Ksynaptics issue - erratic touchpad

[mushroom_cloud]

Recently installed linux on my Dell vostro 1500,

the touchpad (which acts normally on windows) acts like it's on speed on linux. the tapping is activated when i'm trying to move the pointer and haven't put any extra force. Tried fiddling with the setting under system setting to no avail.

someone suggested Ksynaptics which is supposed to help with touchpad.downloaded it but every time i try configuring it, it says

Shared memory is not accesible

Pleasse add the option 'SHMConfig "on"' into the touchpad section of etc/x11/xorg.conf

Well, here's what my xorg.conf looks like;

# xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
#  sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"kbd"
	Option		"CoreKeyboard"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xorg"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc105"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"gb"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"CorePointer"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/input/mice"
	Option		"Protocol"		"ImPS/2"
	Option		"ZAxisMapping"		"4 5"
	Option		"Emulate3Buttons"	"true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Synaptics Touchpad"
	Driver		"synaptics"
	Option		"SendCoreEvents"	"true"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/psaux"
	Option		"Protocol"		"auto-dev"
	Option		"HorizEdgeScroll"	"0"
EndSection

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

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

Section "InputDevice"
	Driver		"wacom"
	Identifier	"cursor"
	Option		"Device"	"/dev/input/wacom"
	Option		"Type"		"cursor"
	Option		"ForceDevice"	"ISDV4"		# Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"nVidia Corporation G80 [GeForce 8400M GS]"
	Driver		"nvidia"
	BusID		"PCI:1:0:0"
	Option		"UseFBDev"		"true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Generic Monitor"
	Option		"DPMS"
	HorizSync	28-50
	VertRefresh	43-75
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"nVidia Corporation G80 [GeForce 8400M GS]"
	Monitor		"Generic Monitor"
	DefaultDepth	24
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
	Screen		"Default Screen"
	InputDevice	"Generic Keyboard"
	InputDevice	"Configured Mouse"

# Uncomment if you have a wacom tablet
#	InputDevice   "stylus"	"SendCoreEvents"
#	InputDevice   "cursor"	"SendCoreEvents"
#	InputDevice   "eraser"	"SendCoreEvents"
	InputDevice	"Synaptics Touchpad"
EndSection

Could someone tell me the exact code i were to add or modify the given one..i'm really very new to linux with none of my friends using linux.

Thanks again

[MoonRise]

Re: Ksynaptics issue - erratic touchpad

This is what you need. Note near the end of the section:

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Synaptics Touchpad"
	Driver		"synaptics"
	Option		"SendCoreEvents"	"true"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/psaux"
	Option		"Protocol"		"auto-dev"
	Option		"HorizScrollDelta"	"0"
	Option		"SHMConfig"		"on"

[mushroom_cloud]

Re: Ksynaptics issue - erratic touchpad

That works like a whistle.

Thanks!

[MoonRise]

Re: Ksynaptics issue - erratic touchpad

Glad that worked. Trust me, there is nothing more I hate than a touchpad that won't cooperate. I actually just turn it off and use an optical mouse if that gives any indication of how I feel about touchpads. Anyway, again, glad that worked!

[mushroom_cloud]

Re: Ksynaptics issue - erratic touchpad

Well, after a day of using it..it's got Ksynaptics installed, but for some reason it's not taking care of the touch pad very well. I'm guessing i'll have to work with it and fiddle around which i've not done much..it does this strange thing when i keep my finger on it |(while not moving it) the pointer just glides to the right at a slow pace..

i think i'll stick to using the mouse, which is also not acting very co-operative..which is why i'm typing this from windows

[MoonRise]

Re: Ksynaptics issue - erratic touchpad

The only time I had an issue like that was with a wireless mouse. The battery was dying and that was what caused that. Have you tried cleaning the Touchpad? Did you say the regular mouse was drifting as well?

[mushroom_cloud]

Re: Ksynaptics issue - erratic touchpad

The regular mouse is okay..but i'm sure it's a ksunaptics issue because if my touchpad's not clean, why is working perfectly fine on windows?

and it wasn't drifting before i installed ksynaptics, so there's only one explanation unless i was eating something greasy

[monte48lowes]

Re: Ksynaptics issue - erratic touchpad

I don't think it so much ksynaptics as it is the synaptics driver. There are many more settings available for xorg.conf regarding the touchpad section. Here is an example:

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Synaptics Touchpad"
Driver "synaptics"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Protocol" "auto-dev"
Option "HorizEdgeScroll" "0"
Option "LeftEdge" "1900"
Option "RightEdge" "5400"
Option "TopEdge" "1400"
Option "BottomEdge" "4500"
Option "FingerLow" "25"
Option "FingerHigh" "30"
Option "MaxTapTime" "180"
Option "MaxTapMove" "220"
Option "VertScrollDelta" "100"
Option "MinSpeed" "0.02"
Option "MaxSpeed" "0.18"
Option "AccelFactor" "0.0010"
EndSection

For information about what each of these mean:

man synaptics

Mike