Re: Detecting a keyboard

[Vojtech P. <vo...@su...>]

On Sat, Dec 07, 2002 at 08:26:59AM +0000, Alastair McKinstry wrote:
> Thanks.
> I'm working on the new debian-installer. I'm looking at the case of
> having  multiple potential keyboards in a computer, eg. USB & PS/2.
> I want to be able to tell, if possible, what keyboards are attached
> (possible in the USB case), and failing that (eg in the PS2 case)
> if there is a keyboard attached; so that if, eg we spot a keyboard on
> the USB port, we configure that, but is there also a keyboard on the
> PS/2 port ?

On 2.5, there is a complete list of attached input devices in
/proc/bus/input/devices. The list is correct only after you load all the
needed modules, of course, which shouldn't pose a problem.

On 2.4, the only way to check for a PS/2 keyboard is to grep 'dmesg' for 'AT
keyboard not present' ...

> We may need different keymaps on the different keyboards (indeed, this
> might be essential ; one of the few reasons a normal user might have
> multiple keyboards is to have different types)
> 
> Alastair
> 
> 
> On Sat, 2002-12-07 at 04:10, Brad Hards wrote:
> > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
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> > On Sat, 7 Dec 2002 06:20, Alastair McKinstry wrote:
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > I am trying to detect, under Linux (2.4 or 2.5) if a keyboard is
> > > _present_ (attached to a PS/2 or other connector). (Similarly, same ges
> > > for any non-PC architecture. I know about USB, but PPC? Sparc?
> > > Acorn/Amiga/Atari?)
> > Easy on 2.5, you could just parse the /proc/bus/input/devices list. Or do an 
> > EVIOCGBIT to test for a partcular event interface.
> > 
> > What are you actually trying to accomplish?
> > 
> > Brad
> > 
> > - -- 
> > http://linux.conf.au. 22-25Jan2003. Perth, Aust. I'm registered. Are you?
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> > 
> -- 
> Alastair McKinstry <mck...@de...>
> GPG Key fingerprint = 9E64 E714 8E08 81F9 F3DC  1020 FA8E 3790 9051 38F4
> 
> He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from
> oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that
> will reach to himself.
> 
> - --Thomas Paine



-- 
Vojtech Pavlik
SuSE Labs