Crouton: Mouse moving doesn't work

[cnicodeme]

Hi!

I just installed Unity via crouton and called sudo startunity which perfectly loaded me Ubuntu, but I can't move the mouse.

I can right click (the context menus shows), close it (via esc), but I can't move my mouse (I can't say if I can left clic).

I tried going back to ChromeOs and then regoing into Ubuntu, but the mouse still don't move.

For information, I use a HP Chromebook 14 with the original mouse (not a plugged USB one). With an external mouse (USB), it works greats!

Is there something I am missing ?

After some trying it appears the mouse is moving, but I have to press really hard on the touchpad to make it move, and the behavior is not great at all.

[cnicodeme]

I can copy/paste some errors when launching unity, so here it is :

`````` bash
Initializing scale options...done
compiz (expo) - Warn: failed to bind image to texture
Initializing expo options...done

[...]

(compiz:27294): GConf-CRITICAL **: gconf_client_add_dir: assertion `gconf_valid_key (dirname, NULL)' failed
WARN 2013-06-11 14:50:47 unity.favorites FavoriteStoreGSettings.cpp:139 Unable to load GDesktopAppInfo for 'ubiquity-gtkui.desktop'
WARN 2013-06-11 14:50:47 unity.favorites FavoriteStoreGSettings.cpp:139 Unable to load GDesktopAppInfo for 'firefox.desktop'
WARN 2013-06-11 14:50:47 unity.favorites FavoriteStoreGSettings.cpp:139 Unable to load GDesktopAppInfo for 'libreoffice-writer.desktop'
WARN 2013-06-11 14:50:47 unity.favorites FavoriteStoreGSettings.cpp:139 Unable to load GDesktopAppInfo for 'libreoffice-calc.desktop'
WARN 2013-06-11 14:50:47 unity.favorites FavoriteStoreGSettings.cpp:139 Unable to load GDesktopAppInfo for 'libreoffice-impress.desktop'
WARN 2013-06-11 14:50:47 unity.favorites FavoriteStoreGSettings.cpp:139 Unable to load GDesktopAppInfo for 'ubuntu-software-center.desktop'
ERROR 2013-06-11 14:50:47 unity.launcher.trashlaunchericon TrashLauncherIcon.cpp:62 Could not create file monitor for trash uri: Operation not support
ed
Initializing unityshell options...done
Couldn't find a perfect decorator match; trying all decorators
Starting gtk-window-decorator
Window manager warning: Failed to load theme "Adwaita": Failed to find a valid file for theme Adwaita
Setting Update "main_menu_key"
Setting Update "run_key"
BUG: triggered 'if (priv->num_active_touches == 0)'
BUG: ../../src/synaptics.c:3137 in UpdateTouchState()
Backtrace:
0: /usr/bin/X (xorg_backtrace+0x37) [0x777817a7]
1: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/synaptics_drv.so (0x76481000+0x24f5) [0x764834f5]
2: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/synaptics_drv.so (0x76481000+0x2c93) [0x76483c93]
3: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/synaptics_drv.so (0x76481000+0x5b2e) [0x76486b2e]
4: /usr/bin/X (0x775f9000+0x78381) [0x77671381]
5: /usr/bin/X (0x775f9000+0x9fce8) [0x77698ce8]
6: (vdso) (__kernel_sigreturn+0x0) [0x775d6400]
7: (vdso) (__kernel_vsyscall+0x10) [0x775d6424]
8: /lib/i386-linux-gnu/libc.so.6 (__select+0x2d) [0x7732fdcd]
9: /usr/bin/X (WaitForSomething+0x18c) [0x7777e9fc]
10: /usr/bin/X (0x775f9000+0x376a2) [0x776306a2]
11: /usr/bin/X (0x775f9000+0x2535a) [0x7761e35a]
12: /lib/i386-linux-gnu/libc.so.6 (__libc_start_main+0xf3) [0x772614d3]
13: /usr/bin/X (0x775f9000+0x25699) [0x7761e699]```
``````

[dnschneid]

What release did you install for crouton, or did you not specify -r (in which case it defaults to precise).

[dnschneid]

Scratch that. I'm able to reproduce. Turns out the trackpad outputs really low pressure values, and the synaptics driver ignores them. Run the following inside a terminal in Unity: synclient FingerLow=1 FingerHigh=5 and your trackpad should start working.

I'll need to add a mechanism by which when X11 starts, it looks up the device and runs synclient with whatever parameters are nice (on the Pixel, for instance, it's waaay too sensitive). Keeping the bug open to track that.

[cnicodeme]

Thank you, this is perfect :)

Finally, I added setxkbmap fr and synclient FingerLow=1 FingerHigh=5 in my .bashrc so that I wouldn't have to do them every time I start unity. (If this can help someone else !)

[dnschneid]

Now it should work without adding synclient manually to your bashrc; just update your chroot.

[cnicodeme]

ok great thanks :)

[dfme]

I have exactly the same problem on an acer c720.
running the synclient FingerLow=1 FingerHigh=5 command also renders my trackpad into a usable state.

[dereckson]

In December 2014, on an Asus C200, installing Unity on the top of a chroot with Ubuntu Trusty, all worked fine.

Recently, powerwashed, with the last Crouton version, I have a queer behavior with the touchpad, not affected by the synclient FingerLow=1 FingerHigh=5.

• No cursor move is achievable with one, two or three fingers
• Left and right click replies (but not tap)
• When I left or right click, and maintain this tap pressed, I can move the cursor with a correct sensitivity, but only if I use two fingers.
• Triple finger click seems to be recognized too.

