after touchpad movement and stop, pointer continues in same direction at a steady pace

Bug #921082 reported by Jeroen Roovers
46
This bug affects 6 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
Xserver Xorg Input Synaptics
Fix Released
Medium
xserver-xorg-input-synaptics (Ubuntu)
Fix Released
High
Chase Douglas

Bug Description

Steps:

1) Move the pointer using the touchpad (ETPS/2 Elantech Touchpad).
2) Stop moving your fingers on the touchpad, but don't "release" it.
3) Observe the pointer continue in the same direction at a few dozen pixels per second.

This is no fun while trying to select text. Also, when scrolling using two fingers (dragging both in the same direction) this problem does not occur.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: xorg 1:7.6+10ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-10.17-generic 3.2.1
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-10-generic i686
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 1.91-0ubuntu1
Architecture: i386
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,decor,compiztoolbox,gnomecompat,place,mousepoll,session,resize,vpswitch,imgpng,grid,move,regex,snap,wall,animation,expo,ezoom,fade,workarounds,switcher,scale,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Tue Jan 24 18:10:26 2012
DistUpgraded: Log time: 2011-12-04 16:52:30.395914
DistroCodename: precise
DistroVariant: ubuntu
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes, whatever it takes to get this fixed in Ubuntu
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation Mobile 945GME Express Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:27ae] (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:830f]
   Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:830f]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release i386 (20110427.1)
MachineType: ASUSTeK Computer INC. 901
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-10-generic root=UUID=a36dd28a-f819-4c41-a4d1-7f8d060fc3d9 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2011-12-04 (50 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 06/11/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 2103
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: 901
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: x.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 0x00000000
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTek Computer INC.
dmi.chassis.version: x.x
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr2103:bd06/11/2009:svnASUSTeKComputerINC.:pn901:pvrx.x:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rn901:rvrx.xx:cvnASUSTekComputerINC.:ct10:cvrx.x:
dmi.product.name: 901
dmi.product.version: x.x
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu8
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.30-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.11-0ubuntu4
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.11-0ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.11.3-0ubuntu8
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.6.99.901-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.17.0-1ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20111201+b5534a1-1build2

Revision history for this message
Jeroen Roovers (jer-gentoo) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Jeroen Roovers (jer-gentoo) wrote :

btw, "releasing" the touchpad stops the unwanted pointer motion.

Revision history for this message
Robert Hooker (sarvatt) wrote :

Did this start after today's upgrades?

Revision history for this message
Chase Douglas (chasedouglas) wrote :

Does this occur only when you release in certain areas, like near the edge of the touchpad?

Revision history for this message
Chase Douglas (chasedouglas) wrote :

I meant to write: Does this occur only when you are in certain areas, like near the edge of the touchpad.

Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

Changed in xorg (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Michael Basse (michael-alpha-unix) wrote :

@Robert,
yes it happens after the latest dist-upgrade.

@Chase
the area doesnt matter but you dont have to release the finger

the bug is when you have still the finger on the touchpad but stopped moving the finger, then the mouse is moving further.

Bryce Harrington (bryce)
affects: xorg (Ubuntu) → xorg-server (Ubuntu)
Changed in xorg-server (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → High
assignee: nobody → Canonical Desktop Team (canonical-desktop-team)
Revision history for this message
Jeroen Roovers (jer-gentoo) wrote :

Yes, it started recently, after a daily upgrade.

No, the entire screen is affected.

Revision history for this message
Michael Basse (michael-alpha-unix) wrote :

Maybe we have a workaround until it is fixed? cant find something in the configs/options about that "feature"

Revision history for this message
Tobias Wolf (towolf) wrote :

This is Trackstick Emulation mode, and it’s super-annoying. I’ve read «man synaptics» up-and-down and there is no clear way to disable this. Is it FingerPress? To what level do I have to set it to disable? 256?

There are other settings that have been introduced and set zto default. And also there are settings that have been disabled. Before the upgrade you could coast after scrolling, giving you kinetic-like scrolling behaviour. This is not active anymore.

And, when I scroll down, the scrolled pane sometimes jumps /up/ a certain distance.

Right now it feels really awkward to use the touchpad (Alps here).

Revision history for this message
In , Jsagarribay (jsagarribay) wrote :

Hello, after commit c8b098214b44cf0585d78c460401ea7d143769f3 (Don't store fake events in the motion history) the touchpad is unusable: the pointer moves too fast, and it keeps on moving (in the same direction) when the finger stops, as long as it is touching the touchpad.

