Wacom tablets in Ubuntu guide/howto

[Guruji]

same here, i got the express keys working on my bamboo fun with this

 #!/bin/sh

case "$1" in
  start|"")
# put this file in /etc/init.d/ and chmod +x
	xsetwacom set "Wacom BambooFun 6x8 pad" AbsWUp "core key -"    			# sending page up event when moving anti-clockwise 
	xsetwacom set "Wacom BambooFun 6x8 pad" AbsWDn "core key +"   			# sending  page down event when moving clockwise
	xsetwacom set "Wacom BambooFun 6x8 pad" button1 "core key CONTROL z"  	        # bouton <
	xsetwacom set "Wacom BambooFun 6x8 pad" button2 "core key Esc"  			# bouton FN1
	xsetwacom set "Wacom BambooFun 6x8 pad" button3 "core key CONTROL y"        		# bouton >
	xsetwacom set "Wacom BambooFun 6x8 pad" button4 "core key Enter"              	# bouton FN2

        ;;

  stop)
        ;;
  *)
        echo "Usage: wacomexpresskeys [start|stop]" >&2
        exit 3
        ;;
esac

but i have to start it manually everytime i plug in the tablet, if anyone knows how to start it automatically when you plug in the tablet, I'll be happy to hear from you!

[Gemnoc]

but i have to start it manually everytime i plug in the tablet, if anyone knows how to start it automatically when you plug in the tablet, I'll be happy to hear from you!

Hey I've seen that script before!

(Although I'm the one who posted it here, I deserve absolutely no credit at all, because I just copy/pasted it from the French Ubuntu wiki. Besides, I wouldn't know how to debug my hardware even to save my own life! )

You just need to load the script at startup.

Go to System-->Preferences-->Sessions,
add new program name: Wacom Express Keys
command: /etc/init.d/wacomexpresskeys

BTW On what Ubuntu release are you? I'm on 8.10 and I'd like to upgrade to 9.04, but not before I know that this procedure will still work (which I doubt), or that something else can be done to activate all buttons and the scroll wheel on the pad.

[Edit: re-read your message, I'm not sure that would work since you plug/unplug your tablet. Mine is always plugged so I can't be sure.]

[ilpiero]

Let' see if I can summarise a bit the situation (at least for the bamboo fun which is my tablet).
I'm talking about Ubuntu 9.04 jaunty (fresh istall).
The stylus is recognised and functional even if plugged afer the boot (hotplug).
The "wheel" works as the mouse wheel.
The pad buttons don't work (and you cannot set them under the "keyboard shortcuts" application) unless you set them the with the xsetwacom command (via console).
The wacomcpl GUI doesn't work anymore unless you insert the wacom tablet devices (pad,stylus,eraser..) in the xorg.conf file, but that gives an x server error at startup if the tablet is not plugged in.

The way to make the table work completely seem to be making an executable script and start it with the system (haven't tried yet).

Cheers

[Guruji]

@gemnoc: if you keep your tablet pluged all the time, then no problem, the scrip works as usual. But if, like me, you plug it at any time, then it doesn't work, you need to start the script manually after pluging the tablet.... that's why I'm looking for a way to have the script starting automatically when you plug the tablet in.

@ilpiero: exactly.. but

The way to make the table work completely seem to be making an executable script and start it with the system

this will only work if your tablet is pluged in on startup, if not, start the script manually-

[shatterblast]

Deleted. (For troubleshooting with Jaunty.)

[ubootfanat]

Hi!

Have a Wacom Bamboo here which works nearly breathtaking. Using Ubuntu 9.04 and Wacom-Tools 0.9.2.2.

Problem:
Scroll Wheel only works in one direction.
- yes I know this was already discussed in this thread
- I did what was said but it does not work for me

a few facts:

• tried to use xsetwacom to fix issue.
  

  $ xsetwacom get "Wacom Bamboo pad" AbsWUp
  5
  $ xsetwacom get "Wacom Bamboo pad" AbsWDn
  4

  correct settings by default.
  
  
• so I checked it using xev. outcome was: scrolling in one direction fires MotionNotify - ButtonPress "Button 4" - ButtonRelease "button 4" - MotionNotivy, scrolling in the other direction fires only the MotionNotify-events.
  

