sony brightness on a geforce series older than 8 (nvclock works fine)

[benste]

Binary package hint: hotkey-setup

seperatred bug from:
Sony + Intel → https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.22/+bug/173652
Sony + Nvidia 8+ → https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/hotkey-setup/+bug/95444?comments=all | fixed

Here it is sony + Nvidia 7-

e.g. 7600Go doesn't work

[getaceres (getaceres)]

Brightness controls Fn+<something> don't work on a Sony Vaio FE31Z (Geforce 7600Go)

[benste (benste)]

Todays updates are a milestone in the right direction !!!
NOw when I press Fn + F6 or F5
Gnomem Brightness Control dialog comes with the change !!
But it doesn't change the brightness yet (using hardy with updates)

[benste (benste)]

like posted the event is recognized!
But not changed

[Michael Doube (michael-doube)]

benste, have you tried the suggestion in bug #176888 ?

$ xrandr --output LVDS --set BACKLIGHT_CONTROL native

[benste (benste)]

Yes now I tried it - (thought XRandr is only for intel cards)

benste@vaiofe31m:~$ xrandr --output LVDS --set BACKLIGHT_CONTROL native
X Error of failed request: 186
  Major opcode of failed request: 157 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request: 15 ()
  Serial number of failed request: 14
  Current serial number in output stream: 14

[Michael Doube (michael-doube)]

What's the output of:
:~$ tail -f /var/log/acpid

when you hit Fn keys?

[benste (benste)]

nothing,
just gnome-power appears with the changed new brighness

[Michael Doube (michael-doube)]

Maybe this bug will be informative?
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/acpi-support/+bug/251665

[benste (benste)]

after this native thing the red cross disappears from the brightness slider in the panel, but comes back when movin it.
FN + F5 - results in a gnome-power event, but not a brightness change

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

The problem lies in "hal", since the backlight method is wrongly done.
In fact, for every sony laptop, it say to use "echo {1..8} > /proc/acpi/sony/brightness" instead of using smartdimmer or xbacklight.
Laurent Almeras and I modified some "hal" configuration files to make it work with smartdimmer, but we should nvclock instead.

I attached the differents "hal" modified files to make you see how it works.

PS: sorry for my english and for not making a proper deb, i'm a beginner on launchpad

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

The problem lies in "hal", since the backlight method is wrongly done.
In fact, for every sony laptop, it say to use "echo {1..8} > /proc/acpi/sony/brightness" instead of using smartdimmer or xbacklight.
Laurent Almeras and I modified some "hal" configuration files to make it work with smartdimmer, but we should nvclock instead.

I attached the differents "hal" modified files to make you see how it works.

PS: sorry for my english and for not making a proper deb, i'm a beginner on launchpad

[benste (benste)]

sounds nice, but as you may been able to read before, I'm an absolutly beginner, (who normally don't speak English too :-)),
and, I've got no knowledge of shellscripts, and many other things, so where should I put these files?

PS: I understood the if then else, but not the indicators and all you wrote :-)

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

You should do what i wrote in a.sh, then reboot your computer.

you also have to install smartdimmer : " sudo apt-get install smartdimmer "

if there is any problem, could you post the result of :

lshal | grep -i vgn -B 20 -A 20

please,

Thanks

2008/10/13 benste <email address hidden>

> sounds nice, but as you may been able to read before, I'm an absolutly
> beginner, (who normally don't speak English too :-)),
> and, I've got no knowledge of shellscripts, and many other things, so where
> should I put these files?
>
> PS: I understood the if then else, but not the indicators and all you
> wrote :-)
>
> --
> sony brighness on a geforce series older than 8 (nvclock works fine)
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/277589
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[benste (benste)]

I'm sorry, but it doesn't work for me:
1st

sudo mv /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux.back
sudo mv /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux.back

resulted both in "file not found"
but it isn't necesarry because it's just a backup or?

2nd: smartdimmer and lshal:
benste@vaiofe31m:~$ sudo apt-get install smartdimmer
[sudo] password for benste:
Paketlisten werden gelesen... Fertig
Abhängigkeitsbaum wird aufgebaut
Lese Status-Informationen ein... Fertig
smartdimmer ist schon die neueste Version.
smartdimmer wurde als manuell installiert festgelegt.
Die folgenden Pakete wurden automatisch installiert und werden nicht länger benötigt:
  libgtkhtml3.16-cil
Verwenden Sie »apt-get autoremove«, um sie zu entfernen.
0 aktualisiert, 0 neu installiert, 0 zu entfernen und 0 nicht aktualisiert.
benste@vaiofe31m:~$ apt-get autoremove
E: Konnte Lockdatei /var/lib/dpkg/lock nicht öffnen - open (13 Permission denied)
E: Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/), are you root?
benste@vaiofe31m:~$ sudo apt-get autoremove
Paketlisten werden gelesen... Fertig
Abhängigkeitsbaum wird aufgebaut
Lese Status-Informationen ein... Fertig
Die folgenden Pakete wurden automatisch installiert und werden nicht länger benötigt:
  libgtkhtml3.16-cil
Die folgenden Pakete werden ENTFERNT:
  libgtkhtml3.16-cil
0 aktualisiert, 0 neu installiert, 1 zu entfernen und 0 nicht aktualisiert.
Nach dieser Operation werden 238kB Plattenplatz freigegeben.
Möchten Sie fortfahren [J/n]? j
(Lese Datenbank ... 347411 Dateien und Verzeichnisse sind derzeit installiert.)
Entferne libgtkhtml3.16-cil ...
benste@vaiofe31m:~$ sudo apt-get remove smartdimmer
Paketlisten werden gelesen... Fertig
Abhängigkeitsbaum wird aufgebaut
Lese Status-Informationen ein... Fertig
Die folgenden Pakete wurden automatisch installiert und werden nicht länger benötigt:
  toshset laptop-mode-tools
Verwenden Sie »apt-get autoremove«, um sie zu entfernen.
Die folgenden Pakete werden ENTFERNT:
  acpi-support powermanagement-interface smartdimmer ubuntu-desktop
0 aktualisiert, 0 neu installiert, 4 zu entfernen und 0 nicht aktualisiert.
Nach dieser Operation werden 1180kB Plattenplatz freigegeben.
Möchten Sie fortfahren [J/n]? n
Abbruch.
benste@vaiofe31m:~$ lshal | grep -i vgn -B 20 -A 20
  info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer' (string)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.SystemPowerManagement.method_argnames = {'num_seconds_to_sleep', 'num_seconds_to_sleep', '', '', '', 'enable_power_save'} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.SystemPowerManagement.method_execpaths = {'hal-system-power-suspend', 'hal-system-power-suspend-hybrid', 'hal-system-power-hibernate', 'hal-system-power-shutdown', 'hal-system-power-reboot', 'hal-system-power-set-power-save'} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.SystemPowerManagement.method_names = {'Suspend', 'SuspendHybrid', 'Hibernate', 'Shutdown', 'Reboot', 'SetPowerSave'} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.SystemPowerManagement.method_signatures = {'i', 'i', '', '', '', 'b'} ...

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

Sorry,

1rstly, For the backup, and the cp I think the paths are all mixed up,
since i'm using a 64bits version.

to find the files : find /usr -iname
"hal-system-lcd-*et-brightness-linux", backup, and replace them with my
files.

