CF-28 Touchscreen Calibration (Linux)

Yes i know it has been covered, yes i have read ALL the threads, and no the problem has not been fixed.

Ubuntu Linux - Version 8.04
CF-28 Toughbook

I have tried EVERYTHING posted here to try and get the touchscreen calibrated. The touchscreen works, but it is way off. I will try my best to explain what is going on. When i touch center screen, the pointer is off by about two inches. As i continue to move around the screen the distance between my finger and the pointer grows increasingly farther apart. If i place my finger on the lower left of the screen and go at an angle to the upper right corner, the pointer will catch up to my finger and then pass it (to the right) and reach the upper right corner before my finger. This happens at right around the center of the screen.

I have tried, as modly wroteup (well done btw), to modify the minx/y, maxx/y coordinates but it seems to be ignoring me. What i mean by that is i am 100% positive that x is restarting (i have even treied full reboots) after i save the configuration, but no matter the values it has no affect on the calibration. It remains the same no matter what. Yes i am sure i am modifying the proper file, in the proper location.

I tried experimenting on my own and had to restore the config from terminal a few times due to fatal errors. I have been using linux for years, so i am very comfortable with it. The other CF-28s and the CF-18s running linux were calibrated literally from the start.

Any ideas?

 

I couldn't get the touchscreen to calibrate once they changed the kernel to not need the patch. I've been touchscreen-less in linux for about a year and a half.

 

which kernel are you on now? Mines out of the box so i THINK its 2.6.24 but i have to check that to be sure. Touchscreen is a must for me due to the time i spend in my car, and is the only thing now keeping me from dumping windows completely.

 

im thinking of trying this, but it doesnt make much sense to me. it was in french and i had to translate it....according to leappad it works.

the link wont paste right so im quoting it, just copy and paste.

 

update:

i have the touchscreen calibrated ALMOST perfectly (off by maybe an inch) but the touchpad is wacky. Some more adjusting and i should have it, when i do i'll turn this thread into a how to.

 

im closer, but it's not perfect by any means. I have to keep tweaking the directional values, but its a definite start. I can do pretty much everything except click some links towards center screen, and use the scrollbar on the right of the window. cant seem to quite get there yet.

Major credit to modly, 90% of what i did is based on his writeup. I will be doing mine when its working right, because until i accomplish that i don't feel i can accuratly instruct others. Here is my config file as it is now, if someone has some insight as to how to get the touchpad to work alongside this then we have utter perfection. The buttons work, but the touchpad does not work at all.

Code:

# xorg.conf (X.Org 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 "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"kbd"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xorg"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc105"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Synaptics Touchpad"
	Driver		"evtouch"
	Option		"SendCoreEvents"	"true"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/input/event7"
	Option		"Emulate3Buttons"
	Option		"Emulate3Timeout"	"50"
	Option		"Name"			"CF-28 Touchscreen"
	Option		"Mode"			"absolute"
	Option		"MinX"			"180"
	Option		"MinY"			"360"
	Option		"MaxX"			"3870"
	Option		"MaxY"			"3880"
EndSection


Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Monitor		"Configured Monitor"
	Device		"Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
	Screen		"Default Screen"
	InputDevice	"Synaptics Touchpad"
EndSection

 

It looks like you have only the touchscreen configured. you'll need to add another input device section for the touchpad

below is the xorg.conf from my cf-18 running 9.10: I beleive almost exactly the same file works on my 29, and I was previously using something very similar on my 28. you are going to need something very similar to the InputDevice/TouchPad entries at the end of the file (don't forget to add it to the server layout section too) The only change you will probably need is to the device name, as I'm almost positive it's different between the 28 an 18. I've found that I had issues using the /dev/input/event# entries (the # would sometimes change between reboots, or if I rebooted from XP without a power cycle). I've had better luck with the /dev/input/by-path/* names, but they both point the same place, so both should work.

