Synaptik Touchpad manager crashes on laptop lid close/open

English Hardware
1

I have an ASUS G75V laptop running OpenSuSE 12.2x64 which has a Synaptics touchpad. This is managed by the KDE Synaptiks configuration tool that for the most part works OK. I mostly use it to turn off the touchpad (which I hate) whenever I have my USB mouse plugged in. Trouble is, when I close my laptop lid, and then reopen and restore my OpenSuSE session, this tool crashes and by default that turns the touchpad back on. A PITA! I cannot find where EXACTLY to report this bug on the KDE website. Anyone want to point me in the right direction or towards a solution to this bug?

Thanks in advance! Marc…

2

You could report to bugzilla

https://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Bugreport_KDE

3

You might like to check out this udev approach for disabling the touchpad upon external mouse detection:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Synaptics#Disable_touchpad_upon_external_mouse_detection

4

Wouldn’t blacklisting the driver be an option? Haven’t seen that recently, but IIRC I did so before I forced myself to get used to a touchpad. Must say, these days I feel uncomfortable with a mouse, except for the occasional bit of gaming (testing stuff for the kids that is.)

5

FWIW, I found this bug report while researching this issue:

https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=799734

which doesn’t bode well :frowning:

6

Thanks Deano for this pointer. I sorta understand the first step and assume I must create a file called /etc/udev/rules.d/01-touchpad.rules and add the udev rule suggested. However, the second step and beyond lost me. What is GDM? My best guess, from Googling, is that it stands for Gnome Display Manager? As far as I know, I am not using Gnome anything since I am using KDE? So is that applicable to me?

I am a bit cautious about doing things that I don’t understand. The rules say that I should disable the syndameon also and provides another udev rule that does so. Do I add this rule to 01-touchpad.rules in addition to, or instead of the first udev rule that was suggested/given?

Finally, if I add these udev rules,should I remove the Synaptik Touchpad Manager?

Thanks in advance for any help clearing my befuddlement… Marc…

7

Thanks again Deano, you faiired better than I did in searching for answers. YARRG! Nothing like buying a new laptop (which claims Linux supports it) and finding out that was not quite true… I do not like the fact that this bug report was closed and declared RESOLVED, when in fact it really isn’t. If indeed Synaptic touchpads are no longer supported, openSuSE should LOUDLY state that fact as a clear and present warning! IMHO of course… (on Portal:Hardware - openSUSE there isn’t even a category for touchpads…)

Marc...