[Linuxwacom-discuss] Re: The Linux Wacom Project web site - Documentation

[Magnus <wi...@bi...>]

Hi,

Very nice, Lo=EFc. I've been looking for a simple description like this sin=
ce I=20
got my Wacom... I guess this is as simple as it gets at the moment.. Since=
=20
I'm using Debian/Mepis-pools I'm missing one of the packages, but I trust=20
that the needed 'InputDevice' lines are defined in the 'ServerLayout' for t=
he=20
Stylus etc.

The only thing that bothers me is the sentence 'Remember to plug your table=
t=20
before you boot, it makes things simpler'.

The fact that X has problem detecting my Wacom when I plug it in has bother=
ed=20
me ever since I got my own Wacom. Personally I think that you should only=20
need to plug it in and then should work (I can accept a little configuratio=
n=20
the first time, but after that there should be no hazzle). No restarting X,=
=20
no switching VTs after unplug/plug etc.

Sure, it was easy to get it working (SimplyMepis 3.4-3, kernel 2.6.16.4 (wi=
th=20
swsuspend2 patches), wacom.ko from kernel source, and wacom_drv.so from=20
0.7.3-1). Once I got everything in place I could use it! Kind of.. Unless I=
=20
plugged it in before X started it was just a glorified mouse, no pressure=20
sensitive stuff in Gimp and stuff (and until two hours ago whenever I pulle=
d=20
it out I got a kernel-oops, wonder why that stopped, no sw-updates made..=20
Yes, I have saved the oops ;).

Oh, one more thing. I only have a laptop so I have my tablet connected abou=
t=20
50% of the time it's running. When I shut it down I only suspend it, and so=
=20
far doing that with the Wacom plugged in (truly configured, not in=20
the 'glorified mouse' mode) forced me to reboot it every time unless I=20
switched it to a text-console before suspending, anoying..

So I got a crazy idea last friday. Why not do for tablets as they've done f=
or=20
mice? Create an aggregation device which is always there, and always possib=
le=20
to open which forwards the events from every Wacom tablet (usually people=20
only have one connected, right?).

Took me two days and now I have a module that allows me to plug/unplug it=20
whenever *I* choose to. Also, as long as I have that module loaded before X=
=20
starts, all I have to do is to plug the Wacom in and start using it.=20
Wounderful!

Now, personally I don't really like this solution (but it works fairly=20
well) 'cause imho this should be handled automatically by the X-server or a=
=20
helper application (where the different tools should be managed as well). A=
s=20
far as I know they're planning for something in Xorg 7.something, but I=20
haven't seen anything yet, as the page has not been updated for a while=20
(http://wiki.x.org/wiki/XInputHotplug). Maybe they've posted information=20
somewhere else though..

I'm really interested in how viable you think the idea is, I haven't seen=20
anything like it on the net so far. I bet there's lots and lots of pit-fall=
s=20
that must be handled which I havn't touched as I hardly knows the=20
Wacom-specific stuff as well as you guys.

If someone wants to have a look at the module-source, mail me and I'll send=
=20
you the tar-ball. Since I'm a kernel-newbie I'd love to know what I actuall=
y=20
do right with the module ;)

 /Magnus

PS Please CC me in any reply as I couldn't subscribe to the list, thanx (50=
2 -=20
Bad Gateway) DS