[SOLVED] How to configure screen and keyboard backlight in Intrepid?

[hyperboloid]

I'm running the 8.10 release on a MBP 4,1 Penryn. Both the keyboard and screen backlight controls work, and the intensity is manually adjustable by appropriate hotkeys (F1-F2 and F5-F6).

Is there a way to change the default settings? The keyboard backlight is always set on, even when on battery. Of course I can manually turn it off using the appropriate key, but I'd like an automatic setup.

Related question: Under OS X the keyboard backlight only comes on when the sensors suggest it is needed, which is pretty nice. Anybody know a way to configure such behaviour in Intrepid?

[_mario_]

Hi,

I'm running the 8.10 release on a MBP 4,1 Penryn. Both the keyboard and screen backlight controls work, and the intensity is manually adjustable by appropriate hotkeys (F1-F2 and F5-F6).

a few weeks ago, we were happy that this worked at all ... an now this question ...

Is there a way to change the default settings? The keyboard backlight is always set on, even when on battery. Of course I can manually turn it off using the appropriate key, but I'd like an automatic setup.

as far as i know, there's no user interface yet, but you can use:

gconftool-2 -t int -s /apps/gnome-power-manager/keyboard/brightness_ac 0
gconftool-2 -t int -s /apps/gnome-power-manager/keyboard/brightness_battery 0

or gconf-editor. the values are in %.

Related question: Under OS X the keyboard backlight only comes on when the sensors suggest it is needed, which is pretty nice. Anybody know a way to configure such behaviour in Intrepid?

pommed had this feature, but is somewhat deprecated as of Intrepid ...

ciao,
Mario

[hyperboloid]

as far as i know, there's no user interface yet, but you can use:

gconftool-2 -t int -s /apps/gnome-power-manager/keyboard/brightness_ac 0
gconftool-2 -t int -s /apps/gnome-power-manager/keyboard/brightness_battery 0

or gconf-editor. the values are in %.

Thanks, Mario, this works for the current session but if I restart X the pesky keyboard backlight is turned on again, damnit. The values remain unchanged at 0 in /apps/gnome-power-manager/keyboard, but still the backlight comes on. Any idea what's up with that?

pommed had this feature, but is somewhat deprecated as of Intrepid ...

Why deprecated? Ambient sensing control seems like something people would want, and since it was working in pommed, this may be a step backwards? (On the other hand, I'm pleased that the backlight works at all, so don't get me wrong here.)

[cyberdork33]

Why deprecated? Ambient sensing control seems like something people would want, and since it was working in pommed, this may be a step backwards? (On the other hand, I'm pleased that the backlight works at all, so don't get me wrong here.)

pommed is depreciated because proper support for the hardware has been migrating to where it should be instead of a separate utility. (i.e. getting closer to "just works") Because of this, pommed now conflicts.

[hyperboloid]

pommed is depreciated because proper support for the hardware has been migrating to where it should be instead of a separate utility. (i.e. getting closer to "just works") Because of this, pommed now conflicts.

OK, I misunderstood. Fair enough point about pommed, but one still would like to be able to use the ambient light sensors on a MBP 4,1 for their intended purpose. As I understand it this was working just fine some time ago in pommed. Are there any plans to support this feature at all with the new approach?

[kosumi68]

OK, I misunderstood. Fair enough point about pommed, but one still would like to be able to use the ambient light sensors on a MBP 4,1 for their intended purpose. As I understand it this was working just fine some time ago in pommed. Are there any plans to support this feature at all with the new approach?

If you feel like experimenting, you can uncomment the light_sensor settings in /usr/share/hal/fdi/information/10freedesktop/10-applesmc.fdi. It should make gnome-power-manager aware of the light_sensor, and start using it. The reason it is commented out is that the behavior had issues before, and I have not looked further into it. If you would get it work, please report

[undertakingyou]

I'd love to try out the light sensors with my 3rd gen MBP, but I don't have a 10-applesmc.fdi file. Is there somewhere else that this is stored?

[kosumi68]

I'd love to try out the light sensors with my 3rd gen MBP, but I don't have a 10-applesmc.fdi file. Is there somewhere else that this is stored?

It is in the hal-applesmc package in the mactel PPA: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MactelSupportTeam/PPA

[hyperboloid]

If you feel like experimenting, you can uncomment the light_sensor settings in /usr/share/hal/fdi/information/10freedesktop/10-applesmc.fdi. It should make gnome-power-manager aware of the light_sensor, and start using it. The reason it is commented out is that the behavior had issues before, and I have not looked further into it. If you would get it work, please report

OK, Kosumi, thanks. I have uncommented the relevant section. Will see what happens and report back in this thread.

[undertakingyou]

So, I had to remove the applesmc-dmks package and then reinstall the hal-applesmc package to even have the 10-applesmc.fdi. So, I uncommented the two sections for sensors but I still have no keyboard backlight at all. Is there something that I am missing? The applesmc module is loaded, and I now have the ability to change the monitor brightness.

Another side issue, the screen now auto-dims and goes blank. I went into gconf-editor and told it not to auto-dim, but it still does. Any thoughts as to why?