2ndly, I also mess up with the name of your sony-laptop model, you need
to
change the name "VGN-FE31Z" into "VGN-FE31M" in
/usr/share/hal/fdi/information/10freedesktop/10-sony-laptop-panel-mgmt-policy.fdi

Then reboot,
PS :
If it still doesn't work, to verify if the things are ok,
 sudo smartdimmer -s 5
 # to change brightness, verify that smartdimmer works
 lshal | grep -i "sony-nvidia"
 # hal have now the write method
if both of those things are ok, then that means that the 2 others files
(*set* and *get* ) are wrongly installed

On lun, 2008-10-13 at 18:15 +0000, benste wrote:
> I'm sorry, but it doesn't work for me:
> 1st
>
> sudo mv /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux.back
> sudo mv /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux.back
>
> resulted both in "file not found"
> but it isn't necesarry because it's just a backup or?
>
>
> 2nd: smartdimmer and lshal:
> benste@vaiofe31m:~$ sudo apt-get install smartdimmer
> [sudo] password for benste:
> Paketlisten werden gelesen... Fertig
> Abhängigkeitsbaum wird aufgebaut
> Lese Status-Informationen ein... Fertig
> smartdimmer ist schon die neueste Version.
> smartdimmer wurde als manuell installiert festgelegt.
> Die folgenden Pakete wurden automatisch installiert und werden nicht länger benötigt:
> libgtkhtml3.16-cil
> Verwenden Sie »apt-get autoremove«, um sie zu entfernen.
> 0 aktualisiert, 0 neu installiert, 0 zu entfernen und 0 nicht aktualisiert.
> benste@vaiofe31m:~$ apt-get autoremove
> E: Konnte Lockdatei /var/lib/dpkg/lock nicht öffnen - open (13 Permission denied)
> E: Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/), are you root?
> benste@vaiofe31m:~$ sudo apt-get autoremove
> Paketlisten werden gelesen... Fertig
> Abhängigkeitsbaum wird aufgebaut
> Lese Status-Informationen ein... Fertig
> Die folgenden Pakete wurden automatisch installiert und werden nicht länger benötigt:
> libgtkhtml3.16-cil
> Die folgenden Pakete werden ENTFERNT:
> libgtkhtml3.16-cil
> 0 aktualisiert, 0 neu installiert, 1 zu entfernen und 0 nicht aktualisiert.
> Nach dieser Operation werden 238kB Plattenplatz freigegeben.
> Möchten Sie fortfahren [J/n]? j
> (Lese Datenbank ... 347411 Dateien und Verzeichnisse sind derzeit installiert.)
> Entferne libgtkhtml3.16-cil ...
> benste@vaiofe31m:~$ sudo apt-get remove smartdimmer
> Paketlisten werden gelesen... Fertig
> Abhängigkeitsbaum wird aufgebaut
> Lese Status-Informationen ein... Fertig
> Die folgenden Pakete wurden automatisch installiert und werden nicht länger benötigt:
> toshset laptop-mode-tools
> Verwenden Sie »apt-get autoremove«, um sie zu entfernen.
> Die folgenden Pakete werden ENTFERNT:
> acpi-support powermanagement-interface smartdimmer ubuntu-desktop
> 0 aktualisiert, 0 neu installiert, 4 zu entfernen und 0 nicht aktu...

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

Sorry,

1rstly, For the backup, and the cp I think the paths are all mixed up,
since i'm using a 64bits version.

to find the files : find /usr -iname
"hal-system-lcd-*et-brightness-linux", backup, and replace them with my
files.

2ndly, I also mess up with the name of your sony-laptop model, you need
to
change the name "VGN-FE31Z" into "VGN-FE31M" in
/usr/share/hal/fdi/information/10freedesktop/10-sony-laptop-panel-mgmt-policy.fdi

Then reboot,
PS :
If it still doesn't work, to verify if the things are ok,
    sudo smartdimmer -s 5
    # to change brightness, verify that smartdimmer works
    lshal | grep -i "sony-nvidia"
    # hal have now the write method
if both of those things are ok, then that means that the 2 others files
(*set* and *get* ) are wrongly installed

2008/10/13 benste <email address hidden>

> I'm sorry, but it doesn't work for me:
> 1st
>
> sudo mv /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux
> /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux.back
> sudo mv /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux
> /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux.back
>
> resulted both in "file not found"
> but it isn't necesarry because it's just a backup or?
>
>
> 2nd: smartdimmer and lshal:
> benste@vaiofe31m:~$ sudo apt-get install smartdimmer
> [sudo] password for benste:
> Paketlisten werden gelesen... Fertig
> Abhängigkeitsbaum wird aufgebaut
> Lese Status-Informationen ein... Fertig
> smartdimmer ist schon die neueste Version.
> smartdimmer wurde als manuell installiert festgelegt.
> Die folgenden Pakete wurden automatisch installiert und werden nicht länger
> benötigt:
> libgtkhtml3.16-cil
> Verwenden Sie »apt-get autoremove«, um sie zu entfernen.
> 0 aktualisiert, 0 neu installiert, 0 zu entfernen und 0 nicht aktualisiert.
> benste@vaiofe31m:~$ apt-get autoremove
> E: Konnte Lockdatei /var/lib/dpkg/lock nicht öffnen - open (13 Permission
> denied)
> E: Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/), are you
> root?
> benste@vaiofe31m:~$ sudo apt-get autoremove
> Paketlisten werden gelesen... Fertig
> Abhängigkeitsbaum wird aufgebaut
> Lese Status-Informationen ein... Fertig
> Die folgenden Pakete wurden automatisch installiert und werden nicht länger
> benötigt:
> libgtkhtml3.16-cil
> Die folgenden Pakete werden ENTFERNT:
> libgtkhtml3.16-cil
> 0 aktualisiert, 0 neu installiert, 1 zu entfernen und 0 nicht aktualisiert.
> Nach dieser Operation werden 238kB Plattenplatz freigegeben.
> Möchten Sie fortfahren [J/n]? j
> (Lese Datenbank ... 347411 Dateien und Verzeichnisse sind derzeit
> installiert.)
> Entferne libgtkhtml3.16-cil ...
> benste@vaiofe31m:~$ sudo apt-get remove smartdimmer
> Paketlisten werden gelesen... Fertig
> Abhängigkeitsbaum wird aufgebaut
> Lese Status-Informationen ein... Fertig
> Die folgenden Pakete wurden automatisch installiert und werden nicht länger
> benötigt:
> toshset laptop-mode-tools
> Verwenden Sie »apt-get autoremove«, um sie zu entfernen.
> Die folgenden Pakete werden ENTFERNT:
> acpi-support powermanagement-interface smartdimmer ubuntu-desktop
> 0 aktualisiert, 0 neu installiert, 4 zu entfernen und 0 nicht aktualisiert.
> Nach d...

[benste (benste)]

I'll try this out tomorrow after school, (I'm in europe and not in US :-))
I'll report you the result asap.

[benste (benste)]

sadyl it woun't work,

here my full protocoll:

benste@vaiofe31m:~$ find /usr -iname "hal-system-lcd-*et-brightness"
/usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness
/usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness

benste@vaiofe31m:~$ sudo mv /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness.back
[sudo] password for benste:
benste@vaiofe31m:~$ sudo mv /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness.back
benste@vaiofe31m:~$ cd Desktop/
benste@vaiofe31m:~/Desktop$ sudo cp sony-backlight_0.alpha/usr/lib/hal/scripts/* /usr/lib/hal/scripts/
benste@vaiofe31m:~/Desktop$ sudo cp sony-backlight_0.alpha/usr/share/hal/fdi/information/10freedesktop/* /usr/share/hal/fdi/information/10freedesktop/
benste@vaiofe31m:~/Desktop$
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I looked up the dir with nautilus and there are backups, and modified originally versions (I think they're yours)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
benste@vaiofe31m:~/Desktop$ cd /
benste@vaiofe31m:/$ sudo gedit //usr/share/hal/fdi/information/10freedesktop/10-sony-laptop-panel-mgmt-policy.fdi
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spelling mistake, but it worked
rebooted
afterwards even the keypresses which were recognized before aren't anymore
using the panel applet for brightness slider it shows the red cross - not working --> resulted a apport bug tracking symbol which was away after a short time period.