[davidthewatson]

@dnschneid I'm running on Acer Chromebook 14. I installed crouton from the link on the github repo today 5/6/2016 and installed xfce-desktop on trusty with every extension except keyboard. I had the same problem described here evidenced by the fact that the touchpad responded to clicks fine but would not move the pointer unless I I used my palm as if it was my finger. The touchpad worked fine using my palm as a finger, but that is obviously not an effective prosthetic! My problem was solved by:

synclient FingerLow=1 FingerHigh=5

at which point the touchpad works perfectly. Wasn't sure if you wanted to re-open this bug and address it in crouton since the Acer Chromebook 2014 just started shipping from Amazon a few days ago.

[CreepGin]

Just got the Acer CB14 and I can confirm the same problem described by @davidthewatson above.

[JonathanNagy]

I have the same problem on a Acer CB3-431 (Aluminum 14"),though maybe less severe that some. Touchpad Input responds intermittently, but touchpad hardware click functions work fine. Fixed with "synclient FingerLow=1 FingerHigh=5".

[haithcockce]

HP Chromebook 12 G1,
The synclient command worked for me as well.
FWIW, the original values were

    FingerLow               = 25
    FingerHigh              = 30

[iansltx]

HP Chromebook 13 G1 has the same issue (as did the Chromebook 14 G1, heh). Same fix.

[taktak]

ASUS c202 has the same issue and same fix.

[TheJoshGriffith]

Lenovo N22 same issue and same fix - is there any chance this fix can be somehow built in? I have literally no idea how this stuff works otherwise I'd consider raising a pull myself.

[DennisLfromGA]

Wow, looks like quite a few models are being bitten by this touchpad issue.

Maybe the chroot-bin/croutonxinitrc-wrapper script could be updated to include:

• falco (HP Chromebook 14)
• peppy (Acer C720)
• edgar (Acer Chromebook 14)
• chell (HP Chromebook 13)
• terra (ASUS Chromebook C202SA)
• reks (Lenovo N22 Chromebook)

There may be others too I guess.

[TheJoshGriffith]

What impact does changing these values on a machine that's working out of the box? Has anyone got one they can try it on? If the impact is nil (unlikely, but it could be), might be worth just running this change by default. There's a huge scope for testing to see how different machines respond to it.

[lenniea]

synclient FingerLow=1 FingerHigh=5 works like a charm on my Acer Chromebook 14 (all aluminum)! Thanks,
Lennie

[IlIlIlIlIlIlIl]

Same issue with CAVE model (Asus C320CA) using Xenial. Had to enter Synclient FingerLow=1 FingerHigh=5.

Touchpad seems to be disabled in ChromeOS while crouton is running, I havent been able to address that

[gardwired]

asus c302ca intel m3
figured out trackpad sensitivity as above. defaults were 25/30. set them to 12/15 much better. still very, very laggy usb mouse.

[mprajescu]

HP Chromebook 11 G5 has the same issue. Running the synclient FingerLow=1 FingerHigh=5 command and the trackpad is working like a charm.

[legel]

Just for the @gardwired, @IlIlIlIlIlIlIl and others running the Asus C320CA, the fix also worked for me with no major problems elsewhere on a Trusty.

[IlIlIlIlIlIlIl]

@legel you don't have issues with the trackpad in chromeOS when crouton is running? Mine seems to be disabled 90% of the time, it sometimes works for a while

[fuho]

Same issue on Pixelbook.
synclient FingerLow=1 FingerHigh= fix works.

[DennisLfromGA]

@fuho,

For the Pixelbook trackpad workaround see this issue:

• Pixelbook trackpad sensitivity #3487

Hope this helps,
-DennisL

[LxdeSmith]

For my REKS Lenovo N22 Chromebook running Ubuntu Bionic (Xfce) the synclient FingerLow=1 FingerHigh=5 command doesn't work. it gives me the error bash: synclient: command not found (Using a mouse works however).

[DennisLfromGA]

synclient appears to be in Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic Beaver:

• http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/bionic/man1/synclient.1.html

If it doesn't have it maybe try installing xserver-xorg-input-synaptics.

Hope this helps,
-DennisLfromGA

[RobertKirk]

When I try this with xenial on HPx2 Chromebook/tablet, synaptics is installed but says
Couldn't find synaptics properties. No synaptics driver loaded?

[DennisLfromGA]

@RobertKirk,

See if this helps:

• synclient does not find synaptics properties despite Synaptics Touchpad in xinput list

Hope this helps,
-DennisLfromGA

[RobertKirk]

unfortunately I don't have a synaptic touchpad listed. I tried that link anyway and it didn't seem to work. The touchpad produces scroll events rather than moving the mouse. If i drag 2 fingers it tries to zoom in or out in firefox, so it must b somhow sending input, but ot the right kind. Also clicking creates a click, it's just the movement which is interpreted as scrolling.
❯ xinput list ⎡ Virtual core pointer id=2 [master pointer (3)] ⎜ ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer id=4 [slave pointer (2)] ⎜ ↳ Google Inc. Hammer id=8 [slave pointer (2)] ⎜ ↳ WCOMCOHO:00 2D1F:4876 id=9 [slave pointer (2)] ⎜ ↳ WCOMCOHO:00 2D1F:4876 Pen id=10 [slave pointer (2)] ⎣ Virtual core keyboard id=3 [master keyboard (2)] ↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard id=5 [slave keyboard (3)] ↳ Power Button id=6 [slave keyboard (3)] ↳ Google Inc. Hammer id=7 [slave keyboard (3)] ↳ cros_ec_buttons id=11 [slave keyboard (3)] ↳ kblrt5663max Headset Jack id=12 [slave keyboard (3)]

[justchen1369]

this fixed low touchpad sensitivity on banon in a bionic install.