It works as expected in HEAD with that commit reverted. This is the bisection log:

git bisect start
# good: [065a0b495d2a7eb76b61f9eec85248aefae4c8ee] synaptics 1.5.0
git bisect good 065a0b495d2a7eb76b61f9eec85248aefae4c8ee
# bad: [3804a0ee0bec455fcc61a469dd907738ff5589bd] Constify priv->device
git bisect bad 3804a0ee0bec455fcc61a469dd907738ff5589bd
# good: [98e8481cf4911506403b8963fc32c61a74cf679e] Bump to 1.4.99.1
git bisect good 98e8481cf4911506403b8963fc32c61a74cf679e
# bad: [4fe1b58c2c6903961a84077363a0c8de5736c650] Scroll: Modify ScrollData in repeat_scrollbuttons
git bisect bad 4fe1b58c2c6903961a84077363a0c8de5736c650
# good: [458c7251295e767fae7a0ac3366212361bce25a6] Use hardware time where possible
git bisect good 458c7251295e767fae7a0ac3366212361bce25a6
# bad: [f40bbf7494a6122d464e3fff4309f69af2a20e4a] Revise palm check logic
git bisect bad f40bbf7494a6122d464e3fff4309f69af2a20e4a
# bad: [ffed18dfffda32de7282e44c5b8d1fb7d5454b54] Update count_packet_finger in store_history, not get_delta
git bisect bad ffed18dfffda32de7282e44c5b8d1fb7d5454b54
# bad: [c8b098214b44cf0585d78c460401ea7d143769f3] Don't store fake events in the motion history
git bisect bad c8b098214b44cf0585d78c460401ea7d143769f3

I also found some strangeness with edge scrolling, sometimes it generated spurious events in the opposite direction (i.e. scroll down but get several button 4 events, instead of one button 5). I'm unable to reproduce it now with the commit reverted, but I'm not sure it's the same bug.

Revision history for this message
Tobias Wolf (towolf) wrote :

Ugh, at least with the Alps touchpad on my Thinkpad X301 the new cursor behaviour makes clicking links feel like playing bomberman in an ice-level. The cursor is constantly overshooting. It’s totally broken.

Can I go back to the 1.4.1 driver without rolling all of Xorg back? Is that possible at all?

Revision history for this message
In , Thomas Bächler (thomas.arch) wrote :
Revision history for this message
dixiet (dixiet) wrote :

I have the same problem on my eeepc 1000

Revision history for this message
In , Loris Zinsou (nepenthes) wrote :

I experience something similar to this bug on Ubuntu 12.04 (default X stack and kernel), on Ubuntu 11.10 and 12.04 with xorg-edgers ppa stack.
This bug did not exist on Ubuntu 11.10 with default X stack.

The pointer sometimes keeps moving in the same direction when the finger stops, and the pointer moves too fast.
Small and precise movements are unpredictable, so the touchpad is nearly unusable for text edit, or even clicking on window controls.
I had to set speed and acceleration to the lowest value to use this touchpad, but this is not even a real workaround.

I know this bug is known on the debian and archlinux bugtrackers, users report the same issue on launchpad.

I get the following outputs :
$ egrep -i 'synap|alps|etps' /proc/bus/input/devices
N: Name="ETPS/2 Elantech Touchpad"

$ synclient -l | awk '/=/{printf "Option \"%s\" \"%s\"\n",$1,$3}'
   PressureMotionMinZ = format mismatch (32)
   PressureMotionMaxZ = format mismatch (32)

Revision history for this message
In , Peter Hutterer (peter-hutterer) wrote :

(In reply to comment #0)
> I also found some strangeness with edge scrolling, sometimes it generated spurious events in the opposite direction (i.e. scroll down but get several button 4
> events, instead of one button 5). I'm unable to reproduce it now with the commit reverted, but I'm not sure it's the same bug.

Erratic scroll events are detailed in Bug 45611

Revision history for this message
In , Peter Hutterer (peter-hutterer) wrote :

I don't see this behaviour on the current f9a906590e59383aef3c53faca98f0de40859f17 commit. Is this still an issue?

If so, please get me the evtest description for the device, maybe it is hardware-specific (single-touch vs multitouch touchpads) and your /proc/bus/input/devices.

Revision history for this message
In , Thomas Bächler (thomas.arch) wrote :

We have this problem on e6032c34515a19ebac09090028f806d82ddfb62d (see [1]), which is only one commit behind the latest (and that commit seems unrelated).

I only have reports of ALPS and Elantech touchpads failing, but no complaints from Synaptics touchpad users.

[1] https://projects.archlinux.org/svntogit/packages.git/tree/trunk/PKGBUILD?h=packages/xf86-input-synaptics

Revision history for this message
In , Loris Zinsou (nepenthes) wrote :

Created attachment 57154
Evtest log

Revision history for this message
In , Loris Zinsou (nepenthes) wrote :

I installed the latest Input/synaptics driver from git, revision f9a906590e59383aef3c53faca98f0de40859f17.

Here is the touchpad specific /proc/bus/input/devices entry :

I: Bus=0011 Vendor=0002 Product=000e Version=0000
N: Name="ETPS/2 Elantech Touchpad"
P: Phys=isa0060/serio4/input0
S: Sysfs=/devices/platform/i8042/serio4/input/input5
U: Uniq=
H: Handlers=mouse0 event5
B: PROP=8
B: EV=b
B: KEY=e420 30000 0 0 0 0
B: ABS=260800011000003

The evtest log is attached, but as long as i had to switch to another VT and i could not see the pointer, i don't know if i triggered the "pointer keeps moving" bug.