" sudo smartdimmer -s 5" works fine

benste@vaiofe31m:~$ lshal | grep -i "sony-nvidia"
  laptop_panel.access_method = 'sony-nvidia' (string)

So the files are wrongly installed or what?

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

As I said it is very likely that the files on your computer and mine aren't at the same place,
but are you using an Ubuntu distribution, because it doesn't seem so, i just check the differents files in the x86 packages, and they should work.

1- So firstly we need to fix your hal, then reinstall the differents files :
sudo apt-get reinstall hal-info hal smartdimmer

2- we need to verify if different files exists
   # for the FN-Keys
ls -l /usr/share/hal/fdi/information/10freedesktop/30-keymap-module-sony-laptop.fdi
   # my modification on the method which should be used to change backlight (sony-nvidia)
ls -l /usr/share/hal/fdi/information/10freedesktop/10-sony-laptop-panel-mgmt-policy.fdi
   # for the scripts to change backlight (set and get them)
ls -l /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux
ls -l /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux

3- backup the scripts files and replace them with the ones that i gave you (attached with this post ):
#backup
cd /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/
sudo mv hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux.back
sudo mv hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux.back
#replace with the new ones
tar xvf a.tar
sudo cp hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux
sudo cp hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux
#make sure that they can be executed
sudo chmod +x /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux
4- reboot your computer

I hope it works after this...If you are using a different distribution than Ubuntu or another version than hardy please inform me to check what is different.
PS : I tested nvclock instead of smartdimmer but it doesn't work because cannot use nvclock within an hal script ( it returns errors ).

[benste (benste)]

lol that's it:

but are you using an Ubuntu distribution, because it doesn't seem so,
[...]
If you are using a different distribution than Ubuntu or another version than hardy please inform me to check what is different.

Yes I am using another distrobution like you'll maybe do in approx 15 days too :-)
it's Ubuntu 8.10 Interpid Ibex :-)

Should I test your advises there too?

PS: I modified the sony-laptop-brightness down|up skripts in ~/etc/acpi/events or something like that - where can I get the originall ones?

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

I make some diff files for the scripts, you should just reinstall hal
and hal-info ( "sudo aptitude reinstall hal hal-info" )

then patch them with the commands :
sudo
patch /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux
hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux.diff

sudo
patch /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux
hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux.diff

They are for the Intrepid version, so they should work

On mer, 2008-10-15 at 11:24 +0000, benste wrote:
> lol that's it:
>
> but are you using an Ubuntu distribution, because it doesn't seem so,
> [...]
> If you are using a different distribution than Ubuntu or another version than hardy please inform me to check what is different.
>
> Yes I am using another distrobution like you'll maybe do in approx 15 days too :-)
> it's Ubuntu 8.10 Interpid Ibex :-)
>
> Should I test your advises there too?
>
> PS: I modified the sony-laptop-brightness down|up skripts in
> ~/etc/acpi/events or something like that - where can I get the originall
> ones?
>

[benste (benste)]

First of all thank you again for your ideas and actiosn,
but sadly again it doesn't work.
I realized after last patch from your site brightness window on key press dissappeared, but after the next update - including lot of acpi data! it was back but now my maximum is about 2/5 of the full size of the window.

I tried your think and rebootet, but it didn't work. I wasn't able to find a mistake in the following procedures:

benste@vaiofe31m:~$ sudo aptitude reinstall hal hal-info
[sudo] password for benste:
Paketlisten werden gelesen... Fertig
Abhängigkeitsbaum wird aufgebaut
Lese Status-Informationen ein... Fertig
Initialisiere Paketstatus... Fertig
Schreibe erweiterte Statusinformationen... Fertig
Die folgenden Pakete werden ERNEUT INSTALLIERT:
  hal hal-info
Die folgenden Pakete werden ENTFERNT:
  xserver-xorg-video-i810{u}
0 Pakete aktualisiert, 0 zusätzlich installiert, 2 erneut installiert, 1 werden entfernt und 0 nicht aktualisiert.
Muss 0B/434kB an Archiven herunterladen. Nach dem Entpacken werden 250kB frei werden.
Wollen Sie fortsetzen? [Y/n/?] j
Ungültige Antwort. Bitte geben Sie einen gültigen Befehl oder »?« für Hilfe ein.
Wollen Sie fortsetzen? [Y/n/?] y
Schreibe erweiterte Statusinformationen... Fertig
(Lese Datenbank ... 347460 Dateien und Verzeichnisse sind derzeit installiert.)
Entferne xserver-xorg-video-i810 ...
(Lese Datenbank ... 347457 Dateien und Verzeichnisse sind derzeit installiert.)
Vorbereiten zum Ersetzen von hal 0.5.11-4ubuntu3 (durch .../hal_0.5.11-4ubuntu3_i386.deb) ...
 * Stopping Hardware abstraction layer hald [ OK ]
Entpacke Ersatz für hal ...
Vorbereiten zum Ersetzen von hal-info 20081013-0ubuntu1 (durch .../hal-info_20081013-0ubuntu1_all.deb) ...
Entpacke Ersatz für hal-info ...
Verarbeite Trigger für man-db ...
Richte hal-info ein (20081013-0ubuntu1) ...
Richte hal ein (0.5.11-4ubuntu3) ...
 * Reloading system message bus config... [ OK ]
 * Starting Hardware abstraction layer hald [ OK ]

Paketlisten werden gelesen... Fertig
Abhängigkeitsbaum wird aufgebaut
Lese Status-Informationen ein... Fertig
Lese erweiterte Statusinformationen
Initialisiere Paketstatus... Fertig
Schreibe erweiterte Statusinformationen... Fertig

benste@vaiofe31m:~$ cd Desktop/
benste@vaiofe31m:~/Desktop$ sudo patch /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux.diff
patching file /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux
benste@vaiofe31m:~/Desktop$ sudo patch /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux.diff
patching file /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux
benste@vaiofe31m:~/Desktop$

For better comunication and not (14h between a post :-)) could we may "meet" on saturday on an IM or maybe IRC?
My time zone (CEST) maybe central european summer time :-) so I'm living in germany, maybe we'll find some times where our freetime matches on saturday.

gonna test your next fix :-)

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

Could someone assign this bug to hal and hal-info, please?

I made a .deb to make the different modifications necessary to have both FN hotkeys and brightness control possible.
It will relies on "smartdimmer" instead of nvclock, since i cannot nvclock though "hal"

The use of hal is better than the use of acpi, for the main reason that acpi : use only up & down, instead hal : use set, and get which allow all the gnome features to work (brightness control applet, gnome-power-manager... )

[getaceres (getaceres)]

I've installed the .deb file on Intrepid on a Vaio FE31Z but still I can't change the brightness with the Fn keys.

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

My debian file only work for a listed vaio models,
could you please give me the result of
 lshal | grep -i vgn
please?
I will add your model asap

PS: I'm searching for a way to better match all geforce 6/7 series, but
i don't know how i can make it. Until this math isn't done only a few
models will be supported

On sam, 2008-10-18 at 23:38 +0000, getaceres wrote:
> I've installed the .deb file on Intrepid on a Vaio FE31Z but still I
> can't change the brightness with the Fn keys.
>

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

Here is a new deb file.
I change the matching method so that it should work for every vaio using a Geforce 6/7 Go .

