Thinkpads Forum

Posted: **Sat Jan 28, 2006 11:19 am**

Hello all,

I am attempting to setup my T30 to use the special IBM keys. Currently, I have the touchpad disabled, which I prefer, and use trackpoint, but unable to use the 3 function keys along side it. Secondly, I am looking to enable the fn keys and the back - forward features.

Has anyone succesfully set up these keys and could you provide a well documented procedure to complete this task for a novice linux user?

Posted: **Sun Jan 29, 2006 1:54 pm**

Hello!

To be honest, I'm not really sure if it is possible at all. From my knowledge of the hardware, the keys will be enabled only if the software - keyboard driver - can process their codes. If you use the standard distribution, it usually contains the most standard driver possible. So, either to give up (

), or (if you are a Linux guru) try to recompile the kernel with specific driver included.

I hope, I'm not wrong...

cheers,
Andrey

Posted: **Sun Jan 29, 2006 4:25 pm**

Hi,
have you installed the tpd package for the thinkpad buttons to work? I've a t42p and the touchpad and trackpoint both work as do most of the function keys. Also the onscreen brightness and volume counters are displayed.

http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/tpb/

Not sure this will cover everything you want.

Cheers
Davy

Posted: **Sun Jan 29, 2006 6:32 pm**

There is a way to do this; ThinkWiki has an article on it

See; http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Installin ... %281875%29

Posted: **Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:00 pm**

Thanks for the info... I currently installed tpd and having some issues configuring the setup. I am running fc4 and apparently "addgroup" is not recognized by the system. Is there a workaround for this? I'm running off the info provided by thinkwiki.

Code: Select all

[root@localhost ~]# echo nvram | sudo tee -a /etc/modules
nvram
[root@localhost ~]# sudo addgroup nvram
sudo: addgroup: command not found
[root@localhost ~]# sudo adduser epic nvram
Usage: useradd [options] LOGIN

Options:
  -b, --base-dir BASE_DIR       base directory for the new user account
                                home directory
  -c, --comment COMMENT         set the GECOS field for the new user account
  -d, --home-dir HOME_DIR       home directory for the new user account
  -D, --defaults                print or save modified default useradd
                                configuration
  -e, --expiredate EXPIRE_DATE  set account expiration date to EXPIRE_DATE
  -f, --inactive INACTIVE       set password inactive after expiration
                                to INACTIVE
  -g, --gid GROUP               force use GROUP for the new user account
  -G, --groups GROUPS           list of supplementary groups for the new
                                user account
  -h, --help                    display this help message and exit
  -k, --skel SKEL_DIR           specify an alternative skel directory
  -K, --key KEY=VALUE           overrides /etc/login.defs defaults
  -m, --create-home             create home directory for the new user
                                account
  -l,                       do not add user to lastlog database file
  -M,                       do not create user's home directory(overrides /etc/login.defs)
  -r,                       create system account
  -o, --non-unique              allow create user with duplicate
                                (non-unique) UID
  -p, --password PASSWORD       use encrypted password for the new user
                                account
  -s, --shell SHELL             the login shell for the new user account
  -u, --uid UID                 force use the UID for the new user account
[root@localhost ~]#

Posted: **Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:13 pm**

Well, I didn't have to addgroup the nvram for it to work; have you tried it without adding nvram as a group?

Posted: **Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:17 am**

epic wrote: Thanks for the info... I currently installed tpd and having some issues configuring the setup. I am running fc4 and apparently "addgroup" is not recognized by the system. Is there a workaround for this? I'm running off the info provided by thinkwiki.

Some linux distributions have "groupadd" rather than "addgroup"

I also think that you may not have to add nvram as a group.

Finally, unless I am oversimplfying the problem, you may not need to do all this for the back and forth keys. All you need to change is a setting in firefox, not in kernel ( assuming you only want to use the keys in Firefox and not in other apps )

Check out this ThinkWiki article. Scroll down / search for the section starting with "To have firefox make use of the browser keys you need to modify one of its files"

Thinkpads Forum

TrackPoint + FN + Back - Forward

TrackPoint + FN + Back - Forward

Is it possible?