Revision history for this message
In , Jsagarribay (jsagarribay) wrote :

The bug is present still in master branch. Now the cursor moves at normal speed, so it's tolerable, but it doesn't stop moving unless c8b09 is reverted.

My hardware is:

Input driver version is 1.0.1
Input device ID: bus 0x11 vendor 0x2 product 0x8 version 0x7301
Input device name: "AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint TouchPad"
Supported events:
  Event type 0 (EV_SYN)
  Event type 1 (EV_KEY)
    Event code 272 (BTN_LEFT)
    Event code 273 (BTN_RIGHT)
    Event code 274 (BTN_MIDDLE)
    Event code 325 (BTN_TOOL_FINGER)
    Event code 330 (BTN_TOUCH)
  Event type 3 (EV_ABS)
    Event code 0 (ABS_X)
      Value 977
      Min 0
      Max 1023
    Event code 1 (ABS_Y)
      Value 168
      Min 0
      Max 767
    Event code 24 (ABS_PRESSURE)
      Value 0
      Min 0
      Max 127

Revision history for this message
In , Peter Hutterer (peter-hutterer) wrote :

(In reply to comment #8)
> The bug is present still in master branch. Now the cursor moves at normal speed, so it's tolerable, but it doesn't stop moving unless c8b09 is reverted.

fwiw, the cursor speed change was likely the revert pushed as
xf86-input-synaptics-1.4.99.1-56-g49f6109

Revision history for this message
In , Peter Hutterer (peter-hutterer) wrote :

(In reply to comment #7)
> The evtest log is attached, but as long as i had to switch to another VT and i could not see the pointer, i don't know if i triggered the "pointer keeps
> moving" bug.

Drop this in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/99-synaptics-nograb.conf

Section "InputClass"
   Identifier "synaptics don't grab"
   MatchDriver "synaptics"
   Option "GrabEventDevice" "off"
EndSection

and restart X. that should stop synaptics from grabbing the device, allowing you to capture it while X is running.

Also, if you could record the output and description with evemu, that'd make it a lot easier for me to replay. https://launchpad.net/utouch-evemu, then run evemu-describe and evemu-record

Revision history for this message
In , Loris Zinsou (nepenthes) wrote :

I made these log files with the recommanded tools:

N: ETPS/2 Elantech Touchpad
I: 0011 0002 000e 0000
P: 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 00 0b 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 01 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00
B: 01 20 e4 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 03 03 00 00 11 00 80 60 02
B: 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 05 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 11 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 12 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 15 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
B: 15 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
A: 00 0 1280 0 0
A: 01 0 704 0 0
A: 18 0 255 0 0
A: 1c 0 15 0 0
A: 2f 0 1 0 0
A: 35 0 1280 0 0
A: 36 0 704 0 0
A: 39 0 65535 0 0

evtest.log http://ubuntuone.com/3r4EKxVuBadkifGWcDtav7

evemu.log http://ubuntuone.com/0qx8qll7jXeQ796eVt9RoU

The sensitivity bug, and pointer keep moving bug were triggered during the recording (a few times for the second one).

Revision history for this message
In , Peter Hutterer (peter-hutterer) wrote :

Created attachment 57286
evemu event log reproducing the issue

Attaching the file here so it doesn't go astray.

Revision history for this message
Robert Hooker (sarvatt) wrote :
Changed in xorg-server (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Triaged
Robert Hooker (sarvatt)
affects: xorg-server (Ubuntu) → xserver-xorg-input-synaptics (Ubuntu)
Robert Hooker (sarvatt)
Changed in xserver-xorg-input-synaptics (Ubuntu):
assignee: Canonical Desktop Team (canonical-desktop-team) → Chase Douglas (chasedouglas)
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

This bug was fixed in the package xserver-xorg-input-synaptics - 1.5.99~git20120220-0ubuntu2

---------------
xserver-xorg-input-synaptics (1.5.99~git20120220-0ubuntu2) precise; urgency=low

  * Prevent trackpad pointer drift (LP: #921082)
    - Add temporary patch 129_tmp_pointer_drift.patch from upstream
 -- Chase Douglas <email address hidden> Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:55:23 +0100

Changed in xserver-xorg-input-synaptics (Ubuntu):
status: Triaged → Fix Released
Changed in xserver-xorg-input-synaptics:
importance: Unknown → Medium
status: Unknown → In Progress
Revision history for this message
Tobias Wolf (towolf) wrote :

Phew, thanks.

Revision history for this message
In , Peter Hutterer (peter-hutterer) wrote :

commit c25ff549c9636ad89a81fbf364159c7f040d163b
Author: Peter Hutterer <email address hidden>
Date: Fri Feb 17 11:49:43 2012 +1000

    Revert "Don't store fake events in the motion history"

Changed in xserver-xorg-input-synaptics:
status: In Progress → Fix Released
To post a comment you must log in.
This report contains Public information  
Everyone can see this information.

Duplicates of this bug

Other bug subscribers

Remote bug watches

Bug watches keep track of this bug in other bug trackers.