Just bought a wacom tablet, configuration help needed please

**s3a** · July 29th, 2009

e24ohm:
Well to answer you: this digital pen is a godsend! I can't believe I didn't buy this earlier! I know I wouldn't be able to use it to take notes, etc at school but at least I could have used it instead of wasting scrap paper for math, physics, chemistry homework, etc. But now, I can use it in school and at home. And thanks to xournal I can relocate handwriting without erasing and rewriting like on paper, I can use multiple colours, I have ruler/highlighter as one of my button shortcuts and the other as my eraser shortcut. Not to mention, xournal can even open pdf exams for me to actually write on! So no more: a) Needing paper versions to write on. Or the alternative: b) look at a pdf using evince or something and then re-writing things on paper! Not to mention, there is a shape recognizer! And you can also type the stuff that is not math related! Cleary, you can see how happy this device made me and how it contributed to the rest of my joyful GNU/Linux experience.

Favux:
deniz@debian:~$ cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf
# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "stylus"
Driver "wacom"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "stylus"
Option "USB" "on" # USB ONLY
Option "Button2" "2" # make first button a middle button
Option "Button3" "3" # make second button a R button
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "eraser"
Driver "wacom"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "eraser"
Option "USB" "on" # USB ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "pad"
Driver "wacom"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "pad"
Option "USB" "on" # USB ONLY
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "intel"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "stylus" "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice "eraser" "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice "pad" # For Intuos3/CintiqV5/Graphire4/Bamboo tablets
EndSection
deniz@debian:~$

Ok so the parts of the xorg.conf that are important are the italic stuff but I was just wondering if the bold and italic part is important and if it is, what it does in comparison to the non-bold part. Could you explain please?

**Favux** · July 29th, 2009

Hi s3a,

Glad your Wacom tablet is proving so useful.

The Wacom lines in "ServerLayout" are important. They are what actually make the Wacom sections above "active". If you comment them out you should find you lose tablet function, i.e. the Wacom sections are no longer active. At least that has been true.

In Ubuntu because the xorg.conf is being deprecated some funny stuff is happening. I've seen some people claim (partial?) activity without the "ServerLayout" lines in Jaunty, which by default doesn't have "ServerLayout" at all.

I hope this clarifies things.

**s3a** · July 29th, 2009

Ok but, do they have to be on the absolute bottom of the xorg.conf file? Can they be right below the other wacom tablet stuff? The "funny stuff" is due to HAL, isn't it?

**Favux** · July 29th, 2009

Hi s3a,

I've seen "ServerLayout" everywhere, but I think it's suppose to be at the bottom, or at least was at one point. But if it works it works.

Yes HAL, the newer kernels (2.6.28 and up), and probably mostly due to the new Xserver 1.6.

**duuchung** · February 17th, 2013

I just saw this old thread when I dug out my Tegaki thread. I have been trying to input Chinese characters into my beloved Ubuntu for almost a decade. The easiest way out for me is to use a handwriting tablet.

After some googling, I found that Wacom and a particular Asus Eee device were only user friendly to Linux. But Wacom is a little expensive costing around US$80 in HK. All along I used a XP to type Chinese.

My ubuntu is a virtualbox with XP. I just installed a US$3 tablet from Golden. It works in the virtual machine. The files are stored in VBShare at Vboxsrv. Finally I can input Chinese into my Ubuntu. Bingo!

My next mission is to buy a writing tablet for Red Flag Linux machine and try it in my Ubuntu.