Power Manager Brightness Applet where is it

[urdrwho]

I have Cinnamon 20 installed on my HP all in one and I have a brightness applet available on the panel. The same is true on my Asus netbook with 19.3 Mate

I have Cinnamon installed on the Dell kitchen computer but can't find a brightness applet. Any idea why?

[smurphos]

The applet is the Power Applet (power@cinnamon.org) - how it displays depends on if your device is battery powered or not. If yes it shows as a battery icon, if no it's a brightness icon. Brightness can be controlled from it in either mode.

Check if it's on the panel on your Dell

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dconf read /org/cinnamon/enabled-applets

[urdrwho]

The applet is the Power Applet (power@cinnamon.org) - how it displays depends on if your device is battery powered or not. If yes it shows as a battery icon, if no it's a brightness icon. Brightness can be controlled from it in either mode.

Check if it's on the panel on your Dell

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dconf read /org/cinnamon/enabled-applets

Here is the response and I don't see power applet. I've thought about hitting the troubleshoot / restore all settings to default. But I didn't because I'm not sure if that re-sets themes, etc.

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 dconf read /org/cinnamon/enabled-applets
['panel1:left:0:menu@cinnamon.org:87', 'panel1:left:1:show-desktop@cinnamon.org:88', 'panel1:left:2:panel-launchers@cinnamon.org:89', 'panel1:left:3:window-list@cinnamon.org:90', 'panel1:right:9:keyboard@cinnamon.org:93', 'panel1:right:10:notifications@cinnamon.org:94', 'panel1:right:11:printers@cinnamon.org:95', 'panel1:right:12:removable-drives@cinnamon.org:96', 'panel1:right:13:user@cinnamon.org:97', 'panel1:right:14:network@cinnamon.org:98', 'panel1:right:15:sound@cinnamon.org:99', 'panel1:right:17:calendar@cinnamon.org:101', 'panel1:right:0:xapp-status@cinnamon.org:108']

[urdrwho]

I did find a brightness and gamma applet that can control monitor brightness. There is a notice that it could crash Cinnamon and remove if that happens. So far so good.

Brightness and gamma applet (brightness-and-gamma-applet@cardsurf)

[smurphos]

Cool, if you still want to try adding the official power/brightness applet right click on the panel > Applets navigate to Power Applet and click the add button.

[urdrwho]

Cool, if you still want to try adding the official power/brightness applet right click on the panel > Applets navigate to Power Applet and click the add button.

I removed the gamma applet and added the power applet. I see a battery but no controls for brightness. Is it hiding?

[smurphos]

Mouse wheel whilst scrolling while hovering over the battery icon should change brightness. Clicking the icon should show you a brightness slider.

[urdrwho]

Mouse wheel whilst scrolling while hovering over the battery icon should change brightness. Clicking the icon should show you a brightness slider.

Yes there is is but when the slider is moved, it does nothing. Weird????

[smurphos]

Yes there is is but when the slider is moved, it does nothing. Weird????

Sounds like a hardware compatibility issue.

Run this command in a terminal and then toggle the slider - what output do you get?

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dbus-monitor --profile "interface='org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen'"

Example output

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steve@steve-Inspiron-5580:~$ dbus-monitor --profile "interface='org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen'"
#type	timestamp	serial	sender	destination	path	interface	member
#					in_reply_to
sig	1596953586.536290	2	org.freedesktop.DBus	:1.235	/org/freedesktop/DBus	org.freedesktop.DBus	NameAcquired
sig	1596953586.536318	4	org.freedesktop.DBus	:1.235	/org/freedesktop/DBus	org.freedesktop.DBus	NameLost
mc	1596953591.626866	2054	:1.45	:1.21	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	StepDown
mc	1596953591.627115	2055	:1.45	:1.21	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	GetPercentage
sig	1596953591.666228	1211	:1.21	<none>	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	Changed
mc	1596953591.667884	2056	:1.45	:1.21	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	GetPercentage
mc	1596953591.668695	2057	:1.45	:1.21	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	GetPercentage
mc	1596953591.669511	2058	:1.45	:1.21	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	GetPercentage

[urdrwho]

