Workaround for kernel patching to make Genius tablet work

Storm · 2014-09-12 16:25:39

Greetings!

I just bought a Genius MousePen i608X graphics tablet. Upon trying to use it turned out the mapping of pen tip and buttons is wrong: Pen tip registers as mouse side button instead of pen tip/left button.

Googling revealed it to me that the problem relies in the tablet having a different ID than what is defined in the kernel. In the output of lsusb it shows as:

Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0458:501a KYE Systems Corp. (Mouse Systems)

Notice :501a - in the kernel it is defined as :5011

Source: https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showthrea … post337088

I tried to use the wizardpen driver as a workaround but to no avail.

The only solution I found is patching the kernel, as outlined in the post above. The patch itself is pretty simple, modifying a single line. However, I would have to then do this every time there is an update to the kernel, which is, pretty darn regularly.

Since this issue is just a simple ID mismatch, I wonder if there is an easier workaround instead of kernel patching? For example, is there a way to manually overwrite the ID associated to the device? As far as my understanding it's a hard-coded value but can I somehow add a layer in-between to "translate" the ID?

Optionally, if there is no way of avoiding kernel patching, I wish to ask if there is a simple way to automate this patching process so that I don't have to manually do it every couple of days?

Thanks in advance!

WARNING: I'm relatively beginner user, so please try to give step-by-step instructions and explain things clearly because I may not understand "pro language".

Last edited by Storm (2014-09-12 16:26:26)

tomk · 2014-09-12 16:43:37

You don't have to accept every kernel upgrade. Admittedly, you don't want it to get too old either, but if your primary concern is about applying the patch "every time there is an update" you can just not.

Also, you refer to doing it manually - are you using ABS (the Arch Build System) to build a package for your patched kernel?

Finally, check if the patch has been submitted upstream, and if so, if it's been accepted - you might not have to wait long for it to be merged.

Storm · 2014-09-12 17:41:42

I'm not normally building packages myself. I use an AUR helper for AUR packages, otherwise I only ever had to compile something twice and I was following step-by-step instructions without understanding the depth of it. I'm still learning Linux and compiling is still kind of a voodoo for me.

If there is way to automate the update source, apply patch, compile, install workflow, that would make things much less painful. But it still bothers my mind: why all the messing with patching kernel when it's just a one character difference?

If there was a way to change the device ID, I wouldn't need patched kernels at all, which seems a much better solution to me.

As for possible patch, those posts about this issue are two years old, so... and I don't know how/where could I check it. I was googling for it but to no avail.

Maybe I can suggest this fix to be incorporated into the kernel? How would I do that?

Last edited by Storm (2014-09-12 17:43:19)

tomk · 2014-09-12 19:10:46

Storm wrote:

If there is way to automate the update source, apply patch, compile, install workflow...

... that would be the ABS that I referred to earlier.

Storm · 2014-09-12 19:20:44

tomk wrote:

Storm wrote:
If there is way to automate the update source, apply patch, compile, install workflow...
... that would be the ABS that I referred to earlier.

Oh I see. Looking into it, thanks!

In the meanwhile if anybody had an idea on workaround, please let me know!

Arch Linux

#1 2014-09-12 16:25:39

Workaround for kernel patching to make Genius tablet work

#2 2014-09-12 16:43:37

Re: Workaround for kernel patching to make Genius tablet work

#3 2014-09-12 17:41:42

Re: Workaround for kernel patching to make Genius tablet work

#4 2014-09-12 19:10:46

Re: Workaround for kernel patching to make Genius tablet work

#5 2014-09-12 19:20:44

Re: Workaround for kernel patching to make Genius tablet work

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