cannot select text with left click with touchpad

[Reinhard]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-input-synaptics

I am using Kubunt 11.04 with xserver-xorg-input-synaptics 1.3.99+git20110116 on a HP dv7 with Synaptics Touchpad (model: 1, fw: 7.4, id: 0x1e0b1).
I can't highlight text or move windows. On the same laptop with Kubuntu 10.10 the touchpad works?
When my thumb is an the area, which is marked as the left mouse button and touching with a second finger in the middle of the touchpad "scrolling" is started. This behavior makes selection of text or dragging windows impossible.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: xserver-xorg-input-synaptics 1.3.99+git20110116.0e27ce3a-0ubuntu11
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic x86_64
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: kwin
DRM.card0.LVDS.1:
 status: connected
 enabled: enabled
 dpms: On
 modes: 1600x900
 edid-base64: AP///////wAw5HsCAAAAAAATAQOAJhV4CqjAnVhQmiYcUFQAAAABAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBLyZAuGCEDDAwMCMAftcQAAAZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/gAAAABMR0Rpc3BsYXkKAAAA/gBMUDE3M1dEMS1UTEQzAMA=
DRM.card0.VGA.1:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: Off
 modes:
 edid-base64:
DRM.card1.HDMI.A.1:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: On
 modes:
 edid-base64:
DRM.card1.LVDS.2:
 status: connected
 enabled: enabled
 dpms: On
 modes: 1600x900 1440x900 1280x854 1280x800 1280x720 1152x768 1024x768 800x600 848x480 720x480 640x480
 edid-base64:
DRM.card1.VGA.2:
 status: connected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: On
 modes:
 edid-base64:
Date: Sat Apr 16 15:38:43 2011
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: natty
DistroVariant: kubuntu
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0046] (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:144b]
 ATI Technologies Inc Redwood [Radeon HD 5600 Series] [1002:68c1] (rev ff) (prog-if ff)
InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Alpha amd64 (20110326)
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard HP Pavilion dv7 Notebook PC
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=cd6c3f51-7cda-42a2-a815-a63267ca1d27 ro
Renderer: Unknown
SourcePackage: xserver-xorg-input-synaptics
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 08/05/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.bios.version: F.12
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: 144B
dmi.board.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.board.version: 65.27
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHewlett-Packard:bvrF.12:bd08/05/2010:svnHewlett-Packard:pnHPPaviliondv7NotebookPC:pvr048D100000242B20000020000:rvnHewlett-Packard:rn144B:rvr65.27:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: HP Pavilion dv7 Notebook PC
dmi.product.version: 048D100000242B20000020000
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
version.compiz: compiz N/A
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu12
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.23-1ubuntu6
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.10.2-0ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.10.2-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+4ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.0-0ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.14.0-4ubuntu7
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110107+b795ca6e-0ubuntu7

[Reinhard (reinhard-fink)]

hi,

just updated my system.
xserver-xorg-input-synaptics 1.3.99+git20110116ubuntu11
was replaced with
xserver-xorg-input-synaptics 1.3.99+git20110116ubuntu12.

touchpad - behavior did not change.

changing
AreaLeftEdge from 0 to 2000
JumpyCursorThreshold from 0 to 50
made it possible to select text. (before I got the context menu)

the solution is not very good, because with AreaLeftEdge=2000 left side of touchpad is completely blocked.

greetings
reinhard

[Reinhard (reinhard-fink)]

hi,

more testing with synclient:
setting
AreaBottomEdge=4331
which is the same as my
BottomEdge= 4331
and
JumpyCursorThreshold=150

produces a better result.

but still have to place first a finger in the middle of the touchpad and then on the "left mouse button" area.
then i am able to select text!

two fingers at the same time produce sometimes scrolling.

greetings
reinhard

[Chase Douglas (chasedouglas)]

Hi Reinhard,

It sounds like you have a clickpad trackpad. This is a known issue of clickpad trackpads and X synaptics. The fix, as you noted, is to define a bottom edge area. We probably want to do this for all clickpad devices, which I believe we have information from the kernel for.

[Chase Douglas (chasedouglas)]

After some more thought, I think this is more complex. We can determine if a trackpad is a button pad, but we need more information to determine how much bottom area should be masked. I think we should do the following:

1. Export the input device properties through udev (I'm assuming it doesn't do this yet)
2. Create a new xorg.conf.d entry in 51-synaptics-quirks.conf for trackpads that match a buttonpad rule and match the Synaptics vendor. This entry would specify a reasonable bottom area to mask for these devices.
3. Maybe create a new entry in 51-synaptics-quirks.conf for the magic trackpad to mask out a smaller area since it's so large.

My guess is that all Synaptics trackpads have the same percentage of bottom area that should be disabled. By creating separate entries for different device vendors and/or individual devices we can provide the right defaults.

[Reinhard (reinhard-fink)]

Hi Chase,

thanks for working on that problem.

Looking on the Synaptic website (http://www.synaptics.com/solutions/products/clickpad), i think my Pavilion dv7-4011eg has a clickpad.

Setting AreaBottomEdge=4331 seems to work good.

It is not necessary to change JumpyCursorThreshold.

A entry in 51-synaptics-quirks.conf would be a fine solution.

May i helps you to know some more data:
from XorgLog.txt:
(--) SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: x-axis range 1472 - 5672
(--) SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: y-axis range 1408 - 4550
from synclient:
LeftEdge = 1766
RightEdge = 5378
TopEdge = 1627
BottomEdge = 4331

i find these values not really logical: start at 1472 ??
what happens between 4331 and 4550. to my mind the pad works on its borders?

greetings
reinhard

[Airam RR (airamrguezrivero)]

I have an HP Envy with the same problem on Natty Narwhal. Take a look at
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-input-synaptics/+bug/720389

I made some patches for my touchpad. May be you can use them, because if I'm not wrong we are using the same touchpad.

[Reinhard (reinhard-fink)]

Hi Chase,

should not this and Airam's bug be part of https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/maverick/+source/linux/+bug/582809?

Maybe the next experience can help to build a useful config-file:

 Setting
TopEdge = 0 (instead 1627)
increases the area where the cursor can be used.

With TopEdge = 1627 vertical moves have no effect at the top of the clickpad.
horizontal moves produce vertical scrolling.

who understands that?

g.
reinhard

[Chase Douglas (chasedouglas)]

This should be fixed now.