Bug#281518: No way to configure X left-handed mouse (xmodmap, gpm)
Package: xfree86-common
Version: 4.3.0.dfsg.1-8
Severity: normal
Neither using xmodmap nor the gdm approach make it possible to have a
left-handed mouse under X for three-button + wheel mice.
gpm 1.19.6-19
xfree86-common 4.3.0.dfsg.1-8
Left-handed mouse configuration is described at
http://necrotic.deadbeast.net/xsf/XFree86/trunk/debian/local/FAQ.xhtml#lefthandmouse
and in the following bug report
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=281504
If one uses the xmodmap approach
xmodmap -e "pointer = 3 2 1 4 5"
this produces unwanted behaviors. I cannot tell exactly how the
behaviors are wrong but the buttons are all wrong both in pure X
applications, as well as in Qt and Gtk applications. It is like the
"contextual button" is producing many events at the same time, both
selection and contextual trigger. I call "selection" button, what is
usually the left button, and "contextual selection" button, what is
usually the right button.
This xmodmap -e "pointer = 3 2 1 4 5" approach has worked for me for
years with the 3.x X series before I switched to Sarge and to Sid on
some machines.
The gpm approach, which is to feed X with the mouse data coming from
gpm, is not successful either while it should from what I've read from
some FAQs and mailing lists. This approach simply produces no effect at
all: it works alright, but as a right-handed mouse. And I'm sure that
in my case X really receives information from gpm since the mouse under
X doesn't work anymore if I do a "/etc/init.d/gpm stop".
/etc/gpm.conf
=======================================================================
device=/dev/input/mice
responsiveness=
#repeat_type=none
repeat_type=raw
type=imps2
append='-B 321'
sample_rate=
=======================================================================
/etc/X11/XF86Config-4
=======================================================================
Section "Files"
FontPath "unix/:7100" # local font server
# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
EndSection
Section "Module"
Load "GLcore"
Load "bitmap"
Load "dbe"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "record"
Load "speedo"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AllowMouseOpenFail" "true"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "keyboard"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "fr"
Option "XkbOptions" "ctrl:nocaps"
EndSection
#Section "InputDevice"
# Identifier "Configured Mouse"
# Driver "mouse"
# Option "SendCoreEvents"
# Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
# Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
# Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
#EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "gpm mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/gpmdata"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection
Section "Device"
Identifier "Generic Video Card"
Driver "sis"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
HorizSync 30-107
VertRefresh 50-150
Option "DPMS"
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Generic Video Card"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "gpm mouse"
# InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
EndSection
Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection
=======================================================================
Conclusion: Since neither the xmodmap nor gpm approaches are working,
there isn't any way to have a left-handed mouse working for Sarge or
for Sid :-(
--
Marc-Aurèle DARCHE <http://www.cynode.org/>
AFUL <http://www.aful.org/>
Association Francophone des Utilisateurs de Linux/Logiciels Libres
French speaking Linux and Libre Software Users' Association
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