Wacom tablets in Ubuntu guide/howto

[Favux]

Hi Hyaku,

Why not just use Kubuntu then?

If you want to stay with Gnome you will likely need to disable the gnome-settings-daemon wacom plugin so it doesn't interfere with your new settings. Install dconf-editor if not already installed with:

sudo apt-get install deconf-editor

Open it in a terminal with 'dconf-editor' and navigate to: org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.gsdwacom. Disable the active check box. Log out and log back in.

[Temar09]

I don't care to install as many libraries as needed and run kded if they don't break performance.

There are far more problems than you think. First of all, you would have to start the KDE background daemon manually on each startup, as it is not supposed to be run in a GNOME environment. Then you probably have to disable some default services which the background daemon would normally start in a KDE environment.

After all that, the configuration program can be used from within GNOME but you won't be able to use it in all its glory. You can configure your device, but you can not use the comfortable plasma widget to quick-switch between profiles or different tablet modes. Still you will be able to switch profiles within the configuration dialog.

As you can see, this configuration tool is designed for KDE and makes use of many KDE technologies which are not available in GNOME or Unity. So while it is possible to use this program to configure your device it really is not a practicable approach.

Last but not least, the (K)Ubuntu package of this configuration tool is broken. I think the Ubuntu packager made a mistake when packaging the software. He disabled KIO support which seems to be required to write the configuration file. However I created my own package of the latest version which works very well. If you have a 64bit system I could send you my package.

I already use the Gnome tablet tool, but it's really incomplete and lacks some features as the "force proportion" options and the profiles manager.

Missing profile support is really bad, I agree.

[Hyaku]

Well, i'll simply try with Kubuntu then. Thank you guys!


@Termar09 : My english isn't very good and my linux knowledge is not better, so i don't know if i misunderstood you, but if you're saying that the wacom tool comes broken in the Kubuntu default installation, then of course i want those packages.

I have 64bit, so no problem with that.

[Temar09]

@Termar09 : My english isn't very good and my linux knowledge is not better, so i don't know if i misunderstood you, but if you're saying that the wacom tool comes broken in the Kubuntu default installation, then of course i want those packages.

http://wikisend.com/download/520604/...09-1_amd64.deb

Compiled for (K)Ubuntu 12.04. It's compiled against KDE 4.9 but this shouldn't be a problem.

The file will be deleted by WikiSend.com after 7 days.

[Hyaku]

Thanks Termar09! Kubuntu installed and with your package everything is working OK.

[Tekippie]

I just got the latest Bamboo Pen with the fancy black/green design and it works plug & play in my Ubuntu 12.04. I have positioned the tablet in portret mode by default as it then serves as a mousepad nicely on my desk. but for Ubuntu to know it's in portret position I found I have to run these commands;

$ xsetwacom set "Wacom Bamboo Connect Pen stylus" rotate ccw
$ xsetwacom set "Wacom Bamboo Connect Pen eraser" rotate ccw

FYI

[pecazp]

Hi,I'm recently back to linux and i have old but fully working Wacom Volito tablet. That is, fully working on Windows.

I have installed 12.04 Ubuntu 64bit and Kde desktop.

My pen works like it should almost all the time in MyPaint but, sometimes it start drawing while i just hover half inch above surface of tablet and i was able to fix that by pulling out usb cable and than putting it back. That happened only couple of times, it usually works as expected. My problem is with Gimp where it does that all the time and that fix didn't work.

I don't know where are settings for tablet, in System Settings device doesn't show. If that would help at all, because painting in MyPaint works as it should at least for painting, i have to select different tools with mouse because it freak out on hover and just clicks like crazy. Same when i go to top of the window or at taskbar (you know, min-max window ten times in couple seconds, also on hover).

Since this is the one of couple reasons for me to still have dual boot I'd be very grateful even if you just post any link that could lead me closer to explanation or solution to this problem.

Thank you and best wishes

[Typhon]

Yesterday I update to Ubuntu 12.10 and I experienced some troubles in getting my Intuos4 to work.

When I enter the following command:

xsetwacom get "Wacom Intuos4 6x9 pad" Rotate HALF

I get this error:

Property 'Wacom Rotation' does not exist on device.

[Favux]

Hi Typhon,

The Pad does not rotate. Instead use stylus which will also rotate the eraser. And you want to use set not get.

xsetwacom set "Wacom Intuos4 6x9 stylus" Rotate half

Assuming "Wacom Intuos4 6x9 stylus" is the parent device you see in the output of xinput list. Also you should not need to capitalize half anymore. See: http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawik...title=Rotation

Additionally if you are using the Gnome version the Wacom Tablet applet in System Settings should give you a left hand orientation setting.

[Typhon]

Thanks, that works great. I noticed I'd been using old parameters in my Xsetwacom file.