[ubuntu-x] Fwd: Wacom tablets, TabletPC and Xorg support for Ubuntu 9.04 (Jaunty)

[Loïc Martin]

Alberto Milone a écrit :
> On Monday 10 November 2008 01:42:32 Bryce Harrington wrote:
>> Interesting post to u-d-d worth discussion here.
>>
>> Offhand, I don't know how much effort is needed for properly fixing
>> wacom, but if it's unlikely to be done in time, perhaps a simple python
>> GUI based on x-kit to do the manual configuration (putting in the lines
>> that we shipped commented out in Hardy), could be done?
>>
>> Anyone else have ideas on this topic?
>>
>> Bryce
> 
> As regards the steps required to configure tablets in the xorg.conf, we can 
> use X-Kit without problems. There are other things should deal with too:
> 
> 1) if bluetooth tablets aren't supported by the hidp kernel module in Jaunty's 
> kernel we may want to package the latest release of the driver with DKMS so 
> that users won't have to recompile it every time the kernel is updated and, 
> above all, they won't have to do make && make install manually (which is not 
> exactly user friendly).

I second that.

> 2) update the linux wacom driver to the latest (even beta) release. 

I think it's already the case, Intrepid use the beta driver 0.8.1.4, and
Jaunty uses the 0.8.1.6. 0.8.1.4 has a bug that severly affect some
users (input freeze when the pen touch the screen), thus the threads
where everybody is advise to compile the drivers (not necessary, see
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Wacom/LatestDriver ) even when it's
just an xorg.conf problem.

However, we could stress the importance of SRU updates, but from my
experience the sync between ubuntu packages and upstream has been quite
good since Feisty.

For Intrepid and 0.8.1.6, there's
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/wacom-tools/+bug/291908 which
we could use for an SRU. Anyone taking care of that? My last SRU was for
Gutsy, I could try and find again what the steps are, but it took one
month and a half for just a single dependency addition to an universe
package - no source change, and I can already see Jaunty releasing
before an SRU from a non-developer was be accepted.

> 3) modify the /etc/udev/rules.d/50-xserver-xorg-input-wacom.rules according to 
> the wacom tablet model (if required).

There's a discussion about that - only seems required for a small number
of TabletPC that support touch in addition to the stylus/eraser/etc.

At the moment, the consensus could be
/dev/input/wacom for stylus (doesn't break previous xorg.conf and
existing howto)
/dev/input/wacom-touch for touch.

See
http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?forum_name=linuxwacom-devel&max_rows=25&style=nested&viewmonth=200810
and
http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?forum_name=linuxwacom-devel&max_rows=25&style=nested&viewmonth=200811

especially
http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_name=167e8a330810291653v262ae4b7rf8fa71cedfada430%40mail.gmail.com

> 4) remove the .fdi file for wacom tablets

The .fdi file doesn't conflict with xorg.conf if the tablet is plugged
at boot (also the case with TabletPC). Also, it would make a safer place
for users and programs to tinkle with configuration settings than
xorg.conf (if we manage to get the wacom driver and HAL working for
eraser/cursor/pad/touch also).

> 5) make it easy for users to set customised stroke pressure and inverted 
> scrolling.
> 
> Basically users should be allowed to choose between lines between serial, USB, 
> bluetooth tablets, and specify whether the tablet is part of a TabletPC. 
> Things should (mostly) just work. Device pairing in bluetooth tablets should 
> be done manually but we can include instructions in the program. Maybe a 
> simple UI (a configuration wizard) would be enough.
> 
> What do you think?

Having an UI to configure wacom devices is a really good idea. You can
have a look at wacomcpl for ideas for options and how it works.
Actually, developing an UI wouldn't just be a stopgap mesure for Jaunty
if Xorg & wacom don't get HAL/wacom sorted out in time, since your UI
could as well output the configuration in xorg.conf or in 10-wacom.fdi.

The options are the same (same name, same parameters) and converting an
xorg.conf option into an xml .fdi line is straightforward.

Even if xorg.conf isn't used anymore and Xorg would allow complete
autodetection of the wacom devices, there will always be a need for a
GUI tool so users can chose their settings.
Loïc