Touchpad tap does not work after update

[jeancf]

Hi,

I have a Dell Latitude E6400 running Mint 13 LTS. I used it since the release of Mint 13 without problem. Recently I installed the Mint 16 backports. Since then it is no longer possible to clik by tapping on the touchpad. The touchpad buttons work though. Edge scrolling is OK too.

I don't see any option in settings to change that behaviour. I have not found a forum post with this issue.

Please help,

Thanks,

/~JC

[jeancf]

Any idea where to look for a solution?

[jeffreybruton]

JC:

That feature for some reason is not turned on by default. At least that was the case with my most recent install of Mint 13 LTS (Mate)...and the subsequent addtion of the Mint 16 Backports.

Got to Menu > All > Mouse

which will open the Mouse Prefereneces dialog box. Select the Touchpad tab and there you will see the second check box is "Enable mouse clicks with touchpad".

Put a check in that box and press the Close button. Presto!

All the best
Jeffrey Bruton

[jeancf]

Thanks for your reply.

Unfortunately I have that option checked already and it does not work. I tried un-checking it and re-checking it but without result.

/~jeancf

[hiroaki]

Hi

I think you have to add "synclient" command to Startup Applications.

Find "Startup Applications" from Menu and click "Add".
Then a window comes up.

Screenshot-Add-Startup-Program.png

Fill the fields as follows.
Name: Any name you want. e.g. Synclient
Command: Look up "synclient" command and customize as you want. e.g.

Code: Select all

synclient TapButton1=1 TapButton2=3 VertTwoFingerScroll=1 VertEdgeScroll=0 VertScrollDelta=104

Comment: Any comment you want. e.g. Set up touch pad

Click "Add" and logout, login. You don't have to restart.
Then it should work.

[jeancf]

YESSSSS! That works.

Thanks Hiroaki, you are my hero!

/~jeancf

[whiteEagle]

It hasn'tworked for a lot of others (including me)

I'm still looking for answers.

[jeancf]

Actually...

The synclient solution proposed here works after a boot and until I put the computer to sleep (which I do a lot, this is a laptop). When coming back from sleep tap-to-click does not work any longer. I have the re-run

Code: Select all

synclient TapButton1=1 TapButton2=3

manually to restore the functionality.

There is something wrong with the initialization of the X server. It seems that it does not pick up the configuration options for the touchpad.

/~jeancf

[hiroaki]

Oh, that's a problem.

I can't test if it works or not because I have just lent my note PC to a friend of mine, and even if it works it's not a smart solution at all, but you could try this.

Create a file as bellow.

Code: Select all

/etc/pm/config.d/local

That's content is,

Code: Select all

#!/bin/sh

case $METHOD in
     suspend|suspend_hybrid|hibernate)
        # No need to do anything here
        :
        ;;
     resume|thaw)
        synclient TapButton1=1 TapButton2=3
        ;;
esac

And change the permission.

Code: Select all

sudo chmod 755 /etc/pm/config.d/local

There is something wrong with the initialization of the X server.

I don't think so. Test this.
At the login screen after booting, tap somewhere on the screen. Strangely enough, it works!
From this I conclude that X server works as it should do, but MATE, Cinnamon or MDM resets the touch pad settings.
Probably it's in the specifications, though it's very strange.

[jeancf]

At the login screen after booting, tap somewhere on the screen. Strangely enough, it works!

It does after booting but not after coming back from sleep.

Also, it is only tap-to-click that does not work at described. Edge scrolling works flawlessly. Should I file a bug report?

/~JC

[Felim_Doyle]

Select the Touchpad tab and there you will see the second check box is "Enable mouse clicks with touchpad".

Put a check in that box and press the Close button. Presto!

All the best
Jeffrey Bruton

Well that worked for me on my Dell Latitude D620, thanks! Odd that it should not be enabled by default though.

[jeancf]

I am happy to report that I have found a solution to my problem (I am the OP) thanks to this article: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/To ... 2FCinnamon.

It seems that GNOME and MATE, by default, will overwrite various options for your touch-pad that have been set by other means such as Cinnamon settings or xorg.conf. To prevent this from happening do the following:

• install dconf-tools package
• run dconf-editor
• select the /org/cinnamon/settings-daemon/plugins/mouse/ key
• Uncheck the active setting

That's all. I can put the laptop to sleep and when I wake it up I now enjoy a touchpad that responds to taps.

/~jeancf