Synaptics touchpad

[urdrwho]

I have 19.3 Mate installed. I want to try the Synaptics touchpad driver.
apt install xserver-xorg-input-synaptics

I receive an error message

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
xserver-xorg-input-synaptics : Depends: xserver-xorg-core (>= 2:1.18.99.901)
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

Any ideas

[sleeper12]

You may be able to fix broken packages in Synaptic by going to edit tab and clicking on fix broken packages. Then apply.

if that does not work you can try in a terminal the following command:

Code: Select all

 sudo dpkg --configure -a 

[urdrwho]

I had tried both ways in the past, gave them a try again. Tried to install but received the same dependencies message.

Code: Select all

Depends: xserver-xorg-core (>= 2:1.18.99.901)

Yesterday I tried to install Xserver-xorg-core 2:1.19.6-1ubuntu4.4 Xorg X server - core server. Package manager showed that in order to do so there would be a lot of things removed.

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xorg
xerver-xorg-core-hwe-18.04
xerver-xorg-hwe-18.04
xerver-xorg-input-all-hwe-18.04
xerver-xorg-input-libinput-hwe-18.04
xerver-xorg-input-wacom-18.04
xerver-xorg-video-all-hwe-18.04

Ok, it will be installing a package that (I thought) would replace those that were removed. Hm ---- wrong thought. I lost the entire mouse / touchpad. Even plugging a mouse into the USB port did nothing.

I ended up reinstalling. I use a separate partition for home so re-installing isn't too painful.

Reading the Linux Mint site what is written is that when synaptics is installed it will take priority.

When both drivers are installed, "synaptics" takes priority.
To switch to the "libinput" driver, remove "synaptics" with the commands:
apt remove xserver-xorg-input-synaptics
Then log out and log back in.

To go back to using "synaptics", simply reinstall it:

apt install xserver-xorg-input-synaptics
Then log out and log back in.

Note: You can also try installing the "evdev" driver (provided by the xserver-xorg-input-evdev).

Granted the link below is for XFCE but would it should it make a difference in which DE you use? From the XFCE notes with my Mate install I would be going from ibinput driver,\ to synaptics driver. Seems going to or from should work either way.


https://www.linuxmint.com/rel_tara_xfce.php

You may be able to fix broken packages in Synaptic by going to edit tab and clicking on fix broken packages. Then apply.

if that does not work you can try in a terminal the following command:

Code: Select all

 sudo dpkg --configure -a 

[sleeper12]

Try this, one at a time:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install -f
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt-get install -f 

[urdrwho]

Tried the last post but this is what I got

apt install xserver-xorg-input-synaptics
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
xserver-xorg-input-synaptics : Depends: xserver-xorg-core (>= 2:1.18.99.901)
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

[sleeper12]

Did you enter all three of those commands in order? Just checking.

[sleeper12]

It's kinda over my head, but maybe you can figure out the solution here:
viewtopic.php?t=307658

[urdrwho]

I know it is kind of an odd thing. When I go to install the other driver, it wants to remove a lot dependencies that are needed for other parts of the OS.

Thinking that I'll just let it go the way it is now.

But I did go to the link you provided and did get an install completed. I do believe that the touchpad is happier. When online it scrolls better than before....I think.
Either way nothing crashed and if indeed as Linux Mint says, synaptics will take precedent.

Thanks for your help.

It's kinda over my head, but maybe you can figure out the solution here:
viewtopic.php?t=307658