[renato neves (trigun666)]

HI
    mine doesn't work too. my model is :
                     system.hardware.product = 'VGN-FZ31M' (string)
Cheers

[axx (axx)]

I can confirm it unfortunately doesn't work for the Vaio VGN FZ31M.

Furthermore, fn+F5 or fn+F6 doesn't even bring up the brightness OSD anymore when it did before (even though it didn't do anything obviously, which is the problem that brings us together here).

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

To renato neves and axx
Sony Vaio VGN FZ31M have a Geforce 8400 series, this bug report only treats the geforce 6/7 series.
You should report on the bug 95444
Some workaround exists there using the cvs version of nvclock

[Shawe Ewahs (shawe-ewahs)]

If anyone can say me what files are needed for adjust the brightness with the fn-keys, I think that I know how correct it.

I was watching the files and do this:

In /usr/share/hal/fdi/information/10freedesktop/10-sony-laptop-panel-mgmt-policy.fdi
    And I add my model

In /usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux
    I change vaio-nvidia for this, smartdimmer don't work with sony-nvidia:
    elif [ "$HAL_PROP_LAPTOP_PANEL_ACCESS_METHOD" = "sony-nvidia" ]; then
            # smartdimmer -g
            # value=$(( `smartdimmer -g | awk '{print $3;}'` -1 ))
            value=$((`sudo nvclock -i | awk '/Backlight/ {print $3;}' | tr -d '%'` -10))

/usr/lib/hal/scripts/hal-system-lcd-set-brightness-linux
    I change vaio-nvidia for this, smartdimmer don't work with sony-nvidia:
    elif [ "$HAL_PROP_LAPTOP_PANEL_ACCESS_METHOD" = "sony-nvidia" ]; then
            # smartdimmer -s 21
            # smartdimmer -s "$(( $value + 1 ))"
            # value=$((`sudo nvclock -i | awk '/Backlight/ {print $3;}' | tr -d '%'`))
            nvclock -S "$((value + 10))"

What file need to edit also? I don't found the file for increase the blacklight :S

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

There is no need to a file to increase backlight since you only need to know how to get and set the correct value.
Since you made a script on for sony vaio geforce 8, it seems to me that your last post is solved.
The problem in the script above is the "sudo" use, it seems you need to use the "HOME=/root" environnement path and full path to nvclock since you compile/install it in /usr/local/bin which is not part of the PATH environnement by default.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

This bug properly belongs to hal, not to nvclock; the issue is hal not having a correct method for setting the backlight brightness on these systems, which requires either nvclock or smartdimmer. Reassigning.

Since nvclock is in universe (and at least the binary is likely to stay there for jaunty), complete resolution of this bug is dependent on resolution of bug #95444.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

per duplicate bug #345531, if hal is not going to be fixed in time for jaunty, the sony brightness script should be re-adde to acpi-support.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

Note: *complete* resolution is dependent on bug #95444, but smartdimmer is already present in main and I expect will be the preferred interface in main for jaunty whether or not we update to the version from the nvclock source, so the hal side of this can be worked on in parallel.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

yleetiny, thank you *very* much for your work on this bug! I've reviewed the package you prepared, and converted this into a patch against the hal package which is now published in the bzr branch linked from the top of this report. I'm waiting for Martin Pitt (hal guru) to review this before we move forward with it for jaunty, but I do think there's no need now for resurrecting the acpi-support script - we should be able to satisfactorily address this in hal.

The version committed to the bzr branch expects smartdimmer built from the nvclock package, which handles the brightness values differently than the smartdimmer currently in Ubuntu. I'm hoping we can get that smartdimmer packaged in for jaunty still, since that will let us also address backlight handling for GeForce8/9 chips.

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

I merged Steve's branch. The patch needs to be sent upstream, and most likely the fdi file will go to hal-info, but that's not urgent.

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

We'll pursue the forward route and not revive the acpi-support bits.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package hal - 0.5.12~rc1+git20090204-0ubuntu4

---------------
hal (0.5.12~rc1+git20090204-0ubuntu4) jaunty; urgency=low

  [ Steve Langasek ]
  * debian/control: Recommend: smartdimmer for sony backlight support.
  * 88_nvidia_brightness.patch: add a new sony-nvidia brightness get/set
    method, using the smartdimmer tool, and an fdi policy file so that we
    use this method on Sony laptops with known nVidia chips. Many thanks
    to Lee-tin-yien Yohan <email address hidden> for working on this!
    Closes LP: #277589.

  [ Martin Pitt ]
  * 88_nvidia_brightness.patch: Also patch Makefile.{am,in} to install the new
    fdi file.

 -- Steve Langasek <email address hidden> Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:40:59 +0100

[Schmirrwurst (schmirrwurst)]

I've updated today the hal version mentioned above, and try fn keys first with the latest nvclock b4 that has now been released, and because it didn't work, I tried then with smartdimmer after uninstalling nvclock, doesn't work...

[Schmirrwurst (schmirrwurst)]

Ok, I think I've undersand, the new nvclock b4 package is not providing smartdimmer anymore, and the smartdimmer package has not yet been update (0.1-2build1), is that right ?

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

Here is a new version of "/usr/share/hal/fdi/policy/10osvendor/10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi" which should work.
I just removed the "linux.sysfs_path" for all model to do the trick.
Can somebody test it ?

@Alex : Thanks a lot for your highlights

@benste :
I did not try on Karmic. Since I do not wish to mess up my laptop install (work), I don't expect to do it. If somebody just try it, it should be great.

[Alex (alex-khv)]

@yleetiny: It didn't work for me. "linux.sysfs_path" was still presented in lshal and brightness changing didn't not work.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

On Sat, Aug 01, 2009 at 09:17:54AM -0000, Alex wrote:
> * and looked through my output of the following command:
>
> defue@defue-laptop:~$ hal-find-by-property --key info.category --string laptop_panel | xargs lshal -u
> udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_backlight'
> info.addons = {'hald-addon-generic-backlight'} (string list)
> info.capabilities = {'laptop_panel'} (string list)
> info.category = 'laptop_panel' (string)
> info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer' (string)
> info.product = 'Generic Backlight Device' (string)
> info.subsystem = 'backlight' (string)
> info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_backlight' (string)
> laptop_panel.access_method = 'sony-nvidia' (string)
> laptop_panel.num_levels = 18 (0x12) (int)
> linux.hotplug_type = 2 (0x2) (int)
> linux.subsystem = 'backlight' (string)

> *Obvously it maches the rule from 10-laptop-panel-mgmt-policy.fdi:

> <!-- for the generic sysfs interfaces -->
> <match key="linux.sysfs_path" exists="true">
> <append key="info.addons" type="strlist">hald-addon-generic-backlight</append>
> </match>

No, it doesn't? In the above-quoted output for the udi, there is no
'linux.sysfs_path' key.

