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geekhack Community => Input Devices => Topic started by: 4sStylZ on Tue, 22 October 2019, 10:52:45

Title: Magic trackpad 2 on Linux
Post by: 4sStylZ on Tue, 22 October 2019, 10:52:45
Hi everyone,

I have tested many pointing device because I have some health issue and want to try a magic touchpad 2. My issue is that I am on Ubuntu at work.

What I need :

- A precise device.
- I use two screen so I want to minimize my finger travel distance and I want to have a fast pointer speed.
- Second mouse button : With something like double tap.
- Thirst mouse button : With something like a triple tap.
- Two finger scroll since edge scroll is very stupid wich a device this big.
- Gestures for fixing windows at the edge of the screen and s****. (At this point, this is completly low priorised)

What I have tried :

I was using a 3.~ kernel on Elementary 5 wich is a Ubuntu 18.4 LTS.
I have installed libinput / fusuma.
Then I upgraded to 5.3.7 kernel version.

What I got :

My mousepad is recognized in USB.
I can see many info with xinput list-props 22 (22 is my trackpad id).
I have fixed a pressure issue with xinput set-prop 22 304 2, 2, 0 else I cannot click with it.
I can move, use 1st and second click. I can set the thirst click by using synclient TapButton3=2 on command line.
I don’t have so much precision.
I need to maximize the speed and this is still very slow. Actually This is not a trackpad who will help me with my health issue.
Fusuma don’t handle the gestures. Seem’s xinput doesn’t record my multiple fingers gestures so he cannot handle them.

What I understand :

All the precision magic is on the software on MacOS or with custom precision drivers on windows but at this point there is no way to have a precise touchpad on Linux.
There is no solution for having xinput to register all the advanced stuff of the magic touchpad 2 because other than to code a whole implementation of this and retro engineer the signal of the trackpad.
There is no solution for speed the pointer because the maximum speed for xinput seem’s to be 25 (Seem’s that the maximum is exactly the same on my GUI app that on command line).
I am ****ed

Tell me that I am dumb and make some suggestions please :D
Title: Re: Magic trackpad 2 on Linux
Post by: GladosXiao on Mon, 20 April 2020, 01:17:31
Why not try Logitech T650,
I think Logitech's Unifying receiver can be use in Linux

https://www.zdnet.com/article/using-linux-to-manage-my-keyboard-and-mouse-with-logitechs-unifying-receiver/
Title: Re: Magic trackpad 2 on Linux
Post by: Leslieann on Mon, 20 April 2020, 03:28:16
Touchpads work well in Macbooks but it's because the OS is built for it as you found, it's one thing I absolutely have to praise Apple for, however it's often to the detriment of the rest of the OS (the UI often suffers to laziness).

Speeding up the mouse or anything results in a loss of precision, by default they skip pixels, speeding them up only amplifies this problem. While you fix movement you lose precision, you fix precision you lose movement. On mice for CAD and photo editing we often reduce the OS sensitivity and crank the mouse DPI but you can't do that on trackpads or even trackballs to my knowledge, the latter would work if one exists.

One tip I can give you though is to learn keyboard shortcuts, even a few will reduce your mouse use dramatically.

Yes, unifying receivers work on Linux, there is even utilities to configure buttons, crude, but they work. I prefer to use devices with onboard memory, set them up on Mac or Windows then move it to Linux.
Title: Re: Magic trackpad 2 on Linux
Post by: Findecanor on Mon, 20 April 2020, 04:03:47
- Thirst mouse button : With something like a triple tap.
BTW, "Thirst"? "Tap"? I think you want a beer.   ;)