Announcement

**Snowhog** · Nov 02, 2008, 03:40 PM

Re: What is up with xorg.conf

The /etc/X11/xorg.conf file in 8.10 is very different than earlier versions, and, the OS utilizes it differently (if I remember correctly from various posts made) as well. You can always try just adding the section from the older file to the newer and rebooting. But I don't think it's going to work. BACKUP FILE(S) BEFORE EDITING!

**Snowhog** · Nov 02, 2008, 06:34 PM

Re: What is up with xorg.conf

8.10 Release Notes

X.Org Input Devices

The X.Org configuration file (/etc/X11/xorg.conf) still has InputDevice entries for the mouse and keyboard, but they are ignored now because input-hotplug is used. The keyboard settings now come from /etc/default/console-setup; to change them please use sudo dpkg-reconfigure console-setup. After that, HAL and X need to be restarted (e.g., by rebooting your system).

**LinuxRocks** · Nov 02, 2008, 07:03 PM

Re: What is up with xorg.conf

Originally posted by Snowhog

8.10 Release Notes

X.Org Input Devices

The X.Org configuration file (/etc/X11/xorg.conf) still has InputDevice entries for the mouse and keyboard, but they are ignored now because input-hotplug is used. The keyboard settings now come from /etc/default/console-setup; to change them please use sudo dpkg-reconfigure console-setup. After that, HAL and X need to be restarted (e.g., by rebooting your system).

So I can add the lines to my xorg config still, or is that saying that I cant... Kind of missleading...

Also, I took a look at the console-setup scrip and see no evidance that I can put :

Code:

Section "InputDevice"
  Identifier   "Configured Mouse"
  Driver     "mouse"
  Option     "CorePointer"
  Option     "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
  Option     "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
  Option     "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
  Option     "Buttons" "7"
  Option     "ButtonMapping" "1 2 3 6 7 4 5"
EndSection

or any part of that like the ButtonMapping in there...

Maybe I will just try adding it to the xorg.conf and try that...

Thanks!!!

Joe

**spotslayer** · Nov 02, 2008, 07:05 PM

Re: What is up with xorg.conf

Please let us know the outcome of your trials.

david

**Snowhog** · Nov 02, 2008, 07:12 PM

Re: What is up with xorg.conf

Originally posted by LinuxRocks

So I can add the lines to my xorg config still, or is that saying that I cant... Kind of missleading...

Yes, but: "...they are ignored now because input-hotplug is used."

I don't know where/how one configures/reconfigures a mouse.

**kubicle** · Nov 03, 2008, 01:04 AM

Re: What is up with xorg.conf

Originally posted by Snowhog

I don't know where/how one configures/reconfigures a mouse.

With a custom hal policy file, placed in /etc/hal/fdi/policy:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config#Inp...ation with HAL

**Snowhog** · Nov 03, 2008, 01:11 AM

Re: What is up with xorg.conf

Wow! But how would the uninitiated know what to put into such a file?

**kubicle** · Nov 03, 2008, 01:17 AM

Re: What is up with xorg.conf

Originally posted by Snowhog

Wow! But how would the uninitiated know what to put into such a file?

I guess the same way the uninitiated used to know what to put in xorg.conf

(Asking their priest, guru, or google)

As a personal note, I hate XML configuration files :P

EDIT: the link provides a few examples, to get them started

**Snowhog** · Nov 03, 2008, 01:22 AM

Re: What is up with xorg.conf

But at least with (the previous) xorg.conf files, you had a utility to reconfigure, based on answers given to questions asked. Is there going to be any similar utility/function in 8.10 (and beyond) to handle reconfiguring/creating of these fdi files?

**kubicle** · Nov 03, 2008, 04:23 AM

Re: What is up with xorg.conf

Originally posted by Snowhog

But at least with (the previous) xorg.conf files, you had a utility to reconfigure, based on answers given to questions asked.

Well, yes and no. Previously one could (re)configure basic X configuration with some tools, but in my experience advanced configuration has nearly always included adding things to xorg.conf manually.

The new X/hal combination should be able to handle basic configuration without any user interaction (plug in a device and start using)...of course this may not be true with exotic devices. 'Advanced' configuration needs manual configuration still.

Is there going to be any similar utility/function in 8.10 (and beyond) to handle reconfiguring/creating of these fdi files?

Don't know, but it would probably not be a bad idea...perhaps something like the kde hal device manager, with the ability to add/edit hal configuration (writing policy files accordingly)

**Snowhog** · Nov 03, 2008, 12:51 PM

Re: What is up with xorg.conf

It looks like the KDE HAL Device Manager hasn't been updated since 2006. That last posted comment was more than a year ago.