> On my system this behaviour is due to "linux.sysfs_path" already exists.
> Here is the appropriate lshal output:

> udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_10de_1d8'
> info.linux.driver = 'nvidia' (string)
> info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_8086_27a1' (string)
> info.product = 'G72M [GeForce Go 7400]' (string)
> info.subsystem = 'pci' (string)
> info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_10de_1d8' (string)
> info.vendor = 'nVidia Corporation' (string)
> linux.hotplug_type = 2 (0x2) (int)
> linux.subsystem = 'pci' (string)
> linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0' (string)
> pci.device_class = 3 (0x3) (int)
> pci.device_protocol = 0 (0x0) (int)
> pci.device_subclass = 0 (0x0) (int)
> pci.linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0' (string)
> pci.product = 'G72M [GeForce Go 7400]' (string)
> pci.product_id = 472 (0x1d8) (int)
> pci.subsys_product_id = 33263 (0x81ef) (int)
> pci.subsys_vendor = 'Sony Corporation' (string)
> pci.subsys_vendor_id = 4173 (0x104d) (int)
> pci.vendor = 'nVidia Corporation' (string)
> pci.vendor_id = 4318 (0x10de) (int)

This is hal output for an unrelated udi. linux.sysfs_path is a generic key
name that appears on *many* udis - the question is whether it's present on
the same udi that also matches

  <match key="info.category" string="laptop_panel">

The one above does not.

> *As you can see "linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0' (string)" is definied.
> So if you change rules matches to the opposite (see attached file) - IT WORKS!!!

It will also break backlight handling for all other users, so this isn't a
patch that we can include in the archive.

--
Steve Langasek Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer to set it on, and I can move the world.
Ubuntu Developer ...

[benste (benste)]

Steve, I tried to change brightness with this solution in a guest session and it worked perfectly.
So what do you mean by "It will also break backlight handling for all other users, so this isn't a
patch that we can include in the archive." ?

+ do you know which date would be deadline for karmic if the package would be stable fast enough ?
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KarmicReleaseSchedule

I guess it's Feature Freeze on 27th August isn't it ?

[Alex (alex-khv)]

@Steve,
You are absolutely right on all your points.
I have 2 related to the bug udi:

1) Nvidia card pci
udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_10de_1d8'
  info.linux.driver = 'nvidia' (string)
  info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_8086_27a1' (string)
  info.product = 'G72M [GeForce Go 7400]' (string)
  info.subsystem = 'pci' (string)
  info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_10de_1d8' (string)
  info.vendor = 'nVidia Corporation' (string)
  linux.hotplug_type = 2 (0x2) (int)
  linux.subsystem = 'pci' (string)
  linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0' (string)
  pci.device_class = 3 (0x3) (int)
  pci.device_protocol = 0 (0x0) (int)
  pci.device_subclass = 0 (0x0) (int)
  pci.linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0' (string)
  pci.product = 'G72M [GeForce Go 7400]' (string)
  pci.product_id = 472 (0x1d8) (int)
  pci.subsys_product_id = 33263 (0x81ef) (int)
  pci.subsys_vendor = 'Sony Corporation' (string)
  pci.subsys_vendor_id = 4173 (0x104d) (int)
  pci.vendor = 'nVidia Corporation' (string)
  pci.vendor_id = 4318 (0x10de) (int)

2) the backlight
udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_backlight'
  info.capabilities = {'laptop_panel'} (string list)
  info.category = 'laptop_panel' (string)
  info.interfaces = {'org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel'} (string list)
  info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer' (string)
  info.product = 'Generic Backlight Device' (string)
  info.subsystem = 'backlight' (string)
  info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_backlight' (string)
  laptop_panel.access_method = 'sony-nvidia' (string)
  laptop_panel.num_levels = 18 (0x12) (int)
  linux.hotplug_type = 2 (0x2) (int)
  linux.subsystem = 'backlight' (string)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel.method_argnames = {'brightness_value', ''} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel.method_execpaths = {'hal-system-lcd-set-brightness', 'hal-system-lcd-get-brightness'} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel.method_names = {'SetBrightness', 'GetBrightness'} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel.method_signatures = {'i', ''} (string list)

The first one (nvidia pci) is used in 10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi to match the video card by its primary_video.product.
The second one (the backlight) is used in 10-laptop-panel-mgmt-policy.fdi to add necessary config.
In the latter fdi the following matching rules are used:

<match key="info.category" string="laptop_panel">
<match key="laptop_panel.access_method" compare_ne="custom">
<match key="linux.sysfs_path" exists="false">

According to the rules it should match the second udi (the backlight),and as the udi does not contain "linux.sysfs_path" then necessary attributes should be added. But on my (and most likely benste's) config it does not. May be there is a bug in the process of rules being applied? But if I change the last matching rule to

<match key="linux.sysfs_path" exists="true">

it works!

Why do we need to check if "linux.sysfs_path" exists to apply the config? Can we check for "laptop_panel.access_method"=sony-nvidia, a...

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

I was hoping that I've done the trick. The issue is that the
"10-laptop-panel-mgmt-policy.fdi" is loaded before
"10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi" (which delete the wrong sysfspath").
Thus There is two solutions :
1- force the evaluation of "10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi" before the other
by changing its order. But it may become non-standard.
2- Second approach is to copy&paste the appropriate part of
"10-laptop-panel-mgmt-policy.fdi" into "10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi".
I will search throught the specifications if solution 1 can be done without
becoming non-standard. The thing to understand here is that the module
"sony-laptop" (which give you keys, etc. on VAIOs) also create a backlight
device with "linux.sys_fspath". This "sys_fspath" only work on old graphic
cards. "10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi" remove this "linux.sys_fspath" since
it is the wrong one for our models.
2009/8/2 Alex <email address hidden>

> @Steve,
> You are absolutely right on all your points.
> I have 2 related to the bug udi:
>
> 1) Nvidia card pci
> udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_10de_1d8'
> info.linux.driver = 'nvidia' (string)
> info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_8086_27a1' (string)
> info.product = 'G72M [GeForce Go 7400]' (string)
> info.subsystem = 'pci' (string)
> info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_10de_1d8' (string)
> info.vendor = 'nVidia Corporation' (string)
> linux.hotplug_type = 2 (0x2) (int)
> linux.subsystem = 'pci' (string)
> linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0'
> (string)
> pci.device_class = 3 (0x3) (int)
> pci.device_protocol = 0 (0x0) (int)
> pci.device_subclass = 0 (0x0) (int)
> pci.linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0'
> (string)
> pci.product = 'G72M [GeForce Go 7400]' (string)
> pci.product_id = 472 (0x1d8) (int)
> pci.subsys_product_id = 33263 (0x81ef) (int)
> pci.subsys_vendor = 'Sony Corporation' (string)
> pci.subsys_vendor_id = 4173 (0x104d) (int)
> pci.vendor = 'nVidia Corporation' (string)
> pci.vendor_id = 4318 (0x10de) (int)
>
> 2) the backlight
> udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_backlight'
> info.capabilities = {'laptop_panel'} (string list)
> info.category = 'laptop_panel' (string)
> info.interfaces = {'org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel'} (string
> list)
> info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer' (string)
> info.product = 'Generic Backlight Device' (string)
> info.subsystem = 'backlight' (string)
> info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_backlight' (string)
> laptop_panel.access_method = 'sony-nvidia' (string)
> laptop_panel.num_levels = 18 (0x12) (int)
> linux.hotplug_type = 2 (0x2) (int)
> linux.subsystem = 'backlight' (string)
> org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel.method_argnames =
> {'brightness_value', ''} (string list)
> org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel.method_execpaths =
> {'hal-system-lcd-set-brightness', 'hal-system-lcd-get-brightness'} (string
> list)
> org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel.method_names = {'SetBrightness',
> 'GetBrightness'} (string list)
> org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel.method_signatures...