  MotionNotify event, serial 41, synthetic NO, window 0x4200001,
      root 0x13c, subw 0x4200002, time 18555754, (41,50), root:(48,92),
      state 0x0, is_hint 0, same_screen YES

• Then I mapped the AbsWUp-event to Button4 also. It worked. I could use the scrollpad in either direction to scroll down.
  
• Then I checked wacdump from linuxwacom. I had to disable HAL to get this to work. But finally it says that every single button including little problem-scrollwheel do work correctly.
  
• next step was xidump from linuxwacom. Anything worked except my scroll-wheel. Only one direction was recognized.
  
• next step was xinput
  

  $ xinput query-state "Wacom Bamboo pad"
  ...
  ButtonClass
  	button[1]=up
  	button[2]=up
  	button[3]=up
  	button[4]=up
  ValuatorClass Mode=Relative Proximity=Out
  	valuator[0]=7969
  	valuator[1]=8433
  	valuator[2]=0
  	valuator[3]=0
  	valuator[4]=0
  	valuator[5]=71
  ...

  xinput says there are only 4 buttons on tablet. valuator{5] hints to the scroll wheel counter so the scroll wheel might be on "pad".

My static xorg.conf-setup which I used in previouse ubuntu versions (<9.04) worked fine with AbsWUp/Dn set to 4 and 5.

Could it be that HAL prevents the whole wacom-thing to grab a fifth button? or is there a problem with the driver itself, what I do not believe since it worked for me over the whole last year? or is there a problem with HAL and the mapping? because wacdump shows that all events are recongnized correctly. using xidump shows a missing scroll-event.

any ideas?

thanks in the meanwhile
ubootfanat

[shatterblast]

I had the same issue if you're refering to the round "touch pad" on the top of the pad. While working, I think sensitivity is a recognized issue for that device at the moment. On mine, it does recognize either direction correctly. How ever, it is very touchy in that it doesn't work consistently. Instead, what I did is mapped CTRL + S to mine within wacomcpl on both directions. That way at least it does something. I use it to save documents.

[ubootfanat]

Hi!

Yes exactly. The round touchpad in the middle of the 4 padbuttons.

But let me repeat: the pad works perfectly, so does xsetwacom. But xinput seems to not allow a fifth key. The second direction is mapped to that fifth key which is interpreted as scroll-event in X. and without that fifth key there will be no scroll-down event in X. I checked my mouse to see that my search on the internet was correct. Mousewheel is also mapped to button 4 and 5. Also the touchpad and the emulated wheel of the tiny little stick in the middle of my keyboard of my laptop.

If I get over a solution I will post it here. Any other ideas in the meanwhile?

ubootfanat

[mzuther]

Hi!

If you want to have your Wacom tablet automatically configured every time its plugged in without manually running scripts or xsetwacom, see http://help.ubuntu.com/community/Wacom.fdi.

In short, you'll need to remove (or comment out) all Wacom customisations from /etc/X11/xorg.conf. Then create the file /etc/hal/fdi/policy/custom_wacom.fdi and enter your customisations. Here's my setup for an Intuos 3 - I exchanged some mouse buttons for left handed use and the buttons on the stylus. The pad button customisations don't work yet, I guess I'll have to do further research for key presses...

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<deviceinfo version="0.2">
  <device>

    <!-- Wacom Intuos3 (Stylus) -->
    <match key="input.x11_driver" contains="wacom">
      <match key="input.x11_options.Type" contains="stylus">
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button1" type="string">1</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button2" type="string">3</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button3" type="string">2</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Mode" type="string">Absolute</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.TPCButton" type="string">off</merge>
      </match>
    </match>

    <!-- Wacom Intuos3 (Eraser) -->
    <match key="input.x11_driver" contains="wacom">
      <match key="input.x11_options.Type" contains="eraser">
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button1" type="string">1</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Mode" type="string">Absolute</merge>
      </match>
    </match>

