# xorg to hal - fdi files needed?

## stringchopper

I got a message from hal on emerge -DuNav world regarding input devices, and removing the input sections from my xorg.conf.  I did remove those sections from xorg.conf, and thankfully I made a backup because I couldn't reboot.  I was doing lshal | grep to see what it had in it, and it appeared "to me" that it already had the relevant info.  

I'm not familiar with FDI files.  Do I need to make these manually? I have a MS wireless receiver for my MS laser mouse 6000 and wireless keyboard 6000v2, synaptics keypad, and the keyboard that is part of my laptop.

Many thanks for advice.

```
* Messages for package sys-apps/hal-0.5.11-r1:

 * Migrating xorg.conf Core Keyboard configuration to HAL FDI file

 * The HAL daemon needs to be running for certain applications to

 * work. Suggested is to add the init script to your start-up

 * scripts, this should be done like this :

 * `rc-update add hald default`

 * Looking for automounting support? Add yourself to the plugdev group

 * IF you have additional applications which consume ACPI events, you

 * should consider installing acpid to allow applications to share ACPI

 * events.

 * If you wish to use a non US layout, you may do so by executing:

 * setxkbmap <layout> or by utilizing your Desktop Environment's

 * Keyboard Layout Settings mechanism.

 * Under GNOME, this is gnome-keyboard-properties, and under KDE

 * it is kxkb.

 * In order have suspend/hibernate function with HAL or apps that use HAL

 * (such as gnome-power-manager), you should build HAL with the laptop

 * useflag which will install pm-utils.

 * X Input Hotplugging (if you build xorg-server with the HAL useflag)

 * reads user specific configuration from /etc/hal/fdi/policy/.

 * We have converted your existing xorg.conf rules and the FDI is stored

 * at /etc/hal/fdi/policy/10-x11-input.fdi

 * You should remove the Input sections from your xorg.conf once you have

 * migrated the rules to a HAL fdi file.
```

lshal | grep keyboard

```
  info.capabilities = {'input', 'input.keyboard', 'input.keypad', 'input.keys', 'button'} (string list)

  info.product = 'AT Translated Set 2 keyboard'  (string)

  input.product = 'AT Translated Set 2 keyboard'  (string)

  info.capabilities = {'input', 'input.keyboard', 'input.keypad', 'input.keys', 'button'} (string list)
```

lshal | grep mouse

```
  info.product = 'IBM Enhanced (101/102-key, PS/2 mouse support)'  (string)

  pnp.description = 'IBM Enhanced (101/102-key, PS/2 mouse support)'  (string)

  info.linux.driver = 'psmouse'  (string)

  info.capabilities = {'input', 'input.keys', 'input.mouse', 'button'} (string list)

```

lshal | grep -i Microsoft

```
  info.product = 'Microsoft Wireless Desktop Receiver 3.1'  (string)

  info.vendor = 'Microsoft Corp.'  (string)

  usb_device.product = 'Microsoft Wireless Desktop Receiver 3.1'  (string)

  usb_device.vendor = 'Microsoft Corp.'  (string)

  usb.vendor = 'Microsoft Corp.'  (string)

  info.product = 'Microsft Microsoft Wireless Desktop Receiver 3.1'  (string)

  input.product = 'Microsft Microsoft Wireless Desktop Receiver 3.1'  (string)

  usb.vendor = 'Microsoft Corp.'  (string)

  info.product = 'Microsft Microsoft Wireless Desktop Receiver 3.1'  (string)

  input.product = 'Microsft Microsoft Wireless Desktop Receiver 3.1'  (string)

```

lshal | grep -i Synaptic

```
  info.product = 'SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad'  (string)

  input.product = 'SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad'  (string)