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

Maybe solution 1 : Could somebody try to move
 "/usr/share/hal/fdi/policy/10osvendor/10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi"
into "/usr/share/hal/fdi/preprobe/20thirdparty" or if it is not working
"/usr/share/hal/fdi/preprobe/10osvendor/" ?
(obviously after moving it restart HAL or the computer)

2009/8/3 yohan Lee-tin-yien <email address hidden>

> I was hoping that I've done the trick. The issue is that the
> "10-laptop-panel-mgmt-policy.fdi" is loaded before
> "10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi" (which delete the wrong sysfspath").
> Thus There is two solutions :
> 1- force the evaluation of "10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi" before the other
> by changing its order. But it may become non-standard.
> 2- Second approach is to copy&paste the appropriate part of
> "10-laptop-panel-mgmt-policy.fdi" into "10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi".
> I will search throught the specifications if solution 1 can be done without
> becoming non-standard. The thing to understand here is that the module
> "sony-laptop" (which give you keys, etc. on VAIOs) also create a backlight
> device with "linux.sys_fspath". This "sys_fspath" only work on old graphic
> cards. "10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi" remove this "linux.sys_fspath" since
> it is the wrong one for our models.
> 2009/8/2 Alex <email address hidden>
>
>> @Steve,
>> You are absolutely right on all your points.
>> I have 2 related to the bug udi:
>>
>> 1) Nvidia card pci
>> udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_10de_1d8'
>> info.linux.driver = 'nvidia' (string)
>> info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_8086_27a1' (string)
>> info.product = 'G72M [GeForce Go 7400]' (string)
>> info.subsystem = 'pci' (string)
>> info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_10de_1d8' (string)
>> info.vendor = 'nVidia Corporation' (string)
>> linux.hotplug_type = 2 (0x2) (int)
>> linux.subsystem = 'pci' (string)
>> linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0'
>> (string)
>> pci.device_class = 3 (0x3) (int)
>> pci.device_protocol = 0 (0x0) (int)
>> pci.device_subclass = 0 (0x0) (int)
>> pci.linux.sysfs_path =
>> '/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0' (string)
>> pci.product = 'G72M [GeForce Go 7400]' (string)
>> pci.product_id = 472 (0x1d8) (int)
>> pci.subsys_product_id = 33263 (0x81ef) (int)
>> pci.subsys_vendor = 'Sony Corporation' (string)
>> pci.subsys_vendor_id = 4173 (0x104d) (int)
>> pci.vendor = 'nVidia Corporation' (string)
>> pci.vendor_id = 4318 (0x10de) (int)
>>
>> 2) the backlight
>> udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_backlight'
>> info.capabilities = {'laptop_panel'} (string list)
>> info.category = 'laptop_panel' (string)
>> info.interfaces = {'org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel'} (string
>> list)
>> info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer' (string)
>> info.product = 'Generic Backlight Device' (string)
>> info.subsystem = 'backlight' (string)
>> info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_backlight' (string)
>> laptop_panel.access_method = 'sony-nvidia' (string)
>> laptop_panel.num_levels = 18 (0x12) (int)
>> linux.hotplug_type = 2 (0x2) (int)
>> linux.subsystem = 'backlight' (string)
>>...

[Alex (alex-khv)]

@yleetiny,

first solution to move "/usr/share/hal/fdi/policy/10osvendor/10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi" to "/usr/share/hal/fdi/preprobe/20thirdparty" does not work.

But the second (to move "10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi" to "/usr/share/hal/fdi/preprobe/10osvendor/") WORKS!

Also I've found out that "<remove key="linux.sysfs_path" type="string"></remove>" actions are required. If I comment them the solution doesn't work.

Thank you yleetiny!

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

Can people please test whether the attached file written to /usr/share/hal/fdi/policy/10osvendor/10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi, together with an otherwise unmodified set of hal fdi files, also works?

I believe this is what the earlier hal upload was aiming for, and fell just short of.

If it doesn't work, please again post the output of 'hal-find-by-property --key info.category --string laptop_panel | xargs lshal -u' for your affected system.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

On Sun, Aug 02, 2009 at 04:49:27PM -0000, Alex wrote:
> According to the rules it should match the second udi (the
> backlight),and as the udi does not contain "linux.sysfs_path" then
> necessary attributes should be added. But on my (and most likely
> benste's) config it does not. May be there is a bug in the process of
> rules being applied? But if I change the last matching rule to

> <match key="linux.sysfs_path" exists="true">

> it works!

> Why do we need to check if "linux.sysfs_path" exists to apply the
> config? Can we check for "laptop_panel.access_method"=sony-nvidia, as we
> make this assingment in 10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi?

In the case of the 10-laptop-panel-mgmt-policy.fdi file, this is
specifically because hal has a generic method for setting/getting brightness
when linux.sysfs_path is available (hald-addon-generic-backlight), and
scripts to do other things when it is not available. The nvidia backlights
expose *a* sysfs path, so we should not change this, but the path doesn't
work with the standard in-kernel methods.

This difference should (IMHO) be encapsulated in the sony-specific fdi file.

> I guess the rule should look like this (I am not an expert, but the
> complete beginner):

> <match key="laptop_panel.access_method" string="sony-nvidia">

Yes, that's consistent with the one I've just uploaded as a proposed
replacement. :)

Cheers,
--
Steve Langasek Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer to set it on, and I can move the world.
Ubuntu Developer http://www.debian.org/
<email address hidden> <email address hidden>

[Alex (alex-khv)]

@Steve,

I have completely reinstalled hal package (previously removed all *.fdi files) and saved 10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi to /usr/share/hal/fdi/policy/10osvendor/ and it does not work for me.

Here is the output:

defue@defue-laptop:~$ hal-find-by-property --key info.category --string laptop_panel | xargs lshal -u
udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_backlight'
  info.addons = {'hald-addon-generic-backlight'} (string list)
  info.capabilities = {'laptop_panel'} (string list)
  info.category = 'laptop_panel' (string)
  info.interfaces = {'org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel'} (string list)
  info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer' (string)
  info.product = 'Generic Backlight Device' (string)
  info.subsystem = 'backlight' (string)
  info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_backlight' (string)
  laptop_panel.access_method = 'general' (string)
  laptop_panel.num_levels = 8 (0x8) (int)
  linux.hotplug_type = 2 (0x2) (int)
  linux.subsystem = 'backlight' (string)
  linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/virtual/backlight/sony' (string)

And here is the output before copying the file (just after clean hal reinstall):

defue@defue-laptop:~$ hal-find-by-property --key info.category --string laptop_panel | xargs lshal -u
udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_backlight'
  info.addons = {'hald-addon-generic-backlight'} (string list)
  info.capabilities = {'laptop_panel'} (string list)
  info.category = 'laptop_panel' (string)
  info.interfaces = {'org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel'} (string list)
  info.parent = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer' (string)
  info.product = 'Generic Backlight Device' (string)
  info.subsystem = 'backlight' (string)
  info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_backlight' (string)
  laptop_panel.access_method = 'sony-nvidia' (string)
  laptop_panel.num_levels = 86 (0x56) (int)
  linux.hotplug_type = 2 (0x2) (int)
  linux.subsystem = 'backlight' (string)
  linux.sysfs_path = '/sys/devices/virtual/backlight/sony' (string)

wierd...

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

Alex,

Did you restart hal after adding the new fdi file?

What is the output of lshal -u /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer on this system? I haven't seen a reference yet showing which Sony chip you have.

