[SOLVED] New kernel driver for the BCM5974 touchpad (Macbook Air, Penryn)

[cyberdork33]

It works randomly on my Macbook Pro with ubuntu hardy 8.04. I don't know if it's a Penrynn or not. I bought it in march 2008 so I suppose it is. It says MBP 4,1 under MacOSX, and Intel Core 2 Duo under Linux with <command-name-I-forgot>

MacBookPro4,1 = Penryn = 4th gen = only macbook pro with this touchpad

Oh and by the way, I can't ALT+F2 or ALT+anything, so I can't reload the driver. Maybe because of pommed.

By default, the keyboard functions the same as in OS X (for some reason) so to use F2, you actually have to hold the Fn key as well... so ALT+F2 is actually ALT+Fn+F2.

[kosumi68]

The driver works perfectly let's say .. 9 boots on 10. When it doesn't work (which means I can only left click with the button and move the mouse), I use your checkup script and of course it says the module is not loaded (but it is according to the lsmod output).

I double-checked the quirks in the modprobe file and it's ok.

Yes, this is a known problem with the quirk loading in hardy 2.6.24-19. It should work better in 2.6.24-20, as the driver is included in the linux-backports-modules packages, with simplified steps to enable the multitouch features.

Cheers!

[kazounet]

Ok then +1 Penryn
Many thanks to you 2 for answering so quickly !

[dkulp]

This is great. However, it's missing one feature that we have in OSX: if you put two fingers on the pad and click the button, that's the right button. Three fingers and click and thats the middle button.

Here's a patch that adds that:

251,252d250
<       set_bit(BTN_RIGHT, input_dev->keybit);
<       set_bit(BTN_MIDDLE, input_dev->keybit);
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< static int num_fingers = 0;
<
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<       if (num_fingers == 2) {
<           input_report_key(dev->input, BTN_RIGHT, dev->bt_data->button);
<       } else if (num_fingers == 3) {
<           input_report_key(dev->input, BTN_MIDDLE, dev->bt_data->button);
<       } else {
<           input_report_key(dev->input, BTN_LEFT, dev->bt_data->button);
<       }
---
>       input_report_key(dev->input, BTN_LEFT, dev->bt_data->button);
304d293
<       num_fingers = n;

[cyberdork33]

This is great. However, it's missing one feature that we have in OSX: if you put two fingers on the pad and click the button, that's the right button. Three fingers and click and thats the middle button.

This functionality should be added to the synaptics driver not this kernel driver... a user (volanin) has published a deb for just such a driver:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=790589

[kosumi68]

Indeed. Since it was sort of brought up; the bcm5974 emulates a synaptics trackpad, with absolute coordinates. However, there might be times when one would like to emulate a multi-button mouse instead. I got reports that some games do not work very well with trackpads. Is there an interest to have the option of a mouse emulator as well?

[dkulp]

Indeed. Since it was sort of brought up; the bcm5974 emulates a synaptics trackpad, with absolute coordinates. However, there might be times when one would like to emulate a multi-button mouse instead. I got reports that some games do not work very well with trackpads. Is there an interest to have the option of a mouse emulator as well?

Yes. It would be great to be able to use gpm for console sessions.

[kosumi68]

The BCM5974 driver is now part of 2.6.27 upstream, and has been incorporated into Intrepid, meaning the driver will work out-of-the-box. As for Hardy, the kernel image 2.6.24-21 is not out yet, but as soon as it is (the -20 has been skipped it seems), these are the steps to enable the driver:

* Use the package manager to install this package:

linux-backports-modules-hardy

* add the following line to /etc/initramfs-tools/modules:

lbm_bcm5974

* update the ramdisk using the following command:

sudo update-initramfs -u -v -k 2.6.24-21-generic

* reboot

Enjoy!

[Red/Grey]

Strangest thing, i think, i'm very new at this...

I can't get the two finger scroll to work properly. If i drag two/three fingers along the touchpad the pointer stops moving, but other than that nothing happens.

I have a MBA and I've tried to follow this guide to the very limit my brain lets me. One thing puzzles me a bit tough. I've added the size of the MBA's touchpad which, if i understood it correctly, should disable the "right-edge-of-touchpad-scroll". But it has not...?

I have tried to load/unload the driver, uninstall/install it, but no results...

Any help would be most appreciated!

[cyberdork33]

I think you still have to set those options in your synaptic config (in xorg.conf) namely, set VertEdgeScroll to 0 and VertTwoFingerScroll to 1

To see all the possible options run 'man synaptics' int the terminal or see here:
http://linux.die.net/man/5/synaptics