Wierd (2 me) issues attempting install touchscreen

ArcEye wrote:

Same as your other lines except replace wheezy main contrib non-free with sid main contrib non-free
If several packages exist but you want a particular one you can specify the archive with
apt-get install -t sid [name-of-package]
Generally safest to keep the repo stanzas you don't normally use commented out, then enable them and and run apt-get update before using, then comment out and run apt-get update again.
That way you don't run the risk of running apt-get dist-upgrade and finding you have upgraded to Jessie

Ha Ha! Thanks for the tip.

So, using the /etc/apt/sources.list is there a way to add a specific package in a specific repository without allowing everything else in there? Something to the effect of " use this repository to keep this package updated, and only this package " , such that one would not need to remember to fiddle with commenting out and in entries without endangering oneself in the manner you point out? I'm thinking of all the little packages that I'm needing to install that are not already in this distro. ( hal, inputattach, xinput-calibrator, and anything else I stumble across during this venture ) Thanks. I appreciate your walking me through this.

So, using the /etc/apt/sources.list is there a way to add a specific package in a specific repository without allowing everything else in there? Something to the effect of " use this repository to keep this package updated, and only this package " , such that one would not need to remember to fiddle with commenting out and in entries without endangering oneself in the manner you point out?

There is but use with care.

If you just put in apt-get install [apackage] without the -t, it will get the latest version of the package, which will probably be in jessie or sid or whatever

That might work, or it might now rely upon a new version of libstdc++, or have been compiled against a different kernel or with a later version compiler etc etc and then you start getting into all sorts of problems potentially.

That is why I comment out, you are only going to ever want a particular package from that repo and the time spent editing out comments is negliable for the number of times that you will do it.

FINALLY!

Thank you ArcEye.

I'm writing you from the box and using the touchscreen correctly. It was a number of issues, but most troublsome was getting the udev rules properly in place and then creating the files that were missing so that xinput-calibrator would actually do what it was supposed to. It would work fine if one ran it, but only until you logged out and back in, or until you rebooted. Then the calibration values were gone and it was back to not functioning correctly. Had to man page the calibrator and then create some files and udev rules.

Whew! < wipes forehead with back of hand >

Thank you! Very much. Now I can actually get to configuring things and getting this box ready to run the turning center.

Guess I need to go find out about Gmoccapy now...

BigJohnT wrote:

Did you document how you achieved this? Maybe put a wiki page up with your notes. JT

Hi John! I did not document it, but do have some chicken scratch notes and can recreate it easily enough I should think. Future reference is why I kept updating/editing my posts and thread. I'll be happy to scribble it down in one place if you really think it would be helpful. Thanks.

Here you go John. I believe this is complete and correct.

Installing a Serial TouchScreen in Debian Wheezy -

Install inputattach
sudo apt-get install inputattach

Install the Elographics driver
Modprobe elo

Add sid repository to /etc/apt/sources.list

### USE STRICTLY FOR INSTALLING OR UPDATING XINPUT-CALIBRATOR
deb http.debian.net/debian sid main contrib non-free

Update apt
sudo apt-get update

Install xinput-calibrator
sudo apt-get install xinput-calibrator

Comment the sid repository back out and leave it commented out so that it does not get used in the future
#deb http.debian.net/debian sid main contrib non-free

From the command line -
$> cat /proc/bus/input/devices

Look for your touchscreen's section and make note of the serial port being used.

Example of my own's output -

I: Bus=0013 Vendor=0029 Product=0000 Version=0107
N: Name="Elo Serial TouchScreen"
P: Phys=ttyS0/serio0/input0
S: Sysfs=/devices/pnp0/00:07/tty/ttyS0/serio2/input/input4
U: Uniq=
H: Handlers=mouse1 event4
B: PROP=0
B: EV=b
B: KEY=400 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B: ABS=1000003

In my case, you can see on the "P" line that it is using ttyS0. ( /dev/ttyS0 )

Edit /lib/udev/60-inputattach.rules to add -


# Attach Elo Serial TouchScreen
ACTION=="add|change", SUBSYSTEM=="tty", KERNEL=="ttyS0", \
RUN+="/sbin/modprobe elo", \
RUN+="/lib/udev/inputattach --daemon -elo /dev/%k "
ENV{ID_INPUT}="1", ENV{ID_INPUT_TOUCHSCREEN}="1"
Section "InputClass"
Identifier "elographics config"
MatchProduct "Elo Serial TouchScreen"
Option "EmulateThirdButton" "on"
EndSection

Replace "ttyS0" with your own appropriate value.