```

cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf

```

# nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings

# nvidia-settings:  version 1.0  (root@mygentoo)  Sat Feb  7 17:36:17 EST 2009

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig

# nvidia-xconfig:  version 1.0  (buildmeister@builder63)  Tue Nov  4 14:07:17 PST 2008

# Auto-generated by mkxf86config

Section "ServerLayout"

# Serial Mouse not detected

    Identifier     "X.Org Configured"

    Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0

    InputDevice    "Serial Mouse" "CorePointer"

    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"

    InputDevice    "PS/2 Mouse" "AlwaysCore"

    InputDevice    "USB Mouse" "AlwaysCore"

    InputDevice    "Synaptics" "AlwaysCore"

EndSection

Section "Files"

    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/util"

    <I snipped this long FontPath list>

EndSection

Section "Module"

    Load           "ddc"

    Load           "vbe"

    Load           "dbe"

    Load           "extmod"

    Load           "glx"

    Load           "bitmap"

    Load           "type1"

    Load           "freetype"

    Load           "record"

EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"

    Option         "AllowMouseOpenFail" "true"

    Option         "Xinerama" "0"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    Identifier     "Keyboard0"

    Driver         "kbd"

    Option         "CoreKeyboard"

    Option         "XkbRules" "xorg"

    Option         "XkbModel" "pc105"

#   Option   "XkbOptions" "grp:toggle,grp_led:scroll"

    Option         "XkbVariant" ",winkeys"

    Option         "XkbLayout" ""

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    Identifier     "Serial Mouse"

    Driver         "mouse"

    Option         "Protocol" "Microsoft"

    Option         "Device" "/dev/ttyS0"

    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "true"

    Option         "Emulate3Timeout" "70"

    Option         "SendCoreEvents" "true"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    Identifier     "PS/2 Mouse"

    Driver         "mouse"

    Option         "Protocol" "IMPS/2"

    Option         "Device" "/dev/misc/psaux"

    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "true"

    Option         "Emulate3Timeout" "70"

    Option         "SendCoreEvents" "true"

    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    Identifier     "USB Mouse"

    Driver         "mouse"

    Option         "Device" "/dev/input/mice"

    Option         "SendCoreEvents" "true"

    Option         "Protocol" "IMPS/2"

    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"

    Option         "Buttons" "5"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    Identifier     "Synaptics"

    Driver         "synaptics"

    Option         "Protocol" "event"

    Option         "Device" "/dev/input/event2"

    Option         "LeftEdge" "1900"

    Option         "RightEdge" "5400"

    Option         "TopEdge" "1900"

    Option         "BottomEdge" "4000"

    Option         "FingerLow" "25"

    Option         "FingerHigh" "30"

    Option         "MaxTapTime" "180"

    Option         "MaxTapMove" "220"

    Option         "VertScrollDelta" "100"

    Option         "MinSpeed" "0.02"

    Option         "MaxSpeed" "0.10"

    Option         "AccelFactor" "0.0010"

    Option         "SHMConfig" "on"

EndSection

Section "Monitor"

    Identifier     "Monitor0"

    VendorName     "Unknown"

    ModelName      "CMO"

    HorizSync       30.0 - 75.0

    VertRefresh     60.0

EndSection

Section "Device"

   ### Available Driver options are:-

   # sw_cursor is needed for some ati and radeon cards

   # The following line is auto-generated by x11-misc/mkxf86config

#   BusID       "PCI:1:0:0"

    Identifier     "Card0"

    Driver         "nvidia"

    VendorName     "All"

    BoardName      "All"

EndSection

Section "Device"

    Identifier     "Videocard0"

    Driver         "nvidia"

    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"

    BoardName      "GeForce Go 7400"

EndSection

Section "Screen"

    Identifier     "Screen0"

    Device         "Videocard0"

    Monitor        "Monitor0"

    DefaultDepth    24

    Option         "sw_cursor"

   #Option     "hw_cursor"

   #Option     "NoAccel"

   #Option     "ShowCache"

   #Option     "ShadowFB"

   #Option     "UseFBDev"

   #Option     "Rotate"

   #Option     "MonitorLayout" "LVDS, NONE"

    Option         "TwinView" "0"

    Option         "metamodes" "1440x900 +0+0; 800x600 +0+0; 640x480 +0+0"

    SubSection     "Display"

        Depth       24

    EndSubSection

EndSection

```

----------

## honp

Look here: 

ls /etc/hal/fdi/policy/

if there is 

10-x11-input.fdi - for keyboard

and  

11-x11-something.fdi for mouse you can comment your xorg.conf input section and try.

