[hardy] [regression] LCD brightness control (Dell) no longer works

[Adrian VELICU]

I have a Dell Inspiron 1501. I can change the laptop screen's brightness by echo-ing values such as 37 12 25 37 50 62 75 87 100 in /proc/acpi/video/VGA/LCD/brightness. Until recently, brightness controls worked OK through the Fn+Up/Down keys. A recent update broke this.

Running the hal scripts directly (I don't know if I'm supposed to do this):

$ sudo /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/hal-system-lcd-get-brightness-linux
org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel.NotSupported
No ACPI method found

Using the latest Hardy Heron with 2.6.24-15-generic. The problem started occouring before the last kernel update.
When pressing the keys lshal -m says it's pressed twice, but nothing actually happens.

[Sense Egbert Hofstede (sense)]

Thank you for reporting this bug. However, we still need some more information before we can pass it on to the developers. Could you please do the following?
Execute in a terminal the command lshal -m . This command is something like syslogd and will show all events from HAL.
Now press the buttons to set the brightness.
Please attach the output of the terminal command and the file /var/log/kern.log
Thanks in advance.

[Adrian VELICU (subscribe-velicu)]

Nothing is outputted here when I press the brightness keys.

[Alex Wauck (awauck)]

I can confirm this on an HP dv2500t. I'll do some additional investigation.

[Anders Norgaard (anders-norgaard)]

I see the same. lshal -m shows two keypresses when I only press once.

These seems to be duplicates - describing the same problem

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/211880
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/211270

[Sense Egbert Hofstede (sense)]

This bug can be confirmed, since two other reports report the same problem. One of them has lshal -m attached, but that shows the same as the one attached here, just more often.

[Valentin Neacsu (valentin.neacsu)]

In case this needs extra confirmation, it started happening to me too after upgrading from beta to RC (?). Dell Inspiron 6400/E1505.

[LEVIS Cyril (atlas95)]

What do you need to confirm? :)
I have yet the problem on the dell m1330

[Sense Egbert Hofstede (sense)]

A reply from Danny Kukawka:
"1) you can't run the HAL scripts manually, they are supposed to be called by
HAL only

2) proc isn't supported by HAL anymore, at least not the interfaces from the
generic video module

3) where is the output of lshal? Which desktop environment was used?

4) the two keyevents for brightness are from the kernel. HAL can't do anything
here

5) try to unload the video module and use the dcdbas module instead, which
allow the whole brightness handling especially for Dell machines."

Would you please test the things he suggests and add the commands he requests?
Thanks in advance.

[VictorArguelles (v-arguelles)]

First is the output with the 'video' module lodaded, and the second with the 'dcdbas' module loaded. In neither case is the brightness changed.

[Augusto Santos (mkhaos7)]

I can confirm this bug on my Dell Vostro 1000.
I'm using Kde3 with guidance, and it says that its changing the brightness bug nothing happens.
If i output commands directly to the /proc file reported by the original author the brightness changes Ok.
Unloading the video moduloe and loading the dcdbas one didn't help either.

Bllow is the output of lshal -m, and attached is my kern.log.

root@mancha-note:~# lshal -m

Start monitoring devicelist:
-------------------------------------------------
09:28:50.967: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-up
09:28:50.969: computer_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-up
09:28:57.368: computer_power_supply_battery_BAT1 property battery.voltage.current = 13035 (0x32eb)
09:29:00.986: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-down
09:29:00.986: computer_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-down
09:29:02.306: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-down
09:29:02.308: computer_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-down
09:29:04.327: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-up
09:29:04.329: computer_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-up
09:29:27.367: computer_power_supply_battery_BAT1 property battery.voltage.current = 13034 (0x32ea)
09:29:57.382: computer_power_supply_battery_BAT1 property battery.voltage.current = 13033 (0x32e9)
09:30:27.366: computer_power_supply_battery_BAT1 property battery.voltage.current = 13032 (0x32e8)
09:30:57.369: computer_power_supply_battery_BAT1 property battery.voltage.current = 13031 (0x32e7)
09:31:27.369: computer_power_supply_battery_BAT1 property battery.voltage.current = 13030 (0x32e6)
09:31:57.372: computer_power_supply_battery_BAT1 property battery.voltage.current = 13029 (0x32e5)
09:32:27.368: computer_power_supply_battery_BAT1 property battery.voltage.current = 13028 (0x32e4)
09:33:57.366: computer_power_supply_battery_BAT1 property battery.voltage.current = 13027 (0x32e3)
09:34:27.385: computer_power_supply_battery_BAT1 property battery.voltage.current = 13026 (0x32e2)
09:34:48.847: computer_logicaldev_input removed
09:35:02.184: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-up
09:35:02.634: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-down
09:35:03.073: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-down
09:35:03.343: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-down
09:35:03.564: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-down
09:35:03.764: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-down
09:35:04.114: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-up
09:35:04.305: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-up
09:35:04.494: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-up
09:35:04.679:...

[Dovel (dov01)]

Found a fix which worked for my Dell 1501 and others. Please see bug #105512 https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-power-manager/+bug/105512/comments/9. As I said in my comment there, I don't know how to make the patch (yet!), or if indeed a patch ought to be made. Can anyone help?

[pnavx (pablon)]

In Hardy Beta brightness control worked, but it stopped working when I update it to RC.

