Sunday, 26 January 2014

Asus X200CA Touchpad Configuration on Ubuntu 13.10

Background

Just installed Ubuntu Studio 13.10 on the Asus X200CA, and found the touchpad to be quite frustrating, as the buttons are part of the sensitive touchpad area, and when you try to click, you end up moving the cursor.

The Fix

Not to worry, however, as the touchpad is fully configurable with the synclient command.

The touch pad appears to be 3130 wide, and 1697 tall.
By default, the buttons are at the bottom, between 1470 and 1697.

Because the touchpad and buttons overlap, sliding your finger when pressing the button, moves the mouse pointer.

You can re-define the bottom edge for the movement area to 1469 (just above the mouse button area) as follows:

$ synclient AreaBottomEdge=1469
As soon as this command is entered, the mouse becomes useable!!

Making the Fix Permanent

By default, the the configuration allocates the touchpad in % rather than co-ordinates, so edit the file /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-synaptics.conf as root:

$ sudo vi /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-synaptics.conf

Section "InputClass"
        Identifier "Default clickpad buttons"
        MatchDriver "synaptics"
        Option "SoftButtonAreas" "50% 0 82% 0 0 0 0 0"

        Option "AreaBottomEdge" "82%"
EndSection
 

For Reference


$ synclient -l

Parameter settings:
    LeftEdge                = 130
    RightEdge               = 3130
    TopEdge                 = 96
    BottomEdge              = 1697
    FingerLow               = 1
    FingerHigh              = 1
    MaxTapTime              = 180
    MaxTapMove              = 163
    MaxDoubleTapTime        = 180
    SingleTapTimeout        = 180
    ClickTime               = 100
    EmulateMidButtonTime    = 0
    EmulateTwoFingerMinZ    = 282
    EmulateTwoFingerMinW    = 7
    VertScrollDelta         = 74
    HorizScrollDelta        = 74
    VertEdgeScroll          = 0
    HorizEdgeScroll         = 0
    CornerCoasting          = 0
    VertTwoFingerScroll     = 0
    HorizTwoFingerScroll    = 0
    MinSpeed                = 1
    MaxSpeed                = 1.75
    AccelFactor             = 0.0537634
    TouchpadOff             = 1
    LockedDrags             = 0
    LockedDragTimeout       = 5000
    RTCornerButton          = 2
    RBCornerButton          = 3
    LTCornerButton          = 0
    LBCornerButton          = 0
    TapButton1              = 1
    TapButton2              = 3
    TapButton3              = 2
    ClickFinger1            = 1
    ClickFinger2            = 3
    ClickFinger3            = 0
    CircularScrolling       = 1
    CircScrollDelta         = 0.1
    CircScrollTrigger       = 0
    PalmDetect              = 0
    PalmMinWidth            = 10
    PalmMinZ                = 200
    CoastingSpeed           = 20
    CoastingFriction        = 50
    PressureMotionMinZ      = 30
    PressureMotionMaxZ      = 160
    PressureMotionMinFactor = 1
    PressureMotionMaxFactor = 1
    ResolutionDetect        = 1
    GrabEventDevice         = 1
    TapAndDragGesture       = 1
    AreaLeftEdge            = 0
    AreaRightEdge           = 0
    AreaTopEdge             = 0
    AreaBottomEdge          = 1469
    HorizHysteresis         = 18
    VertHysteresis          = 18
    ClickPad                = 1
    RightButtonAreaLeft     = 1630
    RightButtonAreaRight    = 0
    RightButtonAreaTop      = 1470
    RightButtonAreaBottom   = 0
    MiddleButtonAreaLeft    = 0
    MiddleButtonAreaRight   = 0
    MiddleButtonAreaTop     = 0
    MiddleButtonAreaBottom  = 0


$ synclient AreaBottomEdge 1469

Installing Ubuntu Studio 13.10 on An Asus X200CA

Bought an X200CA from Tesco - this came complete with Windows 8 installed.

Downloaded Ubuntu Studio 13.10:
  • Installed onto a USB Fob
  • Inserted Fob into PC.

Reconfigured the PC to enable booting from the fob:
  • Booted the PC, and Held F2
  • Security | Secure Boot Control = Disable
  • Boot | Fast Boot = Disable
  • F10, Save and Reboot, Held F2
  • Boot | Launch CSM = Enable
  • Launch PXE OpROM = Enable
  • F10, Save and Reboot, Held Escape

Selected USB Fob from boot menu (The USB fob, not the UEFI: USB Fob)

Followed the Ubuntu Install.
  • Selected Replace Windows 8 with Ubuntu Studio when asked
  • Selected English (UK) and English (UK, extended WinKeys) when asked
  • Reboot, Held Escape
  • Selected the hard disk (P0) from the boot menu
Total time for install: 20 minutes