To figure out the device for the touchpad, from a console run "cat /proc/bus/input/devices", and find the one named "PS/2 Generic Mouse". It should have an entry like

Code:

I: Bus=0011 Vendor=0002 Product=0001 Version=0000
N: Name="PS/2 Generic Mouse"
P: Phys=isa0060/serio4/input0
S: Sysfs=/devices/platform/i8042/serio4/input/input8
U: Uniq=
H: Handlers=mouse2 event8 
B: EV=7
B: KEY=70000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B: REL=3

if you look in the /dev/input/by-path directory, you should see one of the files being a link to ../event8, thats the one you want (event8 is from the Handlers line above. use "ls -l /dev/input/by-path" to see where the files point
nine

Code:

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# Custom xorg.conf for a panasonic toughbook CF-18 MK2 by nine
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# 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 "ServerLayout"
	Identifier  "Default Layout"
	Screen	    "Default Screen"
	InputDevice "TouchScreen" "CorePointer"
	InputDevice "TouchPad"	"SendCoreEvents"
EndSection


Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Monitor		"Configured Monitor"
	Device		"Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier	"TouchScreen"
Driver		"evtouch"
Option		"SendCoreEvents"	"true"
Option		"Device"		"/dev/input/by-path/platform-i8042-serio-3-event-mouse"
Option		"Name"			"CF-18 Touchscreen"
Option		"DeviceName"		"CF-18 Touchscreen"
Option		"ReportingMode"		"Raw"
Option		"Emulate3Buttons"
#Option		"Calibrate" 		"1"
Option	"maxx"	"945"
Option	"maxy"	"927"
Option	"minx"	"78"
Option	"miny"	"75"
Option 	"MoveLimit"	"3"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier	"TouchPad"
Driver		"mouse"
Option		"SendCoreEvents"	"true"
Option		"Device"		"/dev/input/by-path/platform-i8042-serio-4-event-mouse"
Option		"Name"			"PS/2 Touchpad"
EndSection

 

i did something smiliar to that from this link below, and the problem was i could not get them to work together or calibrate at all. But i will play with your setup tonight and see if i can find the sweetspot.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=419235

 

Nine,

I booted ubuntu today for the first time since last posting. The touchscreen was completely unfunctional and the touchpad was S L O W SLOOOWWWWW. So i gave your method a try and i lost both completely. I problably did it wrong. Below is the current config im using to get the touchpad working, still no touchscreen, as well as a printout of the ls.

 

I'm fairly sure that what you are seeing is the changing of the event# entries. The xorg.conf is pointing to event7, while the by-path entries for the mouse event interface is now pointing to event8. To fix that, you need to change both the "Device" entries to "/dev/input/by-path/platform-i8042-serio-1-event-mouse".
Also, try running "cat /proc/bus/input/devices", and see if you have seperate entries for the touchscreen and the touchpad.
Unfortunately, it's been a while since I did this on a 28, and I don't remember exactly what I did to get it working. Also, the only 28 I still have has no HDD caddy, so I can't fire it up and bang on it here.

nine

 

I'll check those out first thing in the morning (or tonight if i cant sleep, im in the field still) and report back asap. A coworker made a joke that it's posessed because this is one of the TB's that does paranormal investigations with me. It's a hobby and he isn't into that at all so bring on the jokes LOL

 

im going to try the path method again using nine's last post, but before i do (incase it doesnt work) here is the requested output

 

Ok gave it a shot, but the touchpad didnt work and the touch worked for a second then the cursor vanished never to be seen again.

 

i gave up. I just don't care enough, because i sat and really thought it out and because of the things i use this particular CF-28 for it needs a dual boot, so it may as well stay full windows.

I appreciate the help though, and hopefully if someone else decides to try it they will find this thread and maybe benifit from it.

 

I’m benefiting from this
It’s all French to me

I’m sticking with windows, for the cool games

I have enough problems figuring out Windows

Alex

 

I LOVE linux, and my primary computer (FX6831) is a Linux box, fully dedicated. I cant stanbd windows, and even though i use the TB the most i need it to do what i need when i need it and getting the TS working is holding me up and exhausting.

 

I love linux as well, but I don't speak command line very well, and as my time is limited I just don't have the time to sit down and try to learn the nuts and bolts of doing command level stuff in linux, but thanks for taking the time to try.

 

I'll probably revisit this at some time so dont loose hope lol. I have other TB's i can test with when i find the time.

As for the command line i learn as i go, but i almost enjoy when things don't go as planned because thats when the terminal comes in, you start connecting concepts, and next thing you know you can use the terminal better then ever.

 

NF: I think you are pretty close. If you look at the /proc/bus/input/devices output, you'll see the two devices we care about:
the Touchpad:

and the touchscreen:

If you look at the Handlers line in the output, you'll see the event# entry, this corresponds to the device in /dev/input. Put that device in the appropriate "Device" entry in xorg.conf, and you should be good to go.

nine

 

Dang, now i gotta try it

I'll give it a go this weekend