And try to search this forum, you will find what you need:)

----------

## stringchopper

thanks for your input.

I did search this forum, both "hal xorg" and "fdi xorg", but so many random results as the search engine has no option for searching topic subject lines.  :Sad: 

So, do I need a separate fdi file for each input device?  

My xorg has sections for Serial, PS/2, and USB, as well as synaptics.  I'm not sure why I need the serial or PS/2 to begin with.  Are they needed for my touchpad to work, or for my wireless mouse to work with the wireless receiver?

Am I supposed to comment the "InputDevice" lines from the ServerLayout section *and* the entire "Section InputDevice" blocks?

----------

## d2_racing

Hi, double check this thread : https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-722498.html

----------

## depontius

If I may, I'd like to sieze on this thread, and morph it just a little:

IsThere some sort of "Getting started with HAL" or "HowTo become a HAL Guru in 9 E-Z lessons" documentation out there?  I've done some searching, admittedly not a heck of a lot, but neither have I found much.

There is a lot of emphasis these days on making Linux "just work" and I tend to dislike it.  Usually those "just work" things do so about 85%-90% of the time, and the other times, when they do fail, they get in the way of your trying to make it work, yourself.  At the moment, I lump HAL into that "usually works, otherwise gets in your way" bucket.  It gives me the impression of a bazillian bits of cryptic HTML that are sent down from the mountaintop, and there are a few gurus who help out.

Perhaps another way of phrasing that is that it looks like a steep learning curve.  Maybe I'm being unfair.  At the moment, I'm not looking forward to the day when I *have* to use HAL as part of my X configuration, but maybe a little knowledge would erase that feeling.

----------

## honp

At the first i thought you are right, but then i had found http://people.freedesktop.org/~david/hal-spec/hal-spec.html and this doc is not written so bad.

----------

## depontius

I've started scanning that before, but never really read it.

What I think would really help would be for someone to take a few HAL stanzas and "dissect" them as examples.  There's nothing so scary as a blank page, and at the moment that document gives me a blank page feel.  Maybe what I need to do is take someone's Xorg input example, and use that document to dissect it.  Then I'd have my starting point, a non-blank page.

But hey, I'm lazy, or at least badly time-challenged.  A "Learning HAL" document that referenced the spec, then gave a few dissection examples would be a big help.

----------

## honp

The truth is, that i didn`t need read about hal, cause it "just worked"  :Smile:  I compiled, or emerged  :Smile:  xorg, it said that it was necessary to remove input section from xorg.conf, i did it and all warked just fine. So, when it is necesary to learn hal, we will learn it:)

----------

## d2_racing

In fact, if you use a standard en_US keyboard layout...but if you use a fr_CA, then you need to tweak it  :Razz: 

----------

## stringchopper

 *honp wrote:*   

> The truth is, that i didn`t need read about hal, cause it "just worked"  I compiled, or emerged  xorg, it said that it was necessary to remove input section from xorg.conf, i did it and all warked just fine. So, when it is necesary to learn hal, we will learn it:)

 

I removed the Input Section and couldn't boot into desktop.  Luckily, I had a console terminal and a backup of xorg.conf

I'd still like to know if I need to add a separate fdi file for each input section - because I have several input sections for my mouse.  And, do I comment out the line in the Server Layout section that refers to the input device as well - or just the InputDevice Section?

----------

## depontius

My point is that when it "just works" it's simpler than ever.  But when it fails to "just work" it's way more cryptic than our old friend, xorg.conf.  (Or xf86config, for old-timers.)

Other than "emerge and it just works" or seeking guru assistance for cryptic fdi strings, IsThere somewhere a HowTo to convert xorg over to using HAL for input devices?  That seems to be a decent starting point, these days.

