Mouse speed settings not used on the login screen

[Pedro Côrte-Real]

The login screen doesn't use the mouse hardware settings. In particular it doesn't seem to use the mouse speed settings. This gives an inconsistent feeling between the login screen and the desktop if you're not using the default speed in the desktop. In my case I need to make the mouse speed much slower to be usable and that means that when I'm in the login screen the mouse is very jumpy.

The same thing happens for the screen size settings (defaulting to 200% instead of the 100% I've set) but that's less inconvenient although still shows lack of polish. I assume this is because these settings are per-user but for the vast majority of desktops that's a single person anyway so it's a bad default.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: gnome-shell 3.28.1-0ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-22.24-generic 4.15.17
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-22-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.2
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Thu Jun 28 11:28:31 2018
DisplayManager: gdm3
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-05-31 (27 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180426)
SourcePackage: gnome-shell
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

This is unfortunately correct.

The login screen runs as user 'gdm' which is not privileged. That means it has no access to retrieve your personal settings until after you have entered a password. So it uses the system defaults.

You might be able to change the system defaults by editing this file as root:
/usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas/org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.gschema.xml

[Pedro Côrte-Real (pedrocr)]

I don't agree this is an invalid bug. It may be hard to fix but it's still a bug. Editing xml files to get a reasonable user experience is not a polished desktop. There are already settings (like wifi) that apply system-wide so there's no reason for mouse and screen settings to not be the same.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

It is impossible to fix without compromising the security of the system. Other user accounts should not have access to your personal settings before you have given them your password.

I'm not suggesting editing XML is something normal people should do. It was just a suggestion to try and help.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

I suggest the way forward is for you to ask the Gnome developers for a future solution by reporting an issue here:

 https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-control-center/issues

Because it would involve changing the control center to let you change the system defaults.

[Pedro Côrte-Real (pedrocr)]

How is this different from Wifi and keyboard settings that I'm already setting system wide? And how does this compromise the security of the system? The gdm user doesn't need to be able to change my settings. All it needs is to be able to read some settings to use them instead of the defaults if I'm the only user. I'll open a bug.

[Pedro Côrte-Real (pedrocr)]

Issue submitted here:

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-control-center/issues/124

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

It differs (I think) in that the wifi networks and default keyboard settings are system settings not stored in your personal account. Mouse speed is not a system setting and is stored in your personal account.

Yes, if you want mouse speed to be configured like wifi and keyboard defaults then an enhancement to gnome-control-center (and other components) is what you want.