    <!-- Wacom Intuos3 (Mouse) -->
    <match key="input.x11_driver" contains="wacom">
      <match key="input.x11_options.Type" contains="cursor">
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button1" type="string">3</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button2" type="string">2</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button3" type="string">1</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button4" type="string">5</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button5" type="string">4</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Mode" type="string">Relative</merge>
      </match>
    </match>

    <!-- Wacom Intuos3 (ExpressKeys) -->
    <match key="input.x11_driver" contains="wacom">
      <match key="input.x11_options.Type" contains="pad">
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button1" type="string">core key shift</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button2" type="string">core key alt</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button3" type="string">core key ctrl</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button4" type="string">core key space</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button5" type="string">core key shift</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button6" type="string">core key alt</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button7" type="string">core key ctrl</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button8" type="string">core key space</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.StripLDn" type="string">5</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.StripLUp" type="string">4</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.StripRDn" type="string">5</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.StripRUp" type="string">4</merge>
      </match>
    </match>

  </device>
</deviceinfo>

When you're finished, just un- and replug the tablet (or restart your computer if you have a serial tablet). Good luck!

Martin

[ubootfanat]

Hi!

Yes it should work like that in theory.

1. I still not get a button 5-event.
2. This nice option core key ... does not work either

my fdi:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<deviceinfo version="0.2">
  <device>
    <match key="input.x11_driver" contains="wacom">
      <match key="input.x11_options.Type" contains="stylus">
        <merge key="input.x11_options.KeepShape" type="string">on</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button2" type="string">3</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button3" type="string">2</merge>
      </match>
    </match>

    <match key="input.x11_driver" contains="wacom">
      <match key="input.x11_options.Type" contains="pad">
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button1" type="string">core key ctrl alt left</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button2" type="string">1</merge>	
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button3" type="string">core key ctrl alt right</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.Button4" type="string">2</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.AbsWUp" type="string">4</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.AbsWDn" type="string">5</merge>
      </match>
    </match>
  </device>
</deviceinfo>

lshal output for "Wacom Bamboo pad"

udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_56a_65_noserial_if0_logicaldev_input_subdev_1'
  info.capabilities = {'input'} (string list)
  info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_56a_65_noserial_if0_logicaldev_input'  (string)
  info.product = 'Wacom Bamboo pad'  (string)
  info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_56a_65_noserial_if0_logicaldev_input_subdev_1'  (string)
  input.device = '/dev/input/event9'  (string)
  input.x11_driver = 'wacom'  (string)
  input.x11_options.AbsWDn = '5'  (string)
  input.x11_options.AbsWUp = '4'  (string)
  input.x11_options.Button1 = 'core key ctrl alt left'  (string)
  input.x11_options.Button2 = '1'  (string)
  input.x11_options.Button3 = 'core key ctrl alt right'  (string)
  input.x11_options.Button4 = '2'  (string)
  input.x11_options.Type = 'pad'  (string)

fdi-file seems to work as it should

Xorg.0.log output for "Wacom Bamboo pad"

(II) config/hal: Adding input device Wacom Bamboo pad
(**) Wacom Bamboo pad: always reports core events
(**) Wacom Bamboo pad device is /dev/input/event9
(**) Wacom Bamboo pad is in relative mode
(**) WACOM: suppress value is 2
(**) Wacom Bamboo pad: reading USB link
(**) Wacom Bamboo pad: threshold = 30
(**) Wacom Bamboo pad: max x = 14760
(**) Wacom Bamboo pad: max y = 9225
(**) Wacom Bamboo pad: max z = 511
(**) Wacom Bamboo pad: button2 assigned to 1
(**) Wacom Bamboo pad: button4 assigned to 2
(**) Wacom Bamboo pad: serial speed 9600
(II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Wacom Bamboo pad" (type: Wacom Pad)
(==) Wacom device "Wacom Bamboo pad" top X=0 top Y=0 bottom X=14760 bottom Y=9225 resol X=2540 resol Y=2540

X neither understands the advanced button mappings for button 1 and 3 nor a fifth button for scrolling.

xev does not show any events for padbutton 1 and 3 and also no button 5 for scrolling.

is there anything I have to do to enable those advanced button mappings?
any ideas regarding the scroll event?

thanks
ubootfanat