Create and edit /usr/share/X11/Xorg.conf.d/99-elographics.conf

# Elo Serial TouchScreen calibration values from xinput-calibrator
# Note - these are my values. You can place them in here, but they will get changed when you run xinput-calibrator

Section "InputClass"
Identifier "calibration"
MatchProduct "Elo Serial TouchScreen"
Option "Calibration" "4074 5 4032 44"
Option "SwapAxes" "0"
Option "EmulateThirdButton" "on"
EndSection

Run xinput-calibrator & follow the prompts.
When it is done, it _should_ update the 99-elographics.conf file. However, due to variances in
some distributions, it may not work as intended and you may have to edit the values for yourself.
When it has completed running, it will pop up a window with your resultant calibration values.
Write these down and then edit the 99-elographics.conf file to reflect them in the " Option "Calibration" " field.

Restart X or rebbot and the touchscreen should work.

There you have it. I hope this helps someone retain the amount of hair I myself lost and avoid
the long term effects of the concusions by avoiding slamming one's head into the wall repeatedly.

Best Regards.

Thank you John. I discovered two errors. One omission by error and one omission from copy/paste. Am I supposed to edit that page, or submit them to you? Thanks.

Thanks for making this touch screen wiki. I really need that!

I have an ACER B226HQL which have an add on IR touch screen frame. Kind of crappy quality, and only two point touch. But should be good enough for this use.

I have been able to make it work with Ubuntu 10.04. But the software I used to make it work, "Evtouch" is for some reason skipped as of Ubuntu 11. So unless I'm able to make this work I'll be stuck with 10.04.......

I'm not a programmer, so doing things from console isn't what I prefer, which I also would assume many of the others who need this Wiki will think. So the description on how to add the deb repository and such should be either linked to, or explained in detail. There are other places this is explained very well, so a link to one of those places should be OK.

I'm not sure I understand how to interpret the line saying
### USE STRICTLY FOR INSTALLING OR UPDATING XINPUT-CALIBRATOR

My problem is I don't fully understand how to do what it's saying. The only way I know how to use a repository is to add the line in the update manager and then to check for updates and apply them. But if that's not how to do it I need a detailed description of how. This is outside of normal (for a non programmer with no command line skills) way of doing things, and I have no idea on how to do the steps explained. I don't have all the details. What updates should one not install from this repository?

When I proceed and try to do the next point:

sudo apt-get install xinput-calibrator

I get the following message:

Unable to locate package xinput-calibrator

So my attempts at using the instructions are halted at that point as I don't know how to proceed now.

In general I have found touch screens and Linux to be a major pain! Almost without exception all advices on how to get your touch screen working is to replace your kernel with one with support for it. Now replacing kernels on a machine set up for LinuxCNC isn't what we want to do. So I was kind of hoping to be able to make it work with these instructions since they are written specifically for LinuxCNC users.

After all, LinuxCNC is actually an application where a touch screen is wanted by many. So there will possibly be many who will want to use these instructions.

One big wish for the future would be an application who will make all touch screens like evtouch is made a standard package in the installation files for LinuxCNC. The question is if such an application exist? Since evtouch was removed I would imagine it was replaced by something else? Of not I'm quite surprised they removed it.

And again, I really do appreciate the effort to help the likes of me to get their touch screens working. And I hope you or someone is willing to finish this wiki to a state where it's more or less fool proof and will make most users touch screens work.

Thanks for the effort so far, and keep up the good work.

Anders

Hi

These instructions are for Debian Wheezy, you seem to be using Ubuntu 10.04, they will not work with that.

I'm not sure I understand how to interpret the line saying
### USE STRICTLY FOR INSTALLING OR UPDATING XINPUT-CALIBRATOR

My problem is I don't fully understand how to do what it's saying. The only way I know how to use a repository is to add the line in the update manager and then to check for updates and apply them. But if that's not how to do it I need a detailed description of how. This is outside of normal (for a non programmer with no command line skills) way of doing things, and I have no idea on how to do the steps explained. I don't have all the details. What updates should one not install from this repository?

Please read earlier pages of this thread, I went into some detail why to ZF, the sid repo is an testing, potentially unstable one, we only want one package from it and then do not want to use it again probably.

The instructions for adding the line are literal

Add sid repository to /etc/apt/sources.list

Open /etc/apt/sources.list in an editor (sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list from a terminal)

Add the line
deb http.debian.net/debian sid main contrib non-free

Then update apt
sudo apt-get update

Install xinput-calibrator
sudo apt-get install xinput-calibrator

Open the file /etc/apt/sources.list in an editor
Comment the sid repository back out and leave it commented out so that it does not get accidentally used in the future

#deb http.debian.net/debian sid main contrib non-free

regards