file instead of cellwriter.
Kubuntu users: Put either onboard or xvkbd into the /etc/kde3/kdm/Xsetup file.
Also note: Login style must be changed from Themed to Plain in System>Administration>Login Window - Local tab
Another note: If you enable automatic login, do NOT amend this file as you will end up with 2 instances of the OSK!

Sleep & Suspend
To make sleep and suspend work, follow the instructions here

Miscellaneous
To make the 3 pen activated 'soft keys' work, look here

Since Cellwriter 1.3.1, it is possible to use it when the screen is locked. Open Configuration Editor and browse to apps/gnome-screensaver and check embedded_keyboard_enabled and enter:

Code:

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cellwriter --xid

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under embedded_keyboard_command

Brigtness can also be adjusted. Look here
----------------------------------------------------------------
That's about it.


What doesn't work?
The SD card reader -
However, the PCMCIA slot DOES work, so I bought a Jessops branded '6 in 1' card reader for it and now I can use my SD card with this tablet. But I would prefer it if the built-in card reader worked.

Everything else works or can be made to work in some fashion.


Any other useful software?
Xournal is an equivalent to Windows Journal.

Ubuntu 7.10

For those wanting to try Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy), I will say it works very well, but you won't get any better results than with 7.04 (Feisty). That is to say, what doesn't work with Feisty, still doesn't work with Gutsy. After installation, follow the above procedure.

Suspend, hibernate, and sleep
Although suspend and hibernate work fine, sleep only works once, and afterwards it may give this error:

Code:

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Your computer failed to suspend.

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...even though it did it perfectly. It then (without any warning), goes into hibernation. When it wakes from that, another error message:

Code:

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Your computer failed to hibernate.

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...even though it did it perfectly! If anyone knows the answer, please let me know.
EDIT: After this error, you may lose your wireless connection and have to set it manually (related?).

Rotation
The console shows different output in Gutsy for xrandr, so the above script won't work correctly. Please use the following:

Code:

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#!/bin/sh
if [ -n "$(xrandr | grep 768x1024)" ]; then
        xrandr -o normal
        xsetwacom set "stylus" Rotate NONE
else
        xrandr -o left
        xsetwacom set "stylus" Rotate CCW
fi

---

...from post #16 by ronnystandtke. Thanks for that.

Stylus not working? While you are editing /etc/X11/xorg.conf, you will need to uncomment one line at the bottom to make the Stylus work. You do not need to uncomment Eraser or Cursor.

Compiz
Compiz works quite well on this tablet considering the low-end video card and limited video RAM. Edit this file:

Code:

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sudo nano /usr/bin/compiz

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...and comment out the line that reads:

Code:

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NVIDIA_MEMORY="65536" # 64MB

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...to read:

Code:

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# NVIDIA_MEMORY="65536" # 64MB

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This will allow you to start the desktop effects without it checking for a minimum of 64Mb of video RAM.
You may notice the 3 stylus activated 'buttons' stop working with Compiz running. It's because it's tampered with the key mappings. You need to add the key mappings in the CompizConfig Settings Manager under General Options and add the commands in the Commands tab, and the key mappings in the Actions tab>Commands.
Compiz is installed by default in Gutsy, so you just need the Settings Manager:

Code:

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sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

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Bluetooth
If you have the model with bluetooth like mine, I can tell you it works fine. I'm using a HP Deskjet 460wbt printer using the bluetooth module.

Ubuntu 8.04

I'm skipping Hardy Heron because it shouldn't be much different from Gutsy. There are posts here concerning Hardy if you do a search.

Ubuntu 8.10

For anyone using Ubuntu version 8.10 (Intrepid Ibis), refer to post 116 by Aearenda.

Nice tute,
there is some more useful info here:

http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/...board_at_Login

including how to get the onscreen keyboard at login
the two things that confound me are getting sleep to function properly with the atheros wifi (known bug in madwifi) and getting the Onboard working when the screensaver has locked the screen.

there are also some general tablet apps here:

http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/Tablet_PC

but the list is missing Xournal, the very good app you mentioned.

