Drawing tablet issue

[wishingstar]

I have been using kde for the last couple of releases (kubuntu 10.10 and 11.04) and this issue exists in both.

I am trying out drawing on the computer using drawing tablets (needs getting used to because of the different fluidity). I've been using gimp on gnome, but when I switched to KDE I fell in love with krita.

My issue is that there is always a delay when I draw quickly with fluid motions, the software (gimp or krita) would not register half the strokes, I would have to go over the areas again which makes the drawing lose part of its fluidity. I was wondering if there is a way around this issue, as I really don't want to have to boot into MS every time I want to draw something. MS does not have this issue even though it runs on the same hardware and, from what I hear, is more resource hungry.

I also have a couple more questions about using drawing in linux:

1- Does krita have pressure sensitivity? How do I set it up? Does that gimp have that?

2- Would drawing be fluid if I try to use MS within virtualbox?

My Specs:
AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core - 32-bit Kubuntu 11.04
356MB VGA ATI X1200
4GB RAM
Drawing tablet: Genius G-Pen 560

Thanks for the help...
-Wishing Star

[Favux]

Well gimp should have pressure sensitivity. If you don't have it have you checked your setup in extended devices?

Maybe you need to adjust your configuration in the .conf file or maybe you have the wrong driver?

What is the output in a terminal of xinput list?

[wishingstar]

Thank you for responding Favux.

I do not have a configuration file or driver for it, I only used it as plug and play...perhaps that's the real cause of the problem. Do you know how I can configure it?

As for the command output, I don't have access to my machine right now, I'll post it once I get back home this evening.

Thanks again for the help.

-Wishing Star

[Favux]

I do not have a configuration file or driver for it, I only used it as plug and play...perhaps that's the real cause of the problem. Do you know how I can configure it?

It depends on the actual maker of the tablet as to which X driver and the corresponding .conf file in xorg.conf.d is used. A lot of tablets are rebranded so we need to know the OEM. That's what xinput list will tell us. What happens to an unclaimed tablet is evdev picks it up. Evdev is the fall back X driver but it often doesn't work as well as the correct driver would even though it provides some function.

[mastablasta]

I do not have a configuration file or driver for it, I only used it as plug and play...perhaps that's the real cause of the problem. Do you know how I can configure it?

if you just plug and play you are using a driver the one that is provided by linux kernel.

drivers are programmes that help interact any device with motherboard and other devices. so you have drivers for keyboard, mouse, monitor (graphics), sound, CD drive etc...

if it's opensource driver then usually there is a way to configure it, however since i have no experience with drwaing tablets i don't know where to look for config file or programme.

you could start of by posting your model as found by linux.

if oyu plug it in via USb then this command should show it in terminal:

lsusb

[wishingstar]

sorry for being late getting back to you, here are the outputs of the commands:

1- xinput list

⎡ Virtual core pointer                          id=2    [master pointer  (3)]
⎜   ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer                id=4    [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad                id=11   [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳  USB OPTICAL MOUSE                        id=9    [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ Aiptek                                    id=12   [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎣ Virtual core keyboard                         id=3    [master keyboard (2)]
    ↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard               id=5    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button                              id=6    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Video Bus                                 id=7    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button                              id=8    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard              id=10   [slave  keyboard (3)]

2-lsusb:

Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 0458:5003 KYE Systems Corp. (Mouse Systems) G-pen 560 Tablet
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 004: ID 15d9:0a4c Trust International B.V. 
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0bda:8197 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8187B Wireless Adapter
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0480:a001 Toshiba America Info. Systems, Inc. 
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

I think the pad is Aiptek from the first command and Bus 003 from the second command.

[Favux]

Yep, I agree its an Aiptek. So check in Synaptic Package Manager that the Aiptek X driver is installed. I think Ubuntu calls it something like xorg-xserver-input-aiptek. If not install it.

The package didn't use to come with an aiptek.conf to match the tablet to the driver. I think I may have read something about that being fixed but I don't know if the package has been updated to include it yet. So after you install it and reboot check in /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d for an aiptek.conf. It will have some number in front of it. If not we can manually add one. I'll have to dig up one that I have somewhere.

[wishingstar]

I just installed the aiptek driver and rebooted, there is no configuration file in that location named aiptek. The ones I currently have there are: synaptics, wacom, evdev and vmmouse.

Is it possible to control this lag/delay through a configuration script that is placed in this folder?
Thanks

[Favux]

Hi wishingstar,

I'm pretty sure the lag is from your Aiptek tablet being on the evdev X driver. You could check by entering in a terminal:

xinput list-props "Aiptek"

This is because you don't have an aiptek.conf to match the tablet to the aiptek X driver.

So we will create one with the following contents:

Section "InputClass"
        Identifier "Aiptek class"
        MatchProduct "Aiptek|AIPTEK|aiptek"
        MatchDevicePath "/dev/input/event*"
        Driver "aiptek"
        Option "USB" "on"
        Option "Type" "stylus"
        Option "Mode" "absolute"
        Option "zMin" "0"
        Option "zMax" "511"
EndSection

Does your tablet have 512 levels of pressure? Use the following command to create the file and then copy and paste the above contents into it:

gksudo gedit /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-aiptek.conf

Then reboot.

[wishingstar]

Thanks Favux for the config script. I have two questions:

1- Within the script I can't find anything pertaining to delay, is that automatically configured when I use this config file?

2- Do I keep the evdev config file? or should I delete it for this to work?

Thanks