new xf86-input for macbooks and other multitouch-touchpads.

[Taoye]

For some reason that doesn't work for me... evdev and the macintosh button emulation both take over the device and the multitouch module always unloads.

I can insert InputClass sections into my xorg.conf to cause it to ignore mouse1 and event4, and then the multitouch module appears to load for event7 and it doesn't unload, but it doesn't seem to be working... I get basic touchpad pointing and two-finger scroll, but nothing else. It also seems to be incorrectly reporting parameters about the touchpad...

(II) config/udev: Adding input device bcm5974 (/dev/input/event7)
(**) bcm5974: Applying InputClass "evdev touchpad catchall"
(**) bcm5974: Applying InputClass "touchpad catchall"
(**) bcm5974: Applying InputClass "Multitouch Touchpad"
(II) LoadModule: "multitouch"
(II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/multitouch.so
(II) Module multitouch: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
	compiled for 1.7.6, module version = 0.1.0
	Module class: X.Org XInput Driver
	ABI class: X.Org XInput driver, version 7.0
(**) bcm5974: always reports core events
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "bcm5974" (type: TOUCHPAD)
(II) device control: init
(**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/event7"
(II) multitouch: devname: bcm5974
(II) multitouch: devid: 5ac 236 1
(II) multitouch: caps: left mtdata ibt touch_major touch_minor width_major width_minor orientation position_x position_y
(II) multitouch: touch: 0 2048
(II) multitouch: width: 0 2048
(II) multitouch: orientation: -16384 16384
(II) multitouch: position_x: -4460 5166
(II) multitouch: position_y: -75 6700
(II) pointer_control
(**) bcm5974: (accel) keeping acceleration scheme 1
(**) bcm5974: (accel) acceleration profile 0
(II) pointer_control
(**) bcm5974: (accel) acceleration factor: 2.000
(**) bcm5974: (accel) acceleration threshold: 4
(II) device control: on
(II) pointer_property
(II) pointer_property
(II) config/udev: Adding input device bcm5974 (/dev/input/mouse1)
(**) bcm5974: Ignoring device from InputClass "Mouse1 Catchall"
(II) config/udev: Adding input device applesmc (/dev/input/event5)
(II) No input driver/identifier specified (ignoring)
(II) config/udev: Adding input device applesmc (/dev/input/js0)
(II) No input driver/identifier specified (ignoring)
(II) config/udev: Adding input device Macintosh mouse button emulation (/dev/input/event4)
(**) Macintosh mouse button emulation: Ignoring device from InputClass "Macintosh Emulation Catchall"
(II) config/udev: Adding input device Macintosh mouse button emulation (/dev/input/mouse0)
(II) No input driver/identifier specified (ignoring)
(II) pointer_control
(II) pointer_control

Width and height are supposed to be 1200x800. Are there additional options for the multitouch driver that can be put in xorg.conf? I suppose I oughta wait for the final Lucid build for all the config stuff to settle down before getting deep into this.

[kosumi68]

The 1280x800 resolution applies to the ABS_X event; the ABS_MT_POSITION_X event has a different resolution, the one you see in the logs. Nothing wrong there.

The macintosh mouse button emulation is a different device, not recognized as a touchpad, and does not effect you negatively in this case.

If you get two-finger scroll, it suggests it is actually working.

[Taoye]

You're right! It's working.

Here's why I thought it wasn't: three-finger swipe is working on the wrong axis. When I swipe left and right in Firefox it does nothing, but when I swipe up it goes back, down goes forward.

In Nautilus every direction of three finger swipe just selects the icon under the mouse, no back/forward events. [Edit: although on further reading this may be a fault with Nautilus... does anybody else get back/forward buttons working in Nautilus? With this driver or with a regular mouse?]

Two finger scrolling apparently works in both directions, although scrolling up doesn't always work... it seems like when I start scrolling from the bottom half of the touchpad, if my fingers aren't lined up horizontally it won't scroll.

I would love to see tapping to click implemented, and two-finger tap for right click... I hate having to click the all-in-one touchpad, and it hurts my finger after a while.

[paulinchen]

Maybe someone find this interesting:

http://www.synaptics.com/solutions/t...touchpad-linux

Does anyone knows someone with access to an OEM?

[kosumi68]

Interesting. Closed source makes me wonder about GPL infringements, especially when released this late in the game. They probably have the gesture patent mine field under control though, which could open some doors for us as well.

[Taoye]

On my integrated touchpad, if I start a vertical scroll from within the clicking area it usually ignores it, ie: it moves the pointer up until I reach the uppper part of the touchpad, at which point it starts the scroll... very annoying. It only scrolls in the clicking area if my two fingers are aligned horizontally. In OS X it doesn't seem matter what the orientation or location of the two fingers are, if they're going up, it scrolls up.

I suppose eventually there should be a user configurable option to disable the clicking area.... or, if tap to click is enabled, then disable the clicking area. Personally I find it really awkward... I never noticed this sort of behavior in OS X, but of course I'm the sort who likes tap to click. It's just so nice to tap with the glass touchpad.

[kosumi68]

In OS X it doesn't seem matter what the orientation or location of the two fingers are, if they're going up, it scrolls up.

Is this true if your scroll with a finger and a thumb?

I suppose eventually there should be a user configurable option to disable the clicking area.... or, if tap to click is enabled, then disable the clicking area. Personally I find it really awkward... I never noticed this sort of behavior in OS X, but of course I'm the sort who likes tap to click. It's just so nice to tap with the glass touchpad.

It actually sounds like the synaptics driver is a better fit for you at this state. The clicking area is the only "advanced" feature that cannot accurately be implemented in synaptics, and the first one to get attention in this multitouch driver.

[Taoye]

Sorry for the delay-- it's exam period here and all.

I did a bit of testing with OS X: if I try to scroll with 2 fingers, even if one finger starts in the clicking area, it will scroll. However if I try to scroll using a thumb and finger, it moves the pointer.

It feels like it detects the thumb, and sets it as the clicking finger. The clicking area seems to determine where it will detect the thumb... when I use a thumb+finger outside of the clicking area to scroll, it scrolls. Although the limits of the clicking area feel very "hazy."

I suppose you haven't implemented a way to differentiate the thumb from the other fingers? Currently using the multitouch driver it feels like any finger in the clicking area will be treated as the clicking finger, not just the thumb.

[zeroti]

is there a way to install this on a powerbook G4 with lucid? On OS X, I could use iScroll2 to get multitouch working.

[kosumi68]

Sorry for the delay-- it's exam period here and all.

I did a bit of testing with OS X: if I try to scroll with 2 fingers, even if one finger starts in the clicking area, it will scroll. However if I try to scroll using a thumb and finger, it moves the pointer.

It feels like it detects the thumb, and sets it as the clicking finger. The clicking area seems to determine where it will detect the thumb... when I use a thumb+finger outside of the clicking area to scroll, it scrolls. Although the limits of the clicking area feel very "hazy."

I suppose you haven't implemented a way to differentiate the thumb from the other fingers? Currently using the multitouch driver it feels like any finger in the clicking area will be treated as the clicking finger, not just the thumb.

Thanks for this info! You are right, thumb detection is not in the mainline branch, but I do have something cooking. I am assuming now that thumb detection also affect the behavior of multi-finger clicks, so that two fingers on the pad and a thumb in the clicking area is a two-finger click, whereas using a non-thumb to click results in a three-finger click. Correct?