BTW there is an AMAZING replacement for onboard/GOK called cellwriter:

http://www.gnomefiles.org/app.php?soft_id=2127

this really needs to be a part of (X,K,*)Ubuntu!!

sorry for all the enthusiasm but it really is very good!

Francisco

Quote:

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Originally Posted by francisco_athens

BTW there is an AMAZING replacement for onboard/GOK called cellwriter:

http://www.gnomefiles.org/app.php?soft_id=2127

---

This looks very interesting. I'm gonna check it out.

The trouble I have with OnBoard during login, is the cursor behaves erratically with the pen although works fine with a mouse or the trackstick. When I use the pen, the cursor keeps jumping to the bottom-right of the screen. No idea why. Pen works fine after login.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by francisco_athens

BTW there is an AMAZING replacement for onboard/GOK called cellwriter:

http://www.gnomefiles.org/app.php?soft_id=2127

---

As a follow up to this app, I have emailed the author with some suggestions and also some bugs. He is very willing to implement my suggestions and to hopefully fix the bugs.

I have asked to add a couple of features so it's completely usable during login.

I would like to see this added to Ubuntu too, perhaps as default to replace OnBoard.

I use xvkbd on my TC1100 under kubuntu. To make it available during login simply add the following line to the end of /etc/kd3/kdm/Xsetup

Code:

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xvkbd -geometry -300-100 -no-keypad &

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It would probably work the same under gdm just find where Xsetup is located.

Code:

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$ locate Xsetup
/etc/kde3/kdm/Xsetup

---

BTW I agree cellwriter shows great promise. For use at login it would need a dropdown to select the right user so that the appropriate strokes database can be accessed.

The xmodmap calls in the script from Linuturk are unnecessary on the TC1100. The script I use is as follows

Code:

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#!/bin/sh
# Script created to toggle screen orientation on a Compaq TC1100 tablet
# Adapted by Rob Stockley from code found at
# http://www.koders.com/noncode/fidF6152D1225924664BF30DC6977DCD1E697FACD61.aspx
if [ -n "$(xrandr | grep rotation | grep left)" ]
then
xrandr -o normal
xsetwacom set "stylus" Rotate 0
else
xrandr -o left
xsetwacom set "stylus" Rotate 2
fi

---

To get the side keys working my .Xmodmap file looks like this

Code:

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rob@rob-laptop:~$ cat .Xmodmap
! keysyms for buttons on edge of Compaq TC1100 Tablet
! mapped for use in Kubuntu 7.04
!
!  Jog shuttle
!    Left = 99
!    Right = 105
!    Press = 36
!  Escape = 9
!  Reset = 37
!  Tab = 23
!  Q = 159
!  Screen = 151
!
keycode 99 = Page_Up
keycode 105 = Page_Down
keycode 36 = Return
keycode 23 = Tab
keycode 9 = Escape
!
! The Q and screen buttons are mapped to XF86 launch
! events so they can be linked to scripts from within
! system settings
keycode 159 = XF86Launch0
keycode 151 = XF86Launch1

---

I have the screen button mapped to my rotate script and the Q button mapped to xournal which I use often.
HTH

Quote:

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Originally Posted by robnz

BTW I agree cellwriter shows great promise. For use at login it would need a dropdown to select the right user so that the appropriate strokes database can be accessed.

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I have asked that you only have a keyboard at login.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by robnz

I use xvkbd on my TC1100 under kubuntu. To make it available during login simply add the following line to the end of /etc/kd3/kdm/Xsetup

Code:

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xvkbd -geometry -300-100 -no-keypad &

---

It would probably work the same under gdm just find where Xsetup is located.

Code:

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$ locate Xsetup
/etc/kde3/kdm/Xsetup

---

---

There doesn't seem to be an Xsetup file in gdm. Perhaps to put that line into the /etc/X11/gdm/Init/Default file instead of onboard. I will test this and modify my guide to include the different on-screen keyboards.