Laptop Touchpad/mouse Driver Alps.c Under 9.2

I am one of a number of people having problems with their touchpads/mice under SuSE 9.2.

There are a couple of symptoms:
- The mouse opens *almost* every window and app that it trails over and hardware clicking/tapping doesn't work.
- If you have an external mouse attached, you can position using it but clicking does not work.
- Positioning using the external mouse and then tapping on the Touchpad often causes the pointer to jump back to the middle of the screen and a 'loss of sync' message to be logged (no-one else has reported this one, only me)

The cause of this is the driver alps.c. The driver is used for *all* mice but declares it self not to be responsible unless it recognises a Touchscreen. The detection messages look something like:
alps.c: E6 report: 00 00 64
alps.c: E7 report: 73 02 0a
alps.c: E6 report: 00 00 64
alps.c: E7 report: 73 02 0a
alps.c: Status: 15 01 0a
ALPS Touchpad (Glidepoint) detected
Disabling hardware tapping
alps.c: Status: 11 01 0a
input: AlpsPS/2 ALPS TouchPad on isa0060/serio4

If you do not have a laptop then you will get one E6 message and that is all - everything then works normally, my laptop returns other status bytes but the E6 E7 E6 E7 x detected x sequence is the same. The messages are visible using dmesg or in boot.msg (sorry!).

Previous levels of SuSE did not use alps.c, and it is not part of the standard vanilla kernel. Obviously, raping the driver to always return -1 would fix the problem, but (personally) I always have problems when compiling SuSE's special kernels.

This *has* been reported to SuSE

UPDATE:
Apparently the IBM ThinkPad T30 works fine, but that is it because it does not use that driver.

I had similar problems with mouse ultrasensitivity. I finally have the ALPS working well, also with a USB mouse. I still can't get my wacom tablet to work on my 64 bit AMD laptop, but it works fine on a 32 bit Pentium.

Here's my current ALPS XF86Config file:

# /.../
# SaX generated X11 config file
# Created on: 2004-11-13T15:42:47-0800.
#
# Version: 4.8
# Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2002
#
# Automatically generated by [ISaX] (4.8)
# PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!
#
Section "Files"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/local"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/URW"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/PEX"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/misc:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/75dpi:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/100dpi:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/Type1"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin7/75dpi:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/baekmuk:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/japanese:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/kwintv"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/truetype"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/uni:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/misc:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/75dpi:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/100dpi:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/misc:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/75dpi:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/100dpi:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/Type1"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/sgi:unscaled"
 *FontPath * * "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/xtest"
 *FontPath * * "/opt/kde3/share/fonts"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
 *Option * * * "AllowMouseOpenFail"
EndSection

Section "Module"
 *Load * * * * "dbe"
 *Load * * * * "type1"
 *Load * * * * "freetype"
 *Load * * * * "extmod"
 *Load * * * * "glx"
 *Load * * * * "v4l"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
 *Driver * * * "kbd"
 *Identifier * "Keyboard[0]"
 *Option * * * "Protocol" "Standard"
 *Option * * * "XkbLayout" "us"
 *Option * * * "XkbModel" "pc104"
 *Option * * * "XkbRules" "xfree86"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
 *Driver * * * "mouse"
 *Identifier * "Mouse[1]"
 *Option * * * "Buttons" "4"
 *Option * * * "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
 *Option * * * "Emulate3Buttons" "on"
 *Option * * * "EmulateWheel" "on"
 *Option * * * "EmulateWheelButton" "4"
 *Option * * * "InputFashion" "Mouse"
 *Option * * * "Name" "Logitech;TrackMan Marble FX (PS/2)"
 *Option * * * "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
 *Driver * * * "synaptics"
 *Identifier * "Mouse[3]"
 *Option * * * "AccelFactor" "0.01"
 *Option * * * "BottomEdge" "650"
 *Option * * * "CircScrollDelta" "0.1"
 *Option * * * "CircScrollTrigger" "2"
 *Option * * * "CircularScrolling" "1"
 *Option * * * "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
 *Option * * * "EdgeMotionMaxSpeed" "15"
 *Option * * * "EdgeMotionMinSpeed" "15"
 *Option * * * "Emulate3Buttons" "on"
 *Option * * * "EmulateMidButtonTime" "75"
 *Option * * * "FingerHigh" "15"
 *Option * * * "FingerLow" "14"
 *Option * * * "HorizScrollDelta" "20"
 *Option * * * "InputFashion" "Mouse"
 *Option * * * "LeftEdge" "120"
 *Option * * * "MaxSpeed" "0.5"
 *Option * * * "MaxTapMove" "110"
 *Option * * * "MaxTapTime" "180"
 *Option * * * "MinSpeed" "0.2"
 *Option * * * "Name" "ALPS;Touchpad"
 *Option * * * "Protocol" "auto-dev"
 *Option * * * "RightEdge" "830"
 *Option * * * "SHMConfig" "on"
 *Option * * * "TopEdge" "120"
 *Option * * * "UpDownScrolling" "1"
 *Option * * * "VertScrollDelta" "20"
 *Option * * * "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
 *Option * * * "CalcAlgorithm" "CheckDesktopGeometry"
 *DisplaySize *320 240
 *HorizSync * *30-66
 *Identifier * "Monitor[0]"
 *ModelName * *"1680X1050@60HZ"
 *Option * * * "DPMS"
 *VendorName * "--> LCD"
 *VertRefresh *40-61
 *UseModes * * "Modes[0]"
EndSection

Section "Modes"
 *Identifier * "Modes[0]"
 *Modeline *"1024x768" 63.04 1024 1080 1184 1344 768 769 772 795
 *Modeline *"1680x1050" 147.14 1680 1784 1968 2256 1050 1051 1054 1087
EndSection

