[kde-linux] Re: Disable trackpad for one user account?

[Doug]

On 02/24/2011 12:07 AM, Duncan wrote:
> Mark Knecht posted on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:18:07 -0800 as excerpted:
>
>> Is there a way in KDE to disable the trackpad in an Asus laptop for a
>> single user? She's having trouble typing without making mistakes and
>> prefers to use an external mouse as a pointing device.
> I don't believe there's a kde method, no, but there are certainly
> methods...  Of course, the (AFAIK hardware/BIOS) touch-pad disable hotkey
> on my Acer Aspire One netbook is a nice feature.
>
> But what really made a difference for me was switching to the synaptics
> driver (xf86-input-synaptics on Gentoo, which both you and I use).  While
> there's all sorts of fancy touchpad config options for it and I use some
> of them, simply switching to that driver cured the hypersensitivity issue
> that had me accidentally activating the mouse at unwanted times, without
> any of the fancy config options at all.  The evdev and mouse drivers
> provide enough functionality to get by, but that's about it, so I
> DEFINITELY recommend switching to the syntouch driver.
/snip
> There's also the syndaemon program, part of the above xf86-input-synaptics
> package, which "monitors keyboard activity and disables the touchpad when
> the keyboard is being used."  Before I switched to the synaptics driver, I
> thought sure I'd need it as the sensitivity was just ridiculous, but after
> trying the synaptics driver I realized I no longer needed the daemon, as
> things "just worked" as I expected.  However should you decide you need it
> anyway, despite its name, syndaemon is a user runnable program that could
> be setup to start with the kde user session or possibly even with a CLI
> session (I'm not sure on the last); it need not be configured as a system
> daemon and indeed, the package comes with no /etc/init.d/syndaemon file
> that would be used to start it as a system level service, so running it as
> an individual user seems to be the intent, at least as it's shipped by
> Gentoo.
>
There is a program called synaptiks (note the spelling) that seems to be 
only
available via kde, which will disable the touchpad only when there is a
mouse or trackball plugged in.  So if your one user likes to use a mouse,
let that user plug in the mouse when working, and unplug it when 
finished, and
everyone should be happy.  I am using this program on my PCLOS laptop.

(I am not familiar with the synaptics driver you mentioned; I wonder if it's
compatible with synaptiks.  That might make my laptop friendlier when
I don't have my trackball available.  I really don't like the trackpad, and
I _detest_ it when typing!  So far, the programs--I think from synaptic--
that "disable the touchpad while typing" don't have anywhere near enough
hysteresis for me.)

--doug

Blessed are the peacemakers...for they shall be shot at from both sides. --A. M. Greeley