(In reply to comment #8)
> I notice that when I uninstall xf86-input-synaptics, I get my desired
> actions. However, this is not because of multitouch, because that still
> lacks when there is no driver.
if you uninstall the synaptics driver, the evdev driver will take over your touchpad. evdev has some very basic touchpad features, but that this particular feature then work for you is by accident, not by design.
> When no driver is loaded, the bottom part of my clickpad is not detected as
> a touch area. It is still detected as clickable, but not for touch.
tbh, that is rather odd given that evdev has no such feature.
> The touch is my clickpad. The bottom is a popular clickpad used by HP
> laptops.
> For my clickpad specifically, I want the bottom part to not be
> touch-detected.
> Is there a way to detect these areas out-of-the-box using the synaptics
> driver?
> Is there some configuration to achieve this?
not out of the box, but try setting the AreaBottomEdge option (see the synaptics man page). that should get you most of the way there
(In reply to comment #8) synaptics, I get my desired
> I notice that when I uninstall xf86-input-
> actions. However, this is not because of multitouch, because that still
> lacks when there is no driver.
if you uninstall the synaptics driver, the evdev driver will take over your touchpad. evdev has some very basic touchpad features, but that this particular feature then work for you is by accident, not by design.
> When no driver is loaded, the bottom part of my clickpad is not detected as
> a touch area. It is still detected as clickable, but not for touch.
tbh, that is rather odd given that evdev has no such feature.
> The touch is my clickpad. The bottom is a popular clickpad used by HP
> laptops.
> For my clickpad specifically, I want the bottom part to not be
> touch-detected.
> Is there a way to detect these areas out-of-the-box using the synaptics
> driver?
> Is there some configuration to achieve this?
not out of the box, but try setting the AreaBottomEdge option (see the synaptics man page). that should get you most of the way there