Introduction

This page is a repository for user documentation regarding setting up Wacom tablets under older/unsupported configurations (for example, Breezy or Hoary installs).

Note: For up-to-date information on using Wacom tablets on current Ubuntu configurations, please refer to the Ubuntu Wacom guide instead.

Using Wacom PenPartner Serial with Hoary (Ubuntu 5.04)

What I did. And it seems to work:

• Download linuxwacom-0.6.8 from http://linuxwacom.sourceforge.net

• Determine version of X11 and linux kernel

uname -a
X -version

- Copy the right driver to the X-Server module folder

cd /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/input
sudo mv wacom_drv.o wacom_drv.o.orgsudo cp /home/andreas/Desktop/linuxwacom-0.6.8/prebuilt/wacom_drv.o_6.8k2.6 wacom_drv.o

• add the following to your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file

Section "InputDevice"
  Driver        "wacom"
  Identifier    "cursor"
  Option        "Device"        "/dev/ttyS0"          # SERIAL ONLY
  Option        "Type"          "cursor"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
  Driver        "wacom"
  Identifier    "stylus"
  Option        "Device"        "/dev/ttyS0"          # SERIAL ONLY
  Option        "Type"          "stylus"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
  Driver        "wacom"
  Identifier    "eraser"
  Option        "Device"        "/dev/ttyS0"          # SERIAL ONLY
  Option        "Type"          "eraser"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
        ...
        InputDevice     "cursor"    "SendCoreEvents"
        InputDevice     "stylus"    "SendCoreEvents"
        InputDevice     "eraser"    "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

Using Wacom Volito Under Breezy Badger (5.10)

Install the headers for the kernel you are using and symlink them to /usr/src/linux :

  $ sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r`
  $ cd /usr/src
  $ sudo ln -s linux-headers-`uname -r` linux

("uname -r" returns the version and architecture of your kernel)

• Download linuxwacom-0.6.6.tar.gz from the Linux Wacom Project. Untar, configure and compile it with this command:

  $ cd (download-foler)
  $ tar -jxf linuxwacom-0.6.6.tar.bz2
  $ cd linuxwacom-0.6.6
  $ ./configure --enable-mousedev
  $ make

where (download-foler) is the folder you saved linuxwacom-0.6.6.tar.bz2 in.

• Backup mousedev.ko and replace with the linuxwacom version:

  $ cp /lib/modules/(your-kernel)/kernel/drivers/input/mousedev.ko (backup-folder)
  $ sudo cp src/(kernel-version)/mousedev.ko /lib/modules/(your-kernel)/kernel/drivers/input

where (your-kernel) is the version and architecture of your kernel image, (kernel-version) is the kernel version and (backup-folder) is a place you can find mousedev.ko in case of an emergency.

• Find your tablet device. It is one of the "/dev/input/event" devices. You can find which one if you enter this command:

  $ sudo cat /dev/inpunt/event(num)

and try doodling on the tablet. If you get screens full of garbage, it is your tablet. (In that case, remember the (num) you used. If not, move to the next (num). Press Ctrl-C after each testing attempt to get back to the command prompt. Use:

  $ reset

if your command prompt starts showing garbage instead of your typing. (Can someone describe a better way to find the right device?)

• Edit /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 as described in the Linux Wacom Project HOWTO here and here. Remember to replace "/dev/input/event0" with the one you found in the last step. Restart your computer.

With an USB Tablet and an USB mouse, you might have to change the mouse settings in the XF86Config-4 or xorg.conf too. Change this entry in the mouse-section:

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

to

 Option          "Device"                "/dev/input/mouse1" 

or perhaps mouse0 or mouse2 in your case. I also had to change the /dev/input/event0 for the Wacom tablet to /dev/input/event2, but I didn't have to recompile the kernel. Pfew... You can check which mouse? or event? to use by opening a root terminal and typing:

 sudo xxd /dev/input/mouse0 

(or mouse1 or event0 etc) and after that moving your mouse or pen. If various caracters appear in the terminal as you move, you have the right one.

CategoryHardware CategoryWacom