Section "Screen"
 *DefaultDepth 16
 *SubSection "Display"
 * *Depth * * *15
 * *Modes * * *"1024x768" 
 *EndSubSection
 *SubSection "Display"
 * *Depth * * *16
 * *Modes * * *"1680x1050" 
 *EndSubSection
 *SubSection "Display"
 * *Depth * * *24
 * *Modes * * *"1024x768" 
 *EndSubSection
 *SubSection "Display"
 * *Depth * * *32
 * *Modes * * *"1024x768" 
 *EndSubSection
 *SubSection "Display"
 * *Depth * * *8
 * *Modes * * *"1024x768" 
 *EndSubSection
 *Device * * * "Device[0]"
 *Identifier * "Screen[0]"
 *Monitor * * *"Monitor[0]"
EndSection

Section "Device"
 *BoardName * *"GeForce4 440 Go 64M"
 *BusID * * * *"1:0:0"
 *Driver * * * "nv"
 *Identifier * "Device[0]"
 *Screen * * * 0
 *VendorName * "NVidia"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
 *Identifier * "Layout[all]"
 *InputDevice *"Keyboard[0]" "CoreKeyboard"
 *InputDevice *"Mouse[1]" "CorePointer"
 *InputDevice *"Mouse[3]" "SendCoreEvents"
 *Option * * * "Clone" "off"
 *Option * * * "Xinerama" "off"
 *Screen * * * "Screen[0]"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
 * *Group * * *"video"
 * *Mode * * * 0660
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
EndSection

it works for me, just make sure alps is selected properly in sax, and add the other mouse as a seperate entry to get it working

it's a bit sensitive (for the tapping) for my liking, but not too bad.. (much better than the default installation!!)

I also have a laptop (Toshiba Sattelite 1410-604) with an ALPS touchpad and its behavior in SuSE 9.2 is unpleasant.
I chose the ALPS touchpad in SaX2, and now Xorg is using the Synaptics driver. But I still prefer the behavior in previous SuSE versions, where XFree was configured to use a generic PS/2 mouse and the kernel didn't disable hardware tapping.

The "alps.c" patch introduces new functionality that I don't want. The old hardware tapping was precise and the double-click by double-tapping worked fine. I tried to boot with the "psmouse.proto=imps" parameter but, unlike in SuSE 9.1, tapping does not work anymore. There should be a parameter to disable the behavior introduced by the "alps.c" patch

Found the solution!
To go back to the pre-9.2 touchpad behavior and bypass the ALPS driver you
will need to pass the psmouse.proto=bare option to the kernel. With this
option, you can have a basic XF86Config mouse section:

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "mouse"
Identifier "Mouse[1]"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "InputFashion" "Mouse"
Option "Protocol" "Auto"
EndSection

To add the psmouse.proto=bare permanently you need to go to:
YaST2 -> System -> Boot Loader Configuration
Edit the "SUSE LINUX 9.2" section, and to the kernel option that in your
case might be (some options may be different in your case):
(hd0,2)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda3 vga=0x314 selinux=0
splash=silent resume=/dev/hda2 desktop elevator=as showopts

you should add psmouse.proto=bare:

(hd0,2)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda3 vga=0x314 selinux=0 splash=silent
resume=/dev/hda2 desktop elevator=as showopts psmouse.proto=bare

Reboot and your touchpad should now work fine.

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "mouse"
Identifier "Mouse[1]"
Option "Buttons" "4"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "on"
Option "EmulateWheel" "on"
Option "EmulateWheelButton" "4"
Option "InputFashion" "Mouse"
Option "Name" "Logitech;TrackMan Marble FX (PS/2)"
Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "synaptics"
Identifier "Mouse[3]"
Option "AccelFactor" "0.01"
Option "BottomEdge" "650"
Option "CircScrollDelta" "0.1"
Option "CircScrollTrigger" "2"
Option "CircularScrolling" "1"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "EdgeMotionMaxSpeed" "15"
Option "EdgeMotionMinSpeed" "15"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "on"
Option "EmulateMidButtonTime" "75"
Option "FingerHigh" "15"
Option "FingerLow" "14"
Option "HorizScrollDelta" "20"
Option "InputFashion" "Mouse"
Option "LeftEdge" "120"
Option "MaxSpeed" "0.5"
Option "MaxTapMove" "110"
Option "MaxTapTime" "180"
Option "MinSpeed" "0.2"
Option "Name" "ALPS;Touchpad"
Option "Protocol" "auto-dev"
Option "RightEdge" "830"
Option "SHMConfig" "on"
Option "TopEdge" "120"
Option "UpDownScrolling" "1"
Option "VertScrollDelta" "20"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

So is this the same mouse, or is it the touchpad and then a ps/2 external mouse? I just want to get my touchpad to stop opening random things and i want to be able to tap it to open what i want. 9.1 worked much better, i agree.

it works!!! it's a miracle!!! I have never had touch pad scrolling before either in linux and it works!!! thankyou!

Yup, it worked for me as well (I thanked him directly)

Originally posted by joaorf@Dec 26 2004, 17:09
Found the solution!

Thanks, just installed 9.2 and thought bloody marvalous..... :angry:

Then found your post and sorted it.

Great stuff.

okay, so it mostly works. Now how do i enable the double click? that is the only problem at this point. I guess if i had to i could live with out it but it's not as easy. i am very happy with the touchpad scrolling though. the double tap and double click does not work so highlighting anything is near impossible. i used the same configuration but i changed the BottomEdge and RightEdge to accommodate the size of my pad and that works great but i can't make heads or tails of what to adjust to fix the tapping issue.