20

I know that I can check if the touchpad is active with

gconftool-2 --get /desktop/gnome/peripherals/touchpad/touchpad_enabled 

and I can set it disabled / enabled with

gconftool-2 --set --type boolean /desktop/gnome/peripherals/touchpad/touchpad_enabled true

With lsusb I can see all connected USB-devices. Which is for my mouse:

Bus 003 Device 002: ID 046d:c00e Logitech, Inc. M-BJ58/M-BJ69 Optical Wheel Mouse

More information with lsusb -v:

Bus 005 Device 002: ID 046d:c00e Logitech, Inc. M-BJ58/M-BJ69 Optical Wheel Mouse
Device Descriptor:
  bLength                18
  bDescriptorType         1
  bcdUSB               2.00
  bDeviceClass            0 (Defined at Interface level)
  bDeviceSubClass         0 
  bDeviceProtocol         0 
  bMaxPacketSize0         8
  idVendor           0x046d Logitech, Inc.
  idProduct          0xc00e M-BJ58/M-BJ69 Optical Wheel Mouse
  bcdDevice           11.10
  iManufacturer           1 
  iProduct                2 
  iSerial                 0 
  bNumConfigurations      1
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength                 9
    bDescriptorType         2
    wTotalLength           34
    bNumInterfaces          1
    bConfigurationValue     1
    iConfiguration          0 
    bmAttributes         0xa0
      (Bus Powered)
      Remote Wakeup
    MaxPower               98mA
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        0
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           1
      bInterfaceClass         3 Human Interface Device
      bInterfaceSubClass      1 Boot Interface Subclass
      bInterfaceProtocol      2 Mouse
      iInterface              0 
        HID Device Descriptor:
          bLength                 9
          bDescriptorType        33
          bcdHID               1.10
          bCountryCode            0 Not supported
          bNumDescriptors         1
          bDescriptorType        34 Report
          wDescriptorLength      52
         Report Descriptors: 
           ** UNAVAILABLE **
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x81  EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes            3
          Transfer Type            Interrupt
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0004  1x 4 bytes
        bInterval              10

And here is the information from tail -n 10 -f /var/log/messages:

Aug 27 08:36:47 pc08 kernel: [ 1795.936583] usb 5-2: USB disconnect, address 3
Aug 27 08:36:55 pc08 kernel: [ 1804.208042] usb 5-2: new low speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 4
Aug 27 08:36:56 pc08 kernel: [ 1804.384272] usb 5-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Aug 27 08:36:56 pc08 kernel: [ 1804.400743] input: Logitech USB-PS/2 Optical Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb5/5-2/5-2:1.0/input/input13
Aug 27 08:36:56 pc08 kernel: [ 1804.400923] generic-usb 0003:046D:C00E.0004: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.10 Mouse [Logitech USB-PS/2 Optical Mouse] on usb-0000:00:1d.0-2/input0

And even more information:

$ udevadm info --query=all --name=/dev/input/mouse1
P: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb5/5-2/5-2:1.0/input/input15/mouse1
N: input/mouse1
S: char/13:33
S: input/by-id/usb-Logitech_USB-PS_2_Optical_Mouse-mouse
S: input/by-path/pci-0000:00:1d.0-usb-0:2:1.0-mouse
E: UDEV_LOG=3
E: DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb5/5-2/5-2:1.0/input/input15/mouse1
E: MAJOR=13
E: MINOR=33
E: DEVNAME=/dev/input/mouse1
E: SUBSYSTEM=input
E: ID_INPUT=1
E: ID_INPUT_MOUSE=1
E: ID_VENDOR=Logitech
E: ID_VENDOR_ENC=Logitech
E: ID_VENDOR_ID=046d
E: ID_MODEL=USB-PS_2_Optical_Mouse
E: ID_MODEL_ENC=USB-PS\x2f2\x20Optical\x20Mouse
E: ID_MODEL_ID=c00e
E: ID_REVISION=1110
E: ID_SERIAL=Logitech_USB-PS_2_Optical_Mouse
E: ID_TYPE=hid
E: ID_BUS=usb
E: ID_USB_INTERFACES=:030102:
E: ID_USB_INTERFACE_NUM=00
E: ID_USB_DRIVER=usbhid
E: ID_PATH=pci-0000:00:1d.0-usb-0:2:1.0
E: DEVLINKS=/dev/char/13:33 /dev/input/by-id/usb-Logitech_USB-PS_2_Optical_Mouse-mouse /dev/input/by-path/pci-0000:00:1d.0-usb-0:2:1.0-mouse

How can I use this to automatically deactivate my touchpad when a USB-mouse is connected and activate it again as soon as the USB-mouse disappears?

1

5 Answers 5

10

This project appears to be no longer maintained.

For natty there is a touchpad indicator app. it can be set to disable/enable the touchpad when a mouse is plugged in or out. I have no idea if it might also work for older Ubuntu versions.

https://launchpad.net/touchpad-indicator

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:atareao/atareao
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install touchpad-indicator
7
  • 1
    That tool does not seem to work for Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. Gnome shell tested.
    – NobbZ
    May 27, 2015 at 11:36
  • Also not working in my Unity Ubuntu 14.04.3. Dec 2, 2015 at 17:29
  • that works while typing, but not the disable touchpad when mouse is connected. Jan 26, 2016 at 15:21
  • Worked just fine for me on Ubuntu 14.04 LTS (Unity). Thank you! Jan 30, 2016 at 1:34
  • Also working fine on 15.04
    – timonsku
    Feb 12, 2016 at 13:05
6

You can set up udev rules to disable/enable touchpad. ArchLinux wiki has these rules for toggling a Synaptic touchpad from udev:

ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEM=="input", KERNEL=="mouse[1-9]", ENV{DISPLAY}=":0.0", 
ENV{XAUTHORITY}="/home/USERNAME/.Xauthority", ENV{ID_CLASS}="mouse", RUN+="/usr/bin/synclient TouchpadOff=1"

ACTION=="remove", SUBSYSTEM=="input", KERNEL=="mouse[1-9]", ENV{DISPLAY}=":0.0", 
ENV{XAUTHORITY}="/home/USERNAME/.Xauthority", ENV{ID_CLASS}="mouse", RUN+="/usr/bin/synclient TouchpadOff=0"
1
  • I couldn't get it working. I added /etc/udev/rules.d/10-local.rules with ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEMS=="input", KERNELS=="mouse[1-9]", RUN+="gconftool-2 --set --type boolean /desktop/gnome/peripherals/touchpad/touchpad_enabled false" ACTION=="remove", SUBSYSTEMS=="input", KERNELS=="mouse[1-9]", RUN+="gconftool-2 --set --type boolean /desktop/gnome/peripherals/touchpad/touchpad_enabled true" and then sudo service udev reload; sudo udevadm trigger; sudo service udev restart but nothing happened. Aug 27, 2011 at 7:11
3

I'm not sure if all the laptops use Synaptiks, but you could try to use it. In case you haven't installed, write in a terminal: $sudo apt-get install kde-config-touchpad, then $synaptiksand finally in the menu «Touchpad management» check:

  • Automatically start at logon
  • Automatically switch off touchpad, if a mouse is plugged

I hope this information has been valuable for you!

0
3

You can create a script, and execute it when you want to disable/enable touchpad.

/usr/local/bin/touchpad_toggle.sh

#!/bin/bash

declare -i ID
ID=`xinput list | grep -Eio 'touchpad\s*id\=[0-9]{1,2}' | grep -Eo '[0-9]{1,2}'`
declare -i STATE
STATE=`xinput list-props $ID|grep 'Device Enabled'|awk '{print $4}'`

if [ $STATE -eq 1 ]
then
    xinput disable $ID
    # echo "Touchpad disabled."
    # notify-send 'Touchpad' 'Disabled' -i /usr/share/icons/Adwaita/48x48/devices/input-touchpad.png
else
    xinput enable $ID
    # echo "Touchpad enabled."
    # notify-send 'Touchpad' 'Enabled' -i /usr/share/icons/Adwaita/48x48/devices/input-touchpad.png
fi
2
  • This works like a treat!
    – aggsol
    Jul 11, 2016 at 11:28
  • Work like a charm !!! Dec 2, 2016 at 4:28
0

This is a more lengthy answer of similar one by realhu.

Script to toggle Touchpad on/off with screen notification

Partial credit to this post (Enable/disable touchpad)

Create toggle-touchpad script

Create a new directory /home/USER/bin and then use gedit /home/USER/bin/toggle-touchpad. NOTE: Replace USER with your user ID. Copy and paste these lines into your editor:

#!/bin/bash

# NAME: toggle-touchpad
# PATH: /home/$USER/bin
# DESC: Update pulseaudio output device when HDMI TV plugged / unplugged
# CALL: called from Keyboard Shortcut `Super`+`T`
# DATE: Created Dec 23, 2016.
# NOTE: Written for AU question: http://askubuntu.com/questions/863746/keyboard-shortcut-to-disable-the-laptop-touchpad/863750?noredirect=1#comment1333958_863750


# Use device number matching touchpad, in this case 14
if [[ $(xinput list 14 | grep -Ec "disabled") -eq 1 ]]; then
    xinput enable 14
    DISPLAY=:0 notify-send --urgency=critical --icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/256x256/status/user-available.png "Touchpad enabled"
else
    xinput disable 14
    DISPLAY=:0 notify-send --urgency=critical --icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/256x256/status/user-busy.png "Touchpad disabled"
fi

exit 0

Mark toggle-touchpad script as executable

Save the file and exit the editor. Now flag the file as executable using

chmod +x /home/USER/bin/toggle-touchpad

Assign toggle-touchpad script to keyboard shortcut

Open up System SettingsKeyboardShortcutsCustom Shortcuts+

This screen appears:

toggle-touchpad

Fill in the Custom Shortcut fields like this:

  • Name = Toggle Touchpad
  • Command = /home/USER/bin/toggle-touchpad

Click Apply button to save.

The new entry appears with status Disabled. Right click on Disabled and use Super+Z (or any other unused shortcut combination). I wanted to use Super+T but that is already assigned to Nautilus Trashcan.

Modify toggle-touchpad script to different device number

The default device number is set at 14. To find out what your device number is use the following:

───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
USER@host:~/bin$ xinput
⎡ Virtual core pointer                      id=2    [master pointer  (3)]
⎜   ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer                id=4    [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ Logitech Performance MX                   id=10   [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ Logitech K800                             id=11   [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint                  id=14   [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)]
    ↳ Video Bus                                 id=7    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button                              id=8    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Sleep Button                              id=9    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Laptop_Integrated_Webcam_HD               id=12   [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Dell WMI hotkeys                          id=15   [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard              id=13   [slave  keyboard (3)]
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
USER@host:~/bin$ 

You can pick any device you like, ie Touchpad = 14, Webcam = 12, etc.

Which ever device number you use, simply open your /home/USER/bin/toggle-touchpad script and replace 14 with that device number.

Modify toggle-touchpad script to use different icons

When the "Touchpad enabled" / "Touchpad disabled" notification bubble is displayed, an icon is displayed left of the text. Stock icons are used from /usr/share/icons/gnome/256x256/status/ but you can change them.

For enabling touchpad this is displayed:

user available

For disabling touchpad this is displayed:

user busy

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