[Alex (alex-khv)]

Yes I restarted hal.

here is the out:
defue@defue-laptop:~$ lshal -u /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer
udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer'
  info.addons = {'hald-addon-cpufreq', 'hald-addon-acpi'} (string list)
  info.callouts.add = {'hal-acl-tool --remove-all', 'hal-storage-cleanup-all-mountpoints'} (string list)
  info.callouts.session_active = {'hal-acl-tool --reconfigure'} (string list)
  info.callouts.session_add = {'hal-acl-tool --reconfigure'} (string list)
  info.callouts.session_inactive = {'hal-acl-tool --reconfigure'} (string list)
  info.callouts.session_remove = {'hal-acl-tool --reconfigure'} (string list)
  info.capabilities = {'cpufreq_control'} (string list)
  info.interfaces = {'org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.SystemPowerManagement', 'org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.CPUFreq'} (string list)
  info.product = 'Computer' (string)
  info.subsystem = 'unknown' (string)
  info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer' (string)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.SystemPowerManagement.method_argnames = {'num_seconds_to_sleep', 'num_seconds_to_sleep', '', '', '', 'enable_power_save'} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.SystemPowerManagement.method_execpaths = {'hal-system-power-suspend', 'hal-system-power-suspend-hybrid', 'hal-system-power-hibernate', 'hal-system-power-shutdown', 'hal-system-power-reboot', 'hal-system-power-set-power-save'} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.SystemPowerManagement.method_names = {'Suspend', 'SuspendHybrid', 'Hibernate', 'Shutdown', 'Reboot', 'SetPowerSave'} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.SystemPowerManagement.method_signatures = {'i', 'i', '', '', '', 'b'} (string list)
  power_management.acpi.linux.version = '20080926' (string)
  power_management.can_hibernate = true (bool)
  power_management.can_suspend = true (bool)
  power_management.can_suspend_hybrid = false (bool)
  power_management.is_powersave_set = false (bool)
  power_management.type = 'acpi' (string)
  system.board.product = 'VAIO' (string)
  system.board.serial = 'N/A' (string)
  system.board.vendor = 'Sony Corporation' (string)
  system.board.version = 'N/A' (string)
  system.chassis.manufacturer = 'Sony Corporation' (string)
  system.chassis.type = 'Notebook' (string)
  system.firmware.release_date = '08/17/2006' (string)
  system.firmware.vendor = 'Phoenix Technologies LTD' (string)
  system.firmware.version = 'R0170J3' (string)
  system.formfactor = 'laptop' (string)
  system.hardware.primary_video.product = 472 (0x1d8) (int)
  system.hardware.primary_video.vendor = 4318 (0x10de) (int)
  system.hardware.product = 'VGN-FE31HR' (string)
  system.hardware.serial = '28245261-5000253' (string)
  system.hardware.uuid = 'AA872020-52FE-11DB-80EA-0013A948B8D2' (string)
  system.hardware.vendor = 'Sony Corporation' (string)
  system.hardware.version = 'C3LMS31H' (string)
  system.kernel.machine = 'x86_64' (string)
  system.kernel.name = 'Linux' (string)
  system.kernel.version = '2.6.28-14-generic' (string)
  system.kernel.version.major = 2 (0x2) (int)
  system.kernel.version.micro = 28 (0x1c) (int)
  system.kernel.version.minor = 6 (0x6) (int)

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

@ Steve,

It should a good thing to leave the "sysfs path", but the thing is that nearly everything vaio specific rely on the "sony-laptop" module. The issue here is that the backlight device is created with a sysfs path for every viao (see "http://www.linux.it/~malattia/wiki/index.php/Sony-laptop"), even when it doesn't work. For our models, we know that the backlight interface is broken, so we try to correct it within HAL (deleting sysfs path, giving a new access_method which works).
So maybe, deleting the "sysfs path" is something that should naturally be done when a device is wrongly created/configured...
The other reason why I deleted it was because I do not know If other scripts/fdi files will wrongly interact with it.
The best solution should be to modify "sony-laptop" module to correctly detect the card and do what smartdimmer does, but I don't have the necessary skills to do that.

Hum, I also modified the num levels since there is in fact only 18 ( 15 - 100 by step of 5 ) and the corresponding scripts.

Here are the files from which I build the package, containing all the modifications ( with the "prepobing & deleting sysfs path" solution). I hope it will help...

[Cyberkilla (cyberkilla04uk-deactivatedaccount)]

Hello,

I have a Sony Vaio VGN-AR41E, which has an NVidia GeForce 8400M GT graphics card.
Smartdimmer works for me, and the Fn keys work now too (as of Karmic Alpha 4).

Will your fix work for me? I do not see my card in the .fdi file.

[Cyberkilla (cyberkilla04uk-deactivatedaccount)]

Sorry, I didn't realise this wasn't for my card.

Still, 8400M GT doesn't work either.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package hal - 0.5.13-1ubuntu2

---------------
hal (0.5.13-1ubuntu2) karmic; urgency=low

  [ Steve Langasek ]
  * debian/patches/series: add debian/patches/04_nvidia_brightness.patch so
    it actually gets applied.
  * debian/patches/04_nvidia_brightness.patch: copy logic from
    /usr/share/hal/fdi/policy/10osvendor/10-laptop-panel-mgmt-policy.fdi to
    apply the correct methods as well, in place of
    hald-addon-generic-backlight. LP: #277589.

  [ Martin Pitt ]
  * debian/control: Add back smartdimmer recommends for above patch.

 -- Steve Langasek <email address hidden> Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:54:42 +0200

[benste (benste)]

I guess someone tested in Karmic ?

Could so explain me what exactly happened now?

Does "debian/patches/series:" mean that it was fixed within debian and now imported, or does it mean that it is a debian based system and yleetiny's patch which is working for me now has been applied ?

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

Actually, it's not fixed at all. The hal upload includes my previous attempt at fixing this, which feedback says doesn't fix it after all. Sorry, resetting the bug state.

[simran (smash-sumthin)]

ahh im glad i found this thread, I installed jaunty on my sony AW series vaio (nvidia 9300m GS) - and the built in gnome brightness control had a cross over it and was ineffective -
so i have been using smartdimmer (preinstalled) to change it manually - but this gets tedious to use terminal after every reboot/watching a movie etc .
I read that you could make an applet for smartdimmer - but im not quite sure how to do this..Although the post is here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=451781

I have another older sony laptop with intel gfx (onboard) and the gnome brightness slider works fine on that.

[simran (smash-sumthin)]

maybe also another post you may want to look at

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=3553350&postcount=8

[benste (benste)]

Hi simram, I'm sry to say, but I have to inform you that you picked the wrong report, as the topic is already saying this thread is not about Nvidia Grafic Cards in 8 or 9 series it's only about 7 and older

Binary package hint: hotkey-setup

seperatred bug from:
Sony + Intel --> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.22/+bug/173652
Sony + Nvidia 8+

Here it is sony + Nvidia 7-

e.g. 7600Go doesn't work

[benste (benste)]

Hi Steven, ylethiy and co, Ive just upgraded to karmic Beta/ RC, and the original bug is still present, although FN key feautures has been significantly improving (e.g. S1 key now has an own event)

But as brightness diming with and without your nvidia driver still doesn't work I've tried your 0.4 package as workaround, but even this doesn't work know.

Could you Ylethy fix your package to fit into karmic,
and you Steven tell us what the next steps would be to get at least for 10.04 a bugfix for something which exists min 3 years now and has medium priority ?

[Moebius (louiscyphre)]

Hi,
I can confirm that the bug is still present on Karmic stable - HAL 0.5.13 (fresh install on FE31M).

