HOWTO: Enable your Wacom Intous/Graphire Tablet with Pressure Sensitivity

[MetalMusicAddict]

This HOW-TO is written for USB Wacom Tablet devices.

Some links for reference:
Ubuntu Tablet Wiki Page
Wacom Help Page
Once you have some success these links will make more sense. Theres TONS of good info that will make working in The GIMP better.


1. Connect your USB Wacom Tablet device


2. Install "wacom-tools". This is need to set the event in your xorg.conf.

In a terminal:

sudo apt-get install wacom-tools

Or find "wacom-tools" in Synaptic.

3. Edit this below Section "InputDevice" under the "Configured Mouse". Make sure you use the right "Device" based on how your pad is connected. ie: USB or serial.

Section "InputDevice"
  Driver        "wacom"
  Identifier    "stylus"
  Option        "Device"        "/dev/ttyS0"          #SERIAL ONLY
  Option        "Device"        "/dev/input/wacom"   #USB ONLY
  Option        "Type"          "stylus"
  Option        "USB"           "on"                  #USB ONLY
  Option        "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"               #Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
  Driver        "wacom"
  Identifier    "eraser"
  Option        "Device"        "/dev/ttyS0"          #SERIAL ONLY
  Option        "Device"        "/dev/input/wacom"   #USB ONLY
  Option        "Type"          "eraser"
  Option        "USB"           "on"                  #USB ONLY
  Option        "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"               #Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
  Driver        "wacom"
  Identifier    "cursor"
  Option        "Device"        "/dev/ttyS0"          #SERIAL ONLY
  Option        "Device"        "/dev/input/wacom"   #USB ONLY
  Option        "Type"          "cursor"
  Option        "Mode"          "relative"
  Option        "USB"           "on"                  #USB ONLY
  Option        "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"               #Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

If you have a Intuos3 or Cintiq 21UX add this section. (Untested by me)

Section "InputDevice"
  Driver        "wacom"
  Identifier    "pad"
  Option        "Device"        "/dev/ttyS0"          #SERIAL ONLY
  Option        "Device"        "/dev/input/wacom"   #USB ONLY
  Option        "Type"          "pad"
  Option        "USB"           "on"                  #USB ONLY
EndSection

4. Add these lines to the Section "ServerLayout".

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
	Screen		"Default Screen"
	InputDevice	"Generic Keyboard"
	InputDevice	"Configured Mouse"
        InputDevice    "stylus"    "SendCoreEvents"
        InputDevice    "eraser"    "SendCoreEvents"
        InputDevice    "cursor"    "SendCoreEvents"    #For non-LCD tablets only
        InputDevice    "pad"   #For Intuos3/Cintiq 21UX/Graphire4 tablets. It should NOT send core event
EndSection

*NOTE*
You can adjust the pressure curves on your tablet. Just adjust the "PressCurve" line at bottom of the stylus section.

Example:

Option "PressCurve" "50,0,100,50"

This edit will make the drawn lines appear lighter. you can still get really dark lines, you just have to press harder. Makes it easier to make really light or faint changes. -Thanx graigsmith.


5. Reboot or restart X with ctrl-alt-backspace and launch The GIMP

6.Enable the tablet in applications.

The GIMP
- File-> Preferences-> Input Devices-> "Configure Extended Input Devices".
- Under "Device" you will have 3 settings: Cursor, Eraser and Stylus. Set them from "Disabled" to "Screen".

Now you should have pressure sensitivity in The GIMP.

Also, a useability note with Gimp:
Each input device (stylus,cursor,eraser) has a completely different set of attributes in Gimp, and in theory, you can even assign a unique serial number to different pens to get even more granularity. You will experience this when you try to use your eraser for the first time. Rather than selecting the eraser tool, you get the rectangle selection tool instead. This is by design, believe it or not. Gimp does not care that its an eraser, just that it's not the pen you were just using. If you choose the eraser tool now, it will remember that for the next time you try to use it. On the plus side, you can set the eraser to be anything, including the Airbrush tool or Clone tool.
-Taken from The Wacom Help Page.

Inkscape
- File-> "Input Devices...".
(The dialog is the same as The GIMP)
- Under "Device" you will have 3 settings: Cursor, Eraser and Stylus. Set them from "Disabled" to "Screen".

Krita
- Settings-> "Configure Krita..." then click on the "Tablet" icon.
- Check the "Enable" boxes for all 3 Devices.

Do you know of more apps that use a tablet?

If anyone has info to make this better let me know.

[graigsmith]

Step 2 is unnecessary if you replace it with this easier way to get your device.

sudo apt-get install wacom-tools

After installing wacom-tools and following a reboot, you should have a /dev/input/wacom device name, that should correctly point to your tablet. (haven't tested this with a serial tablet)

Now all you have to do is just rename all your wacom devices, from /dev/input/event0 to /dev/input/wacom

Also if you run into problems make sure that you didn't include the commented things in the xorg file.

Option        "Device"        "/dev/input/event0"   #USB ONLY

is incorrect, and probably wont work right. just delete the #usb only.

[Staesys]

Thanks very much for this!

Mine is on event3, btw.



-Paul

[DirtDawg]

The link labeled 'wacom help page' goes to Microsoft.com(!!)

[MetalMusicAddict]

Wow. So does the link to the original thread.

[c4pp4]

Thank you very much.

[Stormy Eyes]

I've done this on Hoary (Pre and Final) with a Graphire 2. I have confirmation it works on Warty.

Thanks. I had bought a Wacom Graphire for my wife when she came from Australia to move in with me last August, but I never was able to make the damned thing work until you posted your HOWTO.

[grendelkhan]

My tablet's an older serial port one. what would I put in place of /dev/usb? /dev/ttyS0 ?

[Stormy Eyes]

My tablet's an older serial port one. what would I put in place of /dev/usb? /dev/ttyS0 ?

Probably. If you already have a serial modem hooked up as well, then try /dev/ttyS1 too.

[Waqas]

A noob question here if you dont mind..:-

I downloaded the WacomLinux-0.6.8.tar.bz2 driver. So, how to install it. Im not sure whats the first step after downloaded the driver.. can you walk me through this briefly please??

I think you guys edited the xorg.conf file after installing the driver, right??