Configuring dual mouse config on laptop

[perrymans]

This is a precursor for more input, before I author a FAQ on the subject. Please review and give your input. Keep in mind, it is meant for beginner's, configuring Linux on their laptops.

I recently installed several versions of Linux on a laptop hda, and on a couple of them, I had the USB mouse plugged in. This caused the installation to skip the built in touchpad and mouse ball.

X-Windows stores it's configuration information in the file /etc/X11/XF86Config. The exact syntax of the name may vary depending on distro. Open this file with a text editor:

vi /etc/X11/XF86Config
emacs /etc/X11/XF86Config

There are several sections within this file, each performing a certain function. These functions are usually explained in the file (lines starting with "#" are notes). You want to find the section on "Input Devices". There is a keyboard and a mouse entry.

All entries start with "Section" and end with "EndSection". If you have to add a "Section", don't forget to end it.

#The following are the entries I made for the built in touchpad #and mouse ball.

Section "InputDevice"
# Identifier is a name of your choosing
Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "PS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"

EndSection

#This next entry is what was added for the USB mouse after I #modified the prvious entry to accomodate the built-ins.

Section "InputDevice"

Identifier "usbmouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
#This ZAxis entry is to initialize the scroll wheel on my mouse.
#I was really missing this feature on the web.
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"

EndSection

#The last step needed is to add the line for the mouse you just #entered into the Server Layout section. Example as follows:

Section "ServerLayout"

Identifier "Simple Layout"
Screen "Screen 1"
InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
#This is the line added. The name must match the "InputDevice" name.
InputDevice "usbmouse" "SendCoreEvents"

EndSection


Again, please give your inputs at will.

Sean.

 

[xutopia]

If you plan to aim this FAQ at newbies something like this might help if they use vi/emacs. I had the hardest time understanding the concept of vi!

http://www.tuxfiles.org/linuxhelp/vimcheat.html

http://rgrjr.dyndns.org/emacs/emacs_cheat.html

You might want to copy and paste your complete configuration file (/etc/X11/XF86Config) at the end of the FAQ so that people can see how you applied your changes. This would also allow them to simply try your config file by just dropping it in - very nice if they have the same laptop as you!

Finish off your FAQ with links to sites that could give them more information about how to configure their laptop to work with linux, that way if your FAQ does not answer all their questions they can easily move along to a site that might.

http://www.linux-laptop.net/

Otherwise this is really a nice FAQ! It would have helped me a lot a while back when I installed Mandrake on a laptop!

Gary

http://www.xutopia.com

Haran
==========================

 

[venkman]

Also, I know on my desktop running redhat 9 that kudzu auto detects 2 mice no problem and puts the entries into X config file. Wouldn't the easiest newbie solution be to unplug the external mouse, run kudzu, then plug it back in, run kudzu again, selecting the do not remove option for the built in mouse? Note, I haven't actually tried this on a laptop so I have no idea if it works.

-Venkman

 

[perrymans]

I don't know the outcome with kudzu, I did think about reinstalling the OS's with the USB mouse unplugged, but that would defeat why I was doing all of this in the first place.

Thanks for the extra tips.

Sean.

 

[danielhozac]

Kudzu works fine.

//Daniel