disable touchpad when mouse is plugged in

[chris]

On Mon, 2010-09-27 at 01:25 -0400, Doug wrote:
> I have some directions from "Just Another Lazy Blogger: Auto Disable 
> Synaptic Touch in Ubuntu Hardy"
>         
> http://patanachai.blogspot.com/2009/02/auto-disable-synaptic-touch-in-ubuntu.html 
> 
> Anyway, this instruction was supposed to disable the touchpad when the 
> mouse is plugged in.
> Unfortunately, it was for an Ubuntu release named "Hardy" which seems to 
> have been current in early 2009, and must have had some files that 
> 10.04.1 doesn't, like /etc/X11/xorg.conf and SHMconfig.  The 
> instructions consist of modifying these files, and adding one.
> 
> Does anyone know how to do this in the current environment?
> 
> To any devs reading here:  this would be real nice to have as an option 
> in the system. PCLINUXOS has it.
> 
> Finally, is all this going to be obsolete if and when I upgrade in the 
> coming weeks when the next version of Ubuntu comes out?
> 
> thanx--doug
> 
> -- 
> Blessed  are the peacekeepers...for they shall be shot at from both sides. --A.M. Greeley
> 
> 

I believe the following works

touchpad to turn off

filename
etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-touchpad.conf
type   blacklist psmouse
save to /etc/modproebe.d/blacklist-touchpad.conf

reboot

turn on or off from keyboard
sudo modprobe -i psmouse
and to turn it back off while still logged in:
$ sudo modprobe -r psmouse

-- 
Just my 2c's worth
Cheers the kiwi