----------

## honp

stringchopper: 

you should add

```
Section "ServerFlags"

...

    Option         "AutoAddDevices" "on"

    Option         "AutoEnableDevices" "on"

    Option         "AllowEmptyInput" "on"

...

EndSection

```

this is what i have:

```
#cat /etc/hal/fdi/policy/10-x11-input.fdi 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> 

<deviceinfo version="0.2"> 

    <!-- kalvesnice --> 

    <match key="info.capabilities" contains="input.keymap"> 

      <append key="info.callouts.add" type="strlist">hal-setup-keymap</append> 

    </match> 

    <match key="info.capabilities" contains="input.keys"> 

      <merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string">evdev</merge> 

      <merge key="input.x11_options.XkbRules" type="string">evdev</merge> 

      <!--<match key="info.product" contains="Logitech"> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.XkbModel" type="string">logitech_base</merge> 

      </match> -->

      

      <match key="info.product" contains="AT Translated Set 2 keyboard"> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.XkbModel" type="string">asus_laptop</merge> 

      </match> 

      <merge key="input.x11_options.XkbLayout" type="string">us,cz</merge> 

      <merge key="input.x11_options.XkbVariant" type="string">,qwerty</merge> 

      <merge key="input.x11_options.XkbOptions" type="string">grp:alt_shift_toggle</merge> 

    </match> 

    

    <!-- mys --> 

    <match key="info.capabilities" contains="input.mouse"> 

        <merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string">evdev</merge> 

    </match> 

    <!-- touchpad --> 

    <match key="info.capabilities" contains="input.touchpad"> 

        <match key="info.product" contains="SynPS/2"> 

          <merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string">synaptics</merge> 

          <merge key="input.x11_options.SHMConfig" type="string">true</merge> 

        </match> 

    </match> 

</deviceinfo>
```

```
 #cat /etc/hal/fdi/policy/11-x11-synaptics.fdi 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> 

<deviceinfo version="0.2"> 

  <device> 

    <match key="info.capabilities" contains="input.touchpad"> 

      <match key="info.product" contains="AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint TouchPad"> 

        <merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string">synaptics</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.Emulate3Buttons" type="string">yes</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.LockedDrags" type="string">0</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.PalmDetect" type="string">yes</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.CoastingSpeed" type="string">20</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.TapButton1" type="string">1</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.TapButton2" type="string">2</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.TapButton3" type="string">3</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.SHMConfig" type="string">on</merge> 

      </match> 

      <match key="info.product" contains="AlpsPS/2 ALPS"> 

        <merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string">synaptics</merge> 

      </match> 

      <match key="info.product" contains="appletouch"> 

        <merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string">synaptics</merge> 

      </match> 

    </match> 

  </device> 

</deviceinfo>
```

depontius:

by chance i have read this today morning, and think that it is interesting and funny reading:

http://www.mythic-beasts.com/~mark/random/hal/

----------

## d2_racing

And if you don't have these 3 :

```

Section "ServerFlags" 

    Option         "AutoAddDevices" "on" 

    Option         "AutoEnableDevices" "on" 

    Option         "AllowEmptyInput" "on" 

EndSection 

```

What will happen ?

I think I didn't mention at all these inside the sticky post.

----------

## honp

What happen if i don`t have these 3?

Nothing. It still work... :Smile: 

----------

## d2_racing

Ok, that's why they are not inside the sticky post  :Razz: 

----------

## VoidMage

Well, those three are defaults in 1.5.3.

----------

## dmpogo

You still don't HAVE to use hal for input devices.

Just add

     Option 	"AutoAddDevices"	"False"

in Section "ServerFlags"  of xorg.conf,  and hal will not intefere with input devices.

If you want hal functionality ( I don't, for example) then it is another story

----------

## depontius

I would like to try using HAL for X input.  It seems to be a general direction, so I may as well try to learn about it, and right now X input seems to be the camel's nose trying to get into the tent.

I've seen lots of information about it here and other places, primarily in response to problems - is there a condensed "migration guide" or HowTo?  Certainly a set of coherent directions would help, as opposed to hoping it will "just work."

----------

## stringchopper

so why do you have 3 "info.product" keys, two of which are "AlpsPS/2" with merge keys for the input.x11_driver, "synaptics"???

