Bizarro Problem With Libinput

[Diego Garcia]

The legacy xf86-input-keyboard driver never gave me any problems. Never.
It was trouble free way back many years. It's also still available:

https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/driver/xf86-input-keyboard

But the folks at freedesktop.org can't be accused of living in the past.
What would the neighbors think! Therefore they must "innovate."

They have now given us xf86-input-libinput, and since they also control
Xorg and, through their RedHat cronies, udev as well, libinput is the only
driver that will be allowed.

I use the fantastic Fvwm3 window manager. With libinput, mouse scrolling
from left to right to enter another virtual desktop works normally, but mouse
scrolling from right to left causes the cursor to jump into the middle of the
other VD. This is very erratic and sometimes it becomes difficult to see
just where the cursor has suddenly jumped.

But no problem! Libinput allows full configuration!

I just execute the following command:

xinput --set-prop 6 303 0 0

This command will disable the "Send Events Mode" property of the
mouse (device #6).

Hoorah! Problem solved!

But wait. Now another problem has arisen. In programs that use the GTK+3
toolkit, mouse scrolling with the middle wheel now does not work. I can scroll
with the arrow keys but not with the mouse wheel.

(Note that GTK+3 is also a Gnome/freedesktop product.)

So I execute:

xinput --set-prop 6 303 1 0

This enables the "Send Events Mode" property and I can scroll with GTK+3
again but now the problem with cursor jumping on VD change returns.

Since GTK+3 scrolling is the greater problem I choose to sacrifice the VD.

Libinput is part of the master plan to attract more developers to a more
unified and "modern" GNU/Linux. Oh boy! Once AutoCAD or Alibre Design,
two programs I must frequently use, discover the wonders of libinput I'm sure
that they will both hurry to produce Linux ports.

But don't hold your breath.


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