I fixed it changing the file "/usr/share/hal/fdi/policy/10osvendor/10-sony-laptop-brightness.fdi" at line #160:

from
   <remove key="info.addons" type="strlist"></remove>
to
   <remove key="info.addons" type="strlist">hald-addon-generic-backlight</remove>

This prevent HAL from using the generic addon to manage the backlight.
Hope it helps.

[benste (benste)]

@ Steve , moebius, yleetiny

As you may know yourself the workaround described earlier doesn't work on karmic.

But I guess with moebius post #112 we're on the right way.

I've tested this beahviour on my FE31m after removing sony-smartdimmer and reinstalling HAL,
it looks like for me this patch applied the abbility to decrease brightness level, even if it's annoying that it has arround 20 steps until fully dimmed it's working.

but that's only one part of it, @ moebius, did you already try increasing the brightness level, this doesn't work for me with your patch applied in the fdi.

+ Could so else test this on his Vaio which isn't a FE series ? - should be the same line to fix as this looks grafic card independant

[Moebius (louiscyphre)]

@ benste,
the workaround I posted on #112 works for me completely (decreasing and increasing without the 20 steps problem) on a fresh (Kubuntu) Karmic install (without installing or removing any package).
The "hald-addon-generic-backlight" addon manages both decreasing and increasing in a generic way preventing the right scripts to be executed. HAL reported this error:
[W] addon-generic-backlight.c:121: Could not write '68' to '/sys/devices/virtual/backlight/sony/brightness'
so I had to remove the addon from the fdi.

In your case, I suggest to keep debugging HAL to find what is going wrong.
You could:
sudo /etc/init.d/hal stop
sudo hald --verbose=yes --daemon=no 2>&1 | tee /tmp/hal.log
Then, please, try to adjust the brightness and attach hal.log.
(As described in https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingHal)

[thewall83 (vitorenna)]

Ok, I think that with Moenius' workaround the bug is solved for Kubuntu Karmic, but it's not for Ubuntu karmic, cause I notice the correct behaviour in my KDE session, instead of the GNOME session which has the problems shown by benste.

[benste (benste)]

nice to know I've to add something too, gnome-power-manager, is able to increase brightness when AC will be connected, so I gues this is now something in hotkey setup.

Is there a way to get moebius workaround as normal ubunut patch?

[benste (benste)]

Hi again, I just took a look at the sources and can't locate this file
either in "hal" and "hal-info" which should include the fdi to fix.

Looks like I can't patch it :-)

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

Hi,
firstly, sorry for not debbugging the issue in Karmic (sony laptop used for
work), so this post is purely informative, but may help the debbuging
process.

To better understand we the bug should be here is some technical infos :
1- sony_laptop (module): handle the Hardware-software FN keys dectection on
sony vaios (ex: 0x09 )

2- HAL (old, soon depreciated) : bind FN keys to the classic FN keys (ex:
0x09==brightnessdown)
 2bis- udev-extras (new) : should do the same thing as 2 [BUG HERE ???]

3- GNOME/KDE : link the classic FN keys to a general action. Do this via HAL
(soon depreciated) or udev+Device Kit (new)

4- HAL (old, depreciated?) : link a general action to a specific
command/program (our fix/package just do that : we use smartdimmer or
nvclocks)

That's why, as the issue of the FN keys recognition is different on KDE and
GNOME, I would tend to think that it's linked to HAL depreciation. Indeed, I
strongly think that KDE still use HAL for "FN bindings keys" from the
"sony_laptop" module, whereas GNOME use "udev" (udev-extras, see the
Halsectomy link below).

So maybe, we should install "udev-extras", test it, if it doesn't work : get
the source and modify it to match the HAL file
(30-keymap-module-sony-laptop.fdi)

Hoping that this talk will help,

Yohan Lee-tin-yien <email address hidden>

For References see :
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Halsectomy
https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=593933
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/karmic-changes/2009-June/002621.html
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Hotkeys/Troubleshooting

[ HAL file FN keys - intrepid version ]
/usr/share/hal/fdi/information/10freedesktop/30-keymap-module-sony-laptop.fdi

PS : That means that nowadays workaround "nvclocks/smartdimmer + HAL" will
probably not work for the next Ubuntu versions.

2009/11/6 benste <email address hidden>

> Hi again, I just took a look at the sources and can't locate this file
> either in "hal" and "hal-info" which should include the fdi to fix.
>
> Looks like I can't patch it :-)
>
> --
> sony brighness on a geforce series older than 8 (nvclock works fine)
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/277589
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

On Sun, Nov 08, 2009 at 09:54:52AM -0000, yleetiny wrote:
> So maybe, we should install "udev-extras", test it, if it doesn't work : get
> the source and modify it to match the HAL file
> (30-keymap-module-sony-laptop.fdi)

udev-extras is no longer a separate package; all of these keymaps are
included in the core udev package now.

--
Steve Langasek Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer to set it on, and I can move the world.
Ubuntu Developer http://www.debian.org/
<email address hidden> <email address hidden>

[yleetiny (yleetiny)]

It seems that devicekit-power won't support the backlight, so I revert to HAL use even if it's depreciated.
For those who wants backlight support in Karmic, here are the 3 modified files (work in xubuntu 9.10).

Reference :
http://<email address hidden>/msg00219.html

[Alex (alex-khv)]

Have just installed Ubuntu Lucid Lynx (10.04) and unsurprisingly FN brightness keys didn't work. Just to remind that I have Sony FE31HR with Nvidia 7400 on board. Solution #112 leads exactly to benste's problems (#113). Also I tried the following solution (it is one solution in forum posts):

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1420341#6
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=143025&page=4

But it doesn't work as well.

So I ended with ACPI mix up solution that is OK for me:
1) put the sony.fdi file into /etc/hal/fdi/preprobe/ folder to disable HAL handlers
2) run acpi_listen and press FN+brightness-down, FN+brighntess-up and see the output. In my case the keys were FN+F5 and FN+F6 and here is my output:

sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 00000010
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 0000003b
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 00000011
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 0000003b

Thus my FN+brightness-up="SNC 00000001 00000010 " and FN+brightness-down="SNC 00000001 00000011"
3) Adjust the files sony-brightness-up and sony-brightness-down with your key codes respectively and place the files to /etc/acpi/events
4) Copy sony-brn-up and sony-brn-down to /etc/acpi
5) Reboot

Now FN keys must be working. Notifications are not displayed but it is better than nothing :)
Of course it is not a solution for the bug, but a some workaround anyway.

[benste (benste)]

fyi I've mailed the gnome-power-manager mailinglist - possibly someone will help us with this very annoying issue.

[Gursimran singh (simar)]

Affects in ubuntu 10.04 in VPC CW series sony laptop where slider appears but brightness does not changes

I'm a new user , not able to understand wats going on ... is it this fixed or not ????

refer
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-power-manager/+bug/588026

also
http://www.linux.it/~malattia/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
seems to be related to this ...

regards gursimran singh ..

[Gursimran singh (simar)]

If the bug is same please remove it ... or help me to merge it with this one ...
if this bug is fixed let me know the solution also .

i'm a new user plz ignore my mistakes .....

[Gursimran singh (simar)]

Worked for VPC CW 16 FG in http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1420341
also fixed bugs 462385 and 588026 ......

[benste (benste)]

Simar , all VPC series defenitly include a newer grafic card - you bug is
not related to this one here!
one of the last Vaios with gf 7600 was sold 2 years ago !!

[Alex Valavanis (valavanisalex)]

Jaunty reached end-of-life on 23 October 2010, so this bug will not be fixed in that version of Ubuntu. It has been marked as "In Progress" in newer versions.

[dino99 (9d9)]

http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/hal/