Here it is -

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 dbus-monitor --profile "interface='org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen'"
#type	timestamp	serial	sender	destination	path	interface	member
#					in_reply_to
sig	1596996372.720957	2	org.freedesktop.DBus	:1.273	/org/freedesktop/DBus	org.freedesktop.DBus	NameAcquired
sig	1596996372.720982	4	org.freedesktop.DBus	:1.273	/org/freedesktop/DBus	org.freedesktop.DBus	NameLost
mc	1596996410.791695	754	:1.169	:1.17	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	GetPercentage
mc	1596996412.296553	755	:1.169	:1.17	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	SetPercentage
sig	1596996412.328747	1151	:1.17	<none>	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	Changed
mc	1596996412.354490	756	:1.169	:1.17	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	SetPercentage
sig	1596996412.379108	1153	:1.17	<none>	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	Changed
mc	1596996412.392176	757	:1.169	:1.17	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	SetPercentage
sig	1596996412.415124	1155	:1.17	<none>	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	Changed
mc	1596996412.416193	758	:1.169	:1.17	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	GetPercentage
mc	1596996414.312430	759	:1.169	:1.17	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	SetPercentage
sig	1596996414.337396	1158	:1.17	<none>	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	Changed
mc	1596996418.270084	760	:1.169	:1.17	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	GetPercentage

Yes there is is but when the slider is moved, it does nothing. Weird????

Sounds like a hardware compatibility issue.

Run this command in a terminal and then toggle the slider - what output do you get?

Code: Select all

dbus-monitor --profile "interface='org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen'"

Example output

Code: Select all

steve@steve-Inspiron-5580:~$ dbus-monitor --profile "interface='org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen'"
#type	timestamp	serial	sender	destination	path	interface	member
#					in_reply_to
sig	1596953586.536290	2	org.freedesktop.DBus	:1.235	/org/freedesktop/DBus	org.freedesktop.DBus	NameAcquired
sig	1596953586.536318	4	org.freedesktop.DBus	:1.235	/org/freedesktop/DBus	org.freedesktop.DBus	NameLost
mc	1596953591.626866	2054	:1.45	:1.21	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	StepDown
mc	1596953591.627115	2055	:1.45	:1.21	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	GetPercentage
sig	1596953591.666228	1211	:1.21	<none>	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	Changed
mc	1596953591.667884	2056	:1.45	:1.21	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	GetPercentage
mc	1596953591.668695	2057	:1.45	:1.21	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	GetPercentage
mc	1596953591.669511	2058	:1.45	:1.21	/org/cinnamon/SettingsDaemon/Power	org.cinnamon.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen	GetPercentage

[smurphos]

Thanks - that didn't really help - it's doing something.

Whats the inxi -Fxxxz output of the affected machine?

[urdrwho]

Thanks - that didn't really help - it's doing something.

Whats the inxi -Fxxxz output of the affected machine?

Here ya go.

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inxi -Fxxxz
System:
  Kernel: 5.4.0-42-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 
  Desktop: Cinnamon 4.6.6 wm: muffin 4.6.2 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 
  Distro: Linux Mint 20 Ulyana base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: Dell product: OptiPlex 3020 v: 01 serial: <filter> 
  Chassis: type: 15 serial: <filter> 
  Mobo: Dell model: 0WMJ54 v: A00 serial: <filter> UEFI: Dell v: A03 
  date: 04/14/2014 
Battery:
  Device-1: hidpp_battery_0 model: Logitech Wireless Keyboard PID:0065 
  serial: N/A charge: 70% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes 
  status: Discharging 
  Device-2: hidpp_battery_1 model: Logitech Wireless Mouse PID:003f 
  serial: N/A charge: 70% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes 
  status: Discharging 
CPU:
  Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Core i5-4590 bits: 64 type: MCP 
  arch: Haswell rev: 3 L2 cache: 6144 KiB 
  flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx 
  bogomips: 26341 
  Speed: 798 MHz min/max: 800/3700 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 798 2: 798 
  3: 798 4: 798 
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics 
  vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:0412 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.8 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
  resolution: 1280x1024~60Hz 
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2) 
  v: 4.5 Mesa 20.0.8 compat-v: 3.0 direct render: Yes 
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio 
  vendor: Dell driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:03.0 
  chip ID: 8086:0c0c 
  Device-2: Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Definition Audio vendor: Dell 
  driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0 chip ID: 8086:8c20 
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-42-generic 
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8191SEvB Wireless LAN driver: rtl8192se v: kernel 
  port: e000 bus ID: 02:00.0 chip ID: 10ec:8172 
  IF: wlp2s0 state: up mac: <filter> 
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet 
  vendor: Dell driver: r8169 v: kernel port: d000 bus ID: 03:00.0 
  chip ID: 10ec:8168 
  IF: enp3s0 state: down mac: <filter> 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 810.43 GiB used: 25.36 GiB (3.1%) 
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Toshiba model: MQ01ABD075 size: 698.64 GiB 
  speed: 3.0 Gb/s rotation: 5400 rpm serial: <filter> rev: 4M scheme: MBR 
  ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: SanDisk model: SSD PLUS 120GB size: 111.80 GiB 
  speed: 3.0 Gb/s serial: <filter> rev: 00RL scheme: MBR 
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 45.89 GiB used: 7.68 GiB (16.7%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb2 
  ID-2: /home size: 58.38 GiB used: 17.68 GiB (30.3%) fs: ext4 
  dev: /dev/sdb3 
  ID-3: swap-1 size: 2.44 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sdb4 
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 28.0 C mobo: N/A 
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Info:
  Processes: 221 Uptime: 15h 19m Memory: 7.70 GiB used: 1.76 GiB (22.9%) 
  Init: systemd v: 245 runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 alt: 9 Shell: bash 
  v: 5.0.17 running in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.0.38 