But I agree with you - a GUI utility for at least reading and displaying existing fdi files (and preferably, to edit them) would be a good thing to have.

**LinuxRocks** · Nov 03, 2008, 04:11 PM

Re: What is up with xorg.conf

Originally posted by kubicle

Originally posted by Snowhog

Wow! But how would the uninitiated know what to put into such a file?

I guess the same way the uninitiated used to know what to put in xorg.conf

(Asking their priest, guru, or google)

As a personal note, I hate XML configuration files :P

EDIT: the link provides a few examples, to get them started

Not to throw tomatoes or anything, but seriously. When editing the previous xorg.conf file, first of all, you had ONE place to go to set all the configurations up and didn't have to worry about creating multiple files in some arcane directory structure that only Linus himself knows where to look; and btw, which would you rather work with:

Code:

Section "InputDevice"
  Identifier   "Configured Mouse"
  Driver     "mouse"
  Option     "CorePointer"
  Option     "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
  Option     "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
  Option     "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
  Option     "Buttons" "7"
  Option     "ButtonMapping" "1 2 3 6 7 4 5"
EndSection

Simple, easy to figure out (Button Mappings are not that difficult to even play with to get figured out)....

Or...

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<deviceinfo version="0.2">
 <device>
 <match key="info.capabilities" contains="input.mouse">
  <merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string">mouse</merge>

  <!-- Logitech tweaks -->
  <match key="@input.originating_device:usb.vendor_id" int="0x46d">
   <match key="@input.originating_device:usb.product_id" int_outof="0xc50e;0xc518">
   <merge key="input.x11_options.RelHWHEELOptions" type="string">invert</merge>
   </match>
  </match>

  </match>
 </match>
 </device>
</deviceinfo>

Where you have to look at 10 different /proc locations to even get the relevent information for your hardware and then, what on earth controls the button assignments...

Well, its apperent that this project is going backwards from "Human" and "Easy to use" back to the stone ages, so unfortunatly, I will have to resort to a prevoius release so I can use my system again :-P.

It would have been nice for the release team to offer some assistance with this in the form of documentation that "The rest of us" can use.

Some day, perhaps... and it was going so well

**kubicle** · Nov 04, 2008, 12:52 AM

Re: What is up with xorg.conf

@Snowhog:
Yes, I'm aware kde hal device manager is not 'the answer', that's why I said 'something like'

Originally posted by LinuxRocks

When editing the previous xorg.conf file, first of all, you had ONE place to go to set all the configurations up

Well, you had one place to configure *some* devices, mainly display and input devices for X. HAL could easily become *the* place to configure all your hardware.

didn't have to worry about creating multiple files in some arcane directory structure

I think the multiple files are a blessing in disguise (although nothing should stop you from putting all configurations in one file), as if you use some devices on different machines, you can share the fdi file for that device easily with all your machines...and device vendors like Logitech could probably provide fdi files for their devices to improve linux compatibility (just a thought).

And I truly think that /etc/X11/xorg.conf is just as arcane as /etc/hal/fdi/policy/ to new users (with little linux experience), hal aims to free new users from worrying about either...Though I concur it's not there yet (not by a long shot).

which would you rather work with

Wholeheartedly agree with you on that, XML has serious human-readability issues, which is why it would be nice to have a tool to manage them. The options themselves are not that different from traditional xorg.conf options ('Option "EmulateWheel"' vs. 'input.x11_options.EmulateWheel', for example)

Of course, to add to the confusion, 8.10 switched to 'evdev' for the input driver, and the options may be slightly different.

Where you have to look at 10 different /proc locations to even get the relevent information for your hardware

Haven't had to do that, 'lshal | less' (see 'man lshal' for advanced usage) should give you the information about your hardware (including the id strings). Of course, a GUI tool similar to the hal device manager would be much more user friendly with this as well.

I can certainly understand the criticism and agree with it to a degree, but I do see potential. And sometimes you need to take a step back to make a leap forward (in usability). As an analogy, I kind of see this happening currently in KDE4, which is just about to make it's 'leap forward'

**toad** · Nov 04, 2008, 02:10 AM

Re: What is up with xorg.conf

Originally posted by kubicle

As a personal note, I hate XML configuration files :P

Same here, but dedicated XML editors such as conglomerate (sudo apt-get install conglomerate) provide some welcome relief

Announcement

What is up with xorg.conf

What is up with xorg.conf

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment