# mice not in /dev/input/eventX ?????

## whammoed

I am trying to run a program that requires the use of a mouse (micd)  According to its documentation it searches for mouse devices on /dev/input/eventX  but when i browse it looks like my mice are in /dev/input and I don't even have an eventX folder.  I haven't received any support from the software maker yet, is there anything I can do to get this program to recognize my mouse?

----------

## NeddySeagoon

whammoed,

Mice are normally in /dev/input/mice the /dev/input/event interface is generalised and needs a kernel module. I'm not sure if you get mouse events there if you build the module.

I would try a symbolic link first.

----------

## whammoed

thanks for the quick reply...I am new, what is a symbolic link?  Is it like a shortcut.  are you suggesting I make an eventX directory there and make a "shortcut" back to /dev/input?  How do I create this link?

thanks again

----------

## NeddySeagoon

whammoed,

Do the following

```
cd /dev/input

ln -s mice eventX
```

 Change the X to the number of your choice.

A symbolic link creates a new name for a file by creating a file with  the new name that 'points' to the real file. This is different to a hard link, when all the names for a file (on *NIX the same file can have many names) are indistinguisable. There is no primary file name. Such a file is only removed from the filesystem when all it names are deleted.

You have lots of symbolic links already. Try 

```
ls/dev/ -l
```

 to see some and the names of the files they point to.

----------

## whammoed

I tried cd /dev/input 

ln -s mice event0

but it still won't recognize the mice, any other suggestions?

thanks

----------

## NeddySeagoon

whammoed,

Delete the symlink then, since its no use to you and build the event interface in the kernel. The following is for 2.6.7, other will be similar. 

Run make menuconfig (or make xconfig if you have X) to reconfigure your kernel

Choose 

```
Input device support

 ->Event interface (INPUT_EVDEV)
```

and choose to build the code as a module. Quit, saving the new configuration.

do 

```
make modules

make modules_install 
```

Lastly, 

```
modprobe evdev
```

to load the module.

You should now have a /dev/input/event0 and maybe more.

If this works, add evdev to /etc/modules.autoload.d/<kernel_version> to load the module at boot time.

----------

## whammoed

Well, I did this when configuring kernel:

<M> Event Interface

installed kernel and copied appropriate things to /boot after mounting /boot

when I modprob evdev i get:

FATAL: Module evdev not found

when i lsmod nothing is listed

I also tried compiling event interface in kernel which gave me some eventx listings in /dev/input but this did not help the program

any ideas?  I probably did something wrong i suppose

----------

## whammoed

also, i made a event0 directory in /dev/input before I "knew" what i was doing.  Also made a symbolic link there by accident.  I deleted the directory using rm -r but when I reboot it shows back up???? How do I get rid of that thing?

----------

## NeddySeagoon

whammoed,

If evdev is compiled in, you don't modprobe it because its in /boot/bzImage rather than /lib/modules/<kernel_ver>/..

It won't show in lsmod either becuase its not a module. 

I don't know how to get rid of manually created entries in /dev.

----------

## whammoed

yes, I know, but when that didn't work i tried to compile it as a module as you suggested, that is when It doesn't show up with lsmod

thanks

----------

## NeddySeagoon

whammoed,

You did do the make modules_install ?

Do 

```
cd /usr/mod/<kernel_ver/

find iname evdev*
```

if its there, that will find it.

Repeat in the kernel tree - it should be there too.

You may need to remove the hid bits and pieces that are driving the mouse now, so that evdev can get them. Thats tricky because they are in use.

----------

## whammoed

its not there...I even recompiled again...I removed some stuff I was using just to make sure I was compiling correctly, sure enough its not there anymore but still have nothing when i lsmod

----------

## NeddySeagoon

whammoed,

I got the find command wrong, sorry. It should be

```
find -iname evdev*
```

or did you spot that?

----------

## whammoed

didn't matter, don't even have a mod directory

I am doing a fresh install because I don't like those folders that keep coming back...each time I install i learn a little more so no big deal

I will try it both ways again, compiled into kernel and as module(if i can get that way to work)

I will post again if I run into more problems.

thank you so much for your help, I have learned alot!

D

----------

## NeddySeagoon

whammoed,

Damm - tab completion does not work in posts. Sorry.

mod should have been modules.

/lib/modules/<kernel_ver> are where your modules are kept. There is a seperate copy for each differently named kernel.

----------

## whammoed

Well, i got it to work both ways: compiled in and as module.  the both give me event entries...i know it has mice in there because when i plug in another, another event entry pops in.

could i be missing something else????

Maybe this isn't a gentoo problem anymore????

----------

## NeddySeagoon

whammoed,

Now you have some /dev/input/eventX entries, see if the mouse/mice are actually sending any events to them.

Try cat /dev/input/event0 etc. Moving the mouse, scrolling wheels, pressing buttons etc should get you gibberish in the terminal window, if the mouse is reporting things there.

You may need to stop using the HID layer for mice, since it will send events to /dev/input/mice etc.

----------

## Grayman

Hi I'm running a Graphire 2 that needs an event0 or event 1 to work (amongst other stuff. I had to compile the kernel (I used genkernel) with the event bit ( think it was under device drivers/input someplace) built into the kernel, and then add in the linuxwacom drivers afterwards.

Grayman

----------

## whammoed

yep, get lots of gibberish 

by the way, how do i get back to the command line????

anyway,

how do i stop using the HID layer for mice?

thanks

----------

## NeddySeagoon

whammoed,

ctrl-c gets you the command line back.

If you are getting gibberish, thats the mouse events, you don't need to unload the HID modules.

You need to unplug the mouse then 

```
rmmod usbhid 
```

 if you want to try it.

----------