I send the output of lshal -m.

[pnavx (pablon)]

and the kern.log...

[Iván Campaña (ivan-campana)]

Happens also with a Compaq 3317LA (v3000 series), it sends the signals and calls the scripts, but when it tries to execute the acpi_fakekey 224 (or the selected number) it just does nothing.

Writing directly to the /proc/acpi/video/VGA/LCD/brightness device works withouth problems. Is it a problem with acpi_fakekey then??

[Anders Norgaard (anders-norgaard)]

By the way. I see this also with the Fedora 9 preview live CD.

[Juan Pablo Salazar Bertín (snifer)]

I think unloading the video module is not enough, you have to blacklist it and reboot.
I've reported a very similar bug (bug #74284) a long time ago.

[leopinzon (leopinzon)]

I Have exactly the same problem. when I execute
>lshal -m

  Start monitoring devicelist:
  -------------------------------------------------
  21:57:11.225: computer_logicaldev_input_1 condition ButtonPressed = brightness-up
  21:57:11.230: computer_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-up
  21:57:11.230: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-up
  21:57:11.434: platform_i8042_i8042_KBD_port_logicaldev_input condition ButtonPressed = brightness-up

It appears to be logged twice every fn key+udown brightness keypressing.
I have a laptop Vostro 1400.

[Stiff (stiff.ru)]

The same problem is on my dell inspiron 1501 with kubuntu 8.04. I hope that it will be solved soon.

[Sense Egbert Hofstede (sense)]

The answer Danny Kukawka at the freedesktop tracker gave:
"1) you can't run the HAL scripts manually, they are supposed to be called by
HAL only

2) proc isn't supported by HAL anymore, at least not the interfaces from the
generic video module

3) where is the output of lshal? Which desktop environment was used?

4) the two keyevents for brightness are from the kernel. HAL can't do anything
here

5) try to unload the video module and use the dcdbas module instead, which
allow the whole brightness handling especially for Dell machines."

Can you please all try his suggestion in point 5? I'll tell him point 3.

[Sense Egbert Hofstede (sense)]

Sorry for the double post of the reply. I just didn't look very well. But it isn't very answered well yet, so I think it's OK to ask it again.

There is indeed a big change that this is a duplicate of bug 74284 . Can you please try the suggestion Danny Kukawka gave and that solved the problems in bug 74284
Thank you in advance.

[leopinzon (leopinzon)]

FOUND THE SOLUTION!!!!

You have to edit the file

  /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist

and add at the end of the file:

  blacklist video

Save and restart, and thats all!

[Augusto Santos (mkhaos7)]

Blacklisting video didn't work for me.
Well... not completely anyway... it fixed the issue with multiple updates after pressing Fn+Arrow, but didn't change my brightness.
Also, it got rid of my /proc/acpi/video directory (duhhh), so i couldn't even change the brightness manually...

I've a Dell Vostro 1000, bios 2.6.3 (if thats matter)

[Sense Egbert Hofstede (sense)]

It seems that not only the brightness buttons give duplicate signals to HAL. Can you please check if bug 212733 also applies to you?

[Augusto Santos (mkhaos7)]

uh?
I think you got a bit confused Sense, we are at bug 212733 :)

[Sense Egbert Hofstede (sense)]

Oops, my fault.
Please have a look at bug 239706
It doesn't describe the actual bug reported here, but it does apply to the most of you.

[OliFre (freyermuth)]

The hal-update that arrived lately (yesterday?) fixes this, it seems.
However, unblacklisting the video-module breaks FN-F8 (CRT/LCD-Switcher) for me.
Brightness-control works fine again, even with video-module loaded.

[Augusto Santos (mkhaos7)]

Hello,

I just wanted to say something I've noticed earlier, about this issue: when the video module is loaded I can echo some values to /proc/acpi/video/VGA/LCD/brightness, and change the brightness of my screen.
Below is the contents of this file:

levels: 100 37 12 25 37 50 62 75 87 100
current: 12

If i try echoing a value different from the ones listed at "levels" the brightness does not change.
I think this might be relevant because when i change the brightness using the Fn+Arrow (i.e., guidance), the brightness values i see are: 0, 14, 28, 42, 57, 71, 85 and 100. None of them are present on the above list, besides 100.

Maybe the values at "levels" should be accounted for when changing the brightness using guidance?
Or maybe there should be a /proc specific work around for some cards?

[LEVIS Cyril (atlas95)]

I don't know if this can help but on my Dell XPS m1330 with Nvidia card, this is:

cat /proc/acpi/video/VID1/LCD/brightness

which change.

[Augusto Santos (mkhaos7)]

Just to let you guys know, i tried today the patch provided by Dov-E in https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-power-manager/+bug/105512/comments/9 and, together with the latest guidance updates, that fixed the multiple key press issue, my brightness keys are working in my Dell Vostro 1000 with Kde3.

[Oguz Yarimtepe (oguzy)]

I have the same double action acquired at the hot key press problem.
I am not able to adjust the brightness neither using the hot keys nor the brightness applet. Blacklisting video module didnt't help.

Here is my bug entry which may help: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-power-manager/+bug/250067

[Sense Egbert Hofstede (sense)]

Thank you for your work here. It can be confirmed that this is in fact a duplicate of bug 105512, which is much older than this bug. Please make future comments there and follow the discussion to see if you can help.