[smurphos]

Thanks - I've been looking for reports with similar hardware of backlight / brightness control issues with no avail.

What does ls -l /sys/class/backlight/ return?

[urdrwho]

Thanks - I've been looking for reports with similar hardware of backlight / brightness control issues with no avail.

What does ls -l /sys/class/backlight/ return?

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ls -l /sys/class/backlight/
total 0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 0 Aug  9 16:34 acpi_video0 -> ../../devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/backlight/acpi_video0

[smurphos]

Some progress - that should be returning intel-backlight on your hardware.

Try this first.

Open the grub config in a text editor

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xed admin:///etc/default/grub

Replace

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GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

with

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GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="acpi_backlight=vendor"

Save the file then run

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sudo update-grub

Reboot

Check output of this command again

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ls -l /sys/class/backlight/

Any change in the slider working?

[urdrwho]

Not at that computer right now but I did try that one last weekend and no changes in the slider.

I'll try it again later, maybe I incorrectly typed something.

BTW thanks for help in this issue.

[urdrwho]

Some progress - that should be returning intel-backlight on your hardware.

Try this first.

Open the grub config in a text editor

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xed admin:///etc/default/grub

Replace

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GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

with

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GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="acpi_backlight=vendor"

Save the file then run

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sudo update-grub

Reboot

Check output of this command again

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ls -l /sys/class/backlight/

Any change in the slider working?

Actually the slider disappears.

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OptiPlex-3020:~$ ls -l /sys/class/backlight/

[smurphos]

Fair enough - reverse that tweak.

Next one to try is adding a config file

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xed admin:///usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf

Add the content

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Section "Device"
        Identifier "card0"
        Driver "intel"
        Option "Backlight" "intel_backlight"
        BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

If that's no go there are other kernel parameters that you can try

video.use_native_backlight=1
acpi_backlight=video
acpi_backlight=none
acpi_backlight=native

[urdrwho]

Fair enough - reverse that tweak.

Next one to try is adding a config file

Code: Select all

xed admin:///usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf

Hm? My X11 doesn't have an 20-intel.conf in it. Plus I kept getting a message that I could not access because the specified location is not mounted.

I guess I could use XED to make that 20-intel.conf file?

I have admin rights and normally just use sudo. Is doing it with suco bad protocol?

[urdrwho]

Fair enough - reverse that tweak.

Next one to try is adding a config file

Code: Select all

xed admin:///usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf

Add the content

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Section "Device"
        Identifier "card0"
        Driver "intel"
        Option "Backlight" "intel_backlight"
        BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

If that's no go there are other kernel parameters that you can try

video.use_native_backlight=1
acpi_backlight=video
acpi_backlight=none
acpi_backlight=native

So I made the file and added everything but the slider still does nothing.

It isn't as though I am having problems but it is an interesting issue to try and sort out.

I have no idea how to make kernel parameters????