How do I disable tap-to-click?

[Guest]

I installed Kubuntu 8.10 on my ThinkPad T40. How do I disable the trackpad's tap-to-click?

I can't find anything in the utilities or the settings for this. The package manager found 'gsynaptics' for me and I installed it, but now I can't find it in any of the menus. I found instructions online for modifying /etc/X11/Xorg.conf, but that file is zero bytes on my system. I found other instructions for creating a SHMConfig file in /etx/hal/fdi/policy, but that didn't have any effect either.

So, how do I turn this feature off?

[andrewyoungisgreat]

Re: How do I disable tap-to-click?

Xorg.conf is different to xorg.conf

I suspect the file you need to modify is /etc/X11/xorg.conf

something like

sudo kate /etc/X11/xorg.conf

[Guest]

Re: How do I disable tap-to-click?

Sorry - just to clarify, after installing Kubuntu 8.10 (reformatting the drive first), I do not have /etc/X11/Xorg.conf, but I do have a zero-length /etc/X11/xorg.conf.

What should be in xorg.conf? Did something go wrong with my Kubuntu installation?

[russlar]

Re: How do I disable tap-to-click?

Having the same issue on a t61. Think Wiki's gat a hack to make the middle button scroll, but haven't seen one for disabling tap-to-click. yet.

[ElEdwards]

Re: How do I disable tap-to-click?

Same thing here on my Presario 2170us. In the past, I've been able to add some parameters in xorg.conf to disable the tapping....but in 8.10, there is hardly anything in xorg.conf. I suppose this is called an 'improvement'

Can hardware sections that worked on older versions of xorg.conf be pasted into this new one without adverse affects?

Thanks!
El

[kubicle]

Re: How do I disable tap-to-click?

Here's some information on the 'config-less' X:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config

You can still manually set xorg options in xorg.conf if you like (I've set some display options to improve 3D performance)

Do note that input device configuration is handled by hal, so settings in xorg.conf probably won't affect input devices. (hal has a few advantages over xorg.conf, hotplugging devices being the top on my list...one could argue that ease of configuration is not on that list).

I'd say you're on the right track with creating your own hal policy (in /etc/hal/fdi/policy)...this would probably include adding appropiate 'input.x11_option.XXXX' line in your touchpad configuration.

I found other instructions for creating a SHMConfig file in /etx/hal/fdi/policy, but that didn't have any effect either.

Can you post the link to the instructions so we might take a look?

EDIT: read 'man synaptics' for the available options to use in 'input.x11_option.XXXX' line...there are a few different ways to disable tapping.

There is also a program called touchfreeze that should disable tapping while typing, haven't tried it though.

[monte48lowes]

Re: How do I disable tap-to-click?

I updated the hal policy using the directions I found here:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticsTouchpad

Under "Enabling SHMConfig"

Then I installed gsynaptics:

sudo apt-get install gsynaptics

Restart computer to update the hal policies.

Run gsynaptics:

Alt-F2 > gsynaptics > <Enter>

You can disable tap to click and some other options.

The following was added to make the settings persistant across logins:

1. K-Menu > Computer > System Settings > Advanced Tab > Autostart

2. Click 'Add Program' button

3. Type "gsynaptics-init" in the box > Click <Enter> > Click <Enter>

4. Exit System Settings

Mike

[ElEdwards]

Re: How do I disable tap-to-click?

Yay! That did it perfectly!

Thanks
El

[monte48lowes]

Re: How do I disable tap-to-click?

I found something out earlier. The gsynaptics settings are not restored after logging out and back in. This is easily fixed by adding 'gsynaptics-init' to run during startup using autostart. I will add the directions for that to the end of my previous post.

Mike

[kevin79]

Re: How do I disable tap-to-click?

I updated the hal policy using the directions I found here:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticsTouchpad

Under "Enabling SHMConfig"

Then I installed gsynaptics:

sudo apt-get install gsynaptics

Restart computer to update the hal policies.

Run gsynaptics:

Alt-F2 > gsynaptics > <Enter>

You can disable tap to click and some other options.

The following was added to make the settings persistant across logins:

1. K-Menu > Computer > System Settings > Advanced Tab > Autostart

2. Click 'Add Program' button

3. Type "gsynaptics-init" in the box > Click <Enter> > Click <Enter>

4. Exit System Settings

Mike

I followed your directions but every time I suspend my computer, I loose my touchpad settings. Any idea why?

[kevinc]

Re: How do I disable tap-to-click?

Do you have

Kmenu | Utilities | KMouseTool ?

I'm not using it, my touchpad works the way I like, but this may help.

Also,

Kmenu | System | System settings | Keyboard & Mouse | Mouse may help

[toad]

Re: How do I disable tap-to-click?

fwiw - I've disabled my touchpad in the BIOS. There is also a GUI program called touchfreeze in the repos (not sure which one - how do I find out?) which disables the touchpad the instant you start typing.