Ubuntu 11.04 with Gnome on Dell 6510: cannot disable touchpad

[vincegata]

I cannot disable touchpad. If I go to mouse preferences, there is no Touchpad tab.

I used this package but it does not install at all.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:atareao/atareao
sudo apt-get install touchpad-indicator

Do you have any other suggestions, please?

TIA!!

[vincegata]

This command:

sudo synclient TouchpadOff=1

gives me:

Couldn't find synaptics properties. No synaptics driver loaded?


Any other suggestions, please?

[Joliea]

I also have the same problem!

[eyedeal]

I own a DELL INSPIRON N5110. It uses Alps touchpad, and that's a problem because it's recognized as a mouse. So touchpad cannot be disabled and/or configured as a touchpad.

I'm not sure how to solve this issue, but it might be the real issue for you two as well.

If you do `xinput list` and see:

....
⎜   ↳ ImPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint                  	id=19	[slave  pointer  (2)]
....

it means you have the crappy ALPS touchpad.

[d.burba]

This is the script I use on my N5110 on every startup (in order to set correct touchpad state) and assigned it for touchpad enable/disable keyboard shortcut. Customize it for your needs as I did

[vincegata]

@d.burba, the script does not work on my Dell E6510

Is there anything else, please?

[alex.ukf]

@d.burba thanks sooo much, it works on my dell n5110, and it was really ******* me off.
@vincegata i'm sure it has to be something very similar to this, but i'm sorry i can't help you.

alex

[mikejonesey]

@vincegata

try this;

#!/bin/bash
cd $HOME

function messageUser()
{
    if [ "$(which notify-send)" == "" ]; then
        echo "requires... libnotify-bin for messages..."
    elif [ "$1" == "on" ]; then
        notify-send -t 800 -i /home/mike/myicon.png "Touchpad enabled..." "mike reprogramed the calculator button :)"
    elif [ "$1" == "off" ]; then
        notify-send -t 800 -i /home/mike/myicon.png "Touchpad disabled..." "mike reprogramed the calculator button :)"
    fi
}

touchPadId=$(xinput list | grep -i synaptics | grep -i touch | grep PS | cut -d "=" -f 2 | cut -b 1-2)
if [ "$touchPadId" == "" ]; then
    echo "Unable to identify device id..."
else
    if [ -a ".mike-touchPadOnOff" ]; then
        rm -rfv ".mike-touchPadOnOff"
        xinput set-prop $touchPadId 125 1
        messageUser "on"
    else
        touch ".mike-touchPadOnOff"
        xinput set-prop $touchPadId 125 0
        messageUser "off"
    fi
fi

i wrote this to use across multiple partitions of linux systems, which could mount the same code/files but would have different device ids... (it greps xinput for touch, get's it's id and disables or enables based on that...), you can disable the message stuff i just like a sys message poping up telling me whats going on (shortcutted to my calculator button )

note, you should change some of the greps to match the device you have, (if you don't have a synap touchp)

[vincegata]

All got is Unable to identify device id... Does not work either.

I have ALPS.

[alex.ukf]

@vincegata:
your original solution also works for me.

if i run a

sudo find / -name "touchpad-indicator"

it returns:

/usr/share/touchpad-indicator
/usr/share/doc/touchpad-indicator
/home/user/.gconf/apps/touchpad-indicator

and i can use it properly.