Is that redundant by accident or is there a purpose?

thanks  :Smile: 

```
 #cat /etc/hal/fdi/policy/11-x11-synaptics.fdi 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> 

<deviceinfo version="0.2"> 

  <device> 

    <match key="info.capabilities" contains="input.touchpad"> 

      <match key="info.product" contains="AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint TouchPad"> 

        <merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string">synaptics</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.Emulate3Buttons" type="string">yes</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.LockedDrags" type="string">0</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.PalmDetect" type="string">yes</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.CoastingSpeed" type="string">20</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.TapButton1" type="string">1</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.TapButton2" type="string">2</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.TapButton3" type="string">3</merge> 

        <merge key="input.x11_options.SHMConfig" type="string">on</merge> 

      </match> 

      <match key="info.product" contains="AlpsPS/2 ALPS"> 

        <merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string">synaptics</merge> 

      </match> 

      <match key="info.product" contains="appletouch"> 

        <merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string">synaptics</merge> 

      </match> 

    </match> 

  </device> 

</deviceinfo>
```

----------

## honp

The Palm, info.product key it is by accident, the nex two are for my notebook "mice". I can try what it wil do without it:)

H.

----------

## bassai

why is the very readable xorg.conf beeing substituted by unreadable xml code?

----------

## d2_racing

It's a programmer thing I think  :Razz: 

----------

## asturm

fdi configuration is a mess, but it works after some fiddling around.

What about some more happy system breaking?  :Wink: 

Make sure you enabled evdev in your kernel:

```
cat /usr/src/linux/.config | grep EVDEV

CONFIG_INPUT_EVDEV=m
```

Put (at least) those into your package.keywords:

```
=x11-drivers/xf86-input-synaptics-1.0.0

=x11-drivers/xf86-input-evdev-2.1.2

~sys-apps/hal-0.5.11

=app-misc/hal-info-2008*
```

/etc/make.conf:

```
INPUT_DEVICES="evdev synaptics"
```

(you won't need more)

```
emerge -uvaDN world

mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.old
```

Your shiny new /etc/X11/xorg.conf:

```
Section "Device"

        Identifier  "GeForce_Go7400"

        Driver      "nvidia"

EndSection
```

```
cp /usr/share/hal/fdi/policy/10osvendor/10-x11-input.fdi /etc/hal/fdi/policy/

cp /usr/share/hal/fdi/policy/10osvendor/11-x11-synaptics.fdi /etc/hal/fdi/policy/
```

Enable evdev for your keyboard and mouse by setting each "input.x11_driver" value to "evdev" instead of "mouse" and "keyboard" (in 11-x11-synaptics of course keep synaptics).

Alter your settings further, if necessary (language, keymap), standard horizontal scrolling setting with latest synaptics driver should be double fingers, my laptop is currently not in range though so I'm writing this offhand.

Make sure hald is in your default runlevel:

```
rc-update show | grep hald
```

Reboot. Hope.

----------

## stringchopper

 *genstorm wrote:*   

> fdi configuration is a mess, but it works after some fiddling around.
> 
> What about some more happy system breaking? 
> 
> 

 

sure - will try this tomorrow as it's getting late for me today.  Just a few questions first.

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> Make sure you enabled evdev in your kernel:
> 
> ```
> ...

 

mine is 'y', built-in, I don't suppose that makes a difference?

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> Put (at least) those into your package.keywords:
> 
> ```
> ...

 

currently, I have only this in my /etc/portage/package.use -  it looks nothing like the above (=, ~, etc)

```

dev-db/mysql -berkdb

dev-libs/cyrus-sasl -berkdb

net-dns/avahi mdnsresponder-compat

```

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> /etc/make.conf:
> 
> ```
> ...

 

I don't need mouse, keyboard?  I do have a usb wireless keyboard/mouse that I use when home

```

INPUT_DEVICES="keyboard mouse evdev synaptics"

```

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> ```
> emerge -uvaDN world
> 
> ...

 

I do a world update, then rename xorg.conf to xorg.conf.old?

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> Your shiny new /etc/X11/xorg.conf:
> 
> ```
> ...

 

----------

## asturm

 *stringchopper wrote:*   

> mine is 'y', built-in, I don't suppose that makes a difference?

 

Indeed it doesn't.

 *stringchopper wrote:*   

> currently, I have only this in my /etc/portage/package.use -  it looks nothing like the above (=, ~, etc)
> 
> ```
> 
> dev-db/mysql -berkdb
> ...

