xscreensaver doesn't reset blanking timer on input from some devices

[Austin S. Hemmelgarn]

The xscreensaver daemon dosen't reset the screenblanking timer on input from joysticks/game-controllers and on some USB hotplugged devices.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: xscreensaver 5.14-1ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-15.26-generic 3.0.13
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-15-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu4
Architecture: amd64
Date: Fri Feb 3 08:53:21 2012
ProcEnviron:
 LC_TIME=mul.UTF-8
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 LC_NUMERIC=mul.UTF-8
SourcePackage: xscreensaver
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to oneiric on 2011-10-16 (109 days ago)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Tormod Volden (tormodvolden)]

Thanks for your report. See http://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/faq.html#mouse-idle for an explanation. If the input does not change the mouse position, it is difficult to detect it through X11.

[Marton Balazs (balazs-math)]

Could "some USB hotplugged devices" include my HP usb keyboard? Xscreensaver kicks in after a while when I'm not using the mouse (working only via keyboard in gnome-terminal). Then desktop comes back on any mouse movement OR keystroke.

Linux 3.2.0-24-generic-pae #37-Ubuntu SMP Wed Apr 25 10:47:59 UTC 2012 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
Xfce 4.8, distributed by Xubuntu

[fig_wright (fig-wright)]

I also have this problem. Mint Lisa, xscreensaver 5.15.

The screensaver will come on while I am using the keyboard - only the mouse holds it at bay.

[tekstr1der (tekstr1der)]

Yup, just hit this bug myself while typing on the keyboard. I'm on Debian Wheezy.

$ apt-cache policy xscreensaver
xscreensaver:
  Installed: 5.15-3

$ lsusb
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 045e:00db Microsoft Corp. Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 V1.0
Bus 005 Device 003: ID 046d:c531 Logitech, Inc.

I've noticed this problem before while reading a lengthy web page and only scrolling.
Both cases should inhibit the screensaver.
xinput detects scroll events (no need for moving the mouse) and of course, keypresses on a keyboard.

$ xinput list
⎡ Virtual core pointer id=2 [master pointer (3)]
⎜ ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer id=4 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ Logitech USB Receiver id=8 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ Logitech USB Receiver id=9 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 id=11 [slave pointer (2)]
⎣ Virtual core keyboard id=3 [master keyboard (2)]
    ↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard id=5 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button id=6 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button id=7 [slave keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 id=10 [slave keyboard (3)]