 

Hmm. At this point, I'd recommend a good reading:

```
man portage
```

You should learn about the /etc/portage directory, what's its purpose, and how you can use it.

 *stringchopper wrote:*   

> I don't need mouse, keyboard?  I do have a usb wireless keyboard/mouse that I use when home

 

You don't need it because evdev will handle them for you from then on.

 *stringchopper wrote:*   

> I do a world update, then rename xorg.conf to xorg.conf.old?

 

Yes, in no particular order. That way you can still look at your big antique xorg.conf after you've created that humble 4-liner yourself (world update won't touch xorg.conf):

```
Section "Device"

        Identifier  "GeForce_Go7400"

        Driver      "nvidia"

EndSection 
```

However: You need xorg-x11-7.4 in order to really scrap your old xorg.conf. Leave out this step if you haven't done that yet and just uncomment your Input Sections then. And you can't have xorg-x11-7.4 unless you're running an ~arch system or have already created a package.keywords file (and you haven't yet, it seems).

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## stringchopper

hmmg - over 1GB on the emerge -DuNav world.... will get back to you in a day or two  :Smile: 

Seriously, how should I handle when it says 15 conflicts?  

I changed the ACCEPT_KEYWORDS="~x86" now. 

(still reading man portage)

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## milomak

 *bassai wrote:*   

> why is the very readable xorg.conf beeing substituted by unreadable xml code?

 

says it all for me. When I look at that xml code my eyes glaze over. I suspect there will come a day when I will laugh at that statement. But one can't help but feel the natural progression should be the xml progression to the current xorg.cong and not the other way around.

anyway i will set about the various links provided and try to make it work.

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## bassai

I can't see a real positive thing about this new way to configure things.

My xorg.conf has been running for 5 years. My mouse and keyboard were hotplugable.

What didn't work if I went to suspend was my wacom tablet. But with the fdi files I can't even find a

way to configure it properly and easy (with stylus eraser and pad) by tryinig to write a huge XML fdi file.

I think XML and fdi is a step back because everyone could easily edit the only file xorg.conf and now

there are several decentralized files to configure things which are definitely not easy to read and edit

(for a newbee and experienced Linux users as well).

I think there is a need for an easy configuration interface in Linux where every input device can be

seen and edited.

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## milomak

my guess is that Linux devs have seen to many people are trying Linux and are trying to obscure them away :p

are there any posts/sites which explain why the hal method is better than xorg method? i dread the day when USE"-hal" is no longer a supported option. Already Fedora seem to have gone that route.

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## depontius

So it's time to shove my nose in sideways, again.

Other than being a bit verbose and obscure, I won't gripe too hard about XML.  At least it's still text, and can be FIXED with a text editor from a boot disk - no GUI needed.  From what others have pointed out to me, there is a spec, and it is documented.  Some of those strings look to long and too specific to have been fully documented, but for the moment I'll withold judgement.

I will simply say that it has an ugly learning curve, starting with a huge step.  It looks to me as if though HAL has been around and is well embedded in other distributions, THIS is the first place where it's getting rubbed in the noses of old-school Linux geeks.

We need: "HowTo convert your Xorg input from xorg.conf to xevent and HAL".  Something to get started, to get a foot on the ladder.  We know how to take it from there.

I really don't like "just works", because that only happens 90% of the time, and usually confounds you utterly the last 10%.

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## stringchopper

try the arch linux wiki

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## dmpogo

 *milomak wrote:*   

> my guess is that Linux devs have seen to many people are trying Linux and are trying to obscure them away :p
> 
> are there any posts/sites which explain why the hal method is better than xorg method? i dread the day when USE"-hal" is no longer a supported option. Already Fedora seem to have gone that route.

 

That will be the day I'll bite the bullet and buy a Mac     :Crying or Very sad:   . If to go 'just work' route, why not to go all the way.

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## depontius

 *stringchopper wrote:*   

> try the arch linux wiki

 

Thanks for the pointer - I'm killing a small tree branch with it now, and will read it next time I get a chance.  It may be what I need to bootstrap myself to the "Read the HAL spec" level.

----------

