Ubuntu
xserver-xorg-input-synaptics package

Touchpad cursor moves twice as fast horizontally after connecting an external monitor

Bug #825548 reported by Anders Kaseorg on 2011-08-12

This bug affects 7 people

Affects		Status	Importance	Assigned to	Milestone
	Xserver Xorg Input Synaptics	Confirmed	Low	freedesktop-bugs #40417
	xserver-xorg-input-synaptics (Ubuntu)	Incomplete	Medium	Unassigned

Bug Description

After connecting an external monitor, the touchpad starts moving much faster in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction, as if the screen area had been stretched rather than extended to include the area of both monitors. This is really disorienting, throws off muscle memory, makes it hard to move in the right diagonal direction, etc. Reproduced in both natty and oneiric.
---
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,gnomecompat,resize,mousepoll,obs,place,regex,vpswitch,snap,move,resizeinfo,animation,wall,expo,session,ezoom,workarounds,staticswitcher,fade,scale]
CompositorRunning: None
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: oneiric
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
DistroVariant: ubuntu
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
GraphicsCard:
Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0046] (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: Lenovo Device [17aa:21d9]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Alpha amd64 (20101202)
MachineType: LENOVO 4313CTO
NonfreeKernelModules: openafs
Package: xserver-xorg-input-synaptics 1.4.1-1ubuntu1
PackageArchitecture: amd64
ProcEnviron:
PATH=(custom, user)
LANG=en_US.utf8
SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-8-generic root=/dev/mapper/fdisk-ubuntu ro apparmor=0 pcie_aspm=force quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-8.11-generic 3.0.1
Tags: oneiric ubuntu reproducible
UdevDb: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-8-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout fuse libvirtd lpadmin plugdev sambashare
dmi.bios.date: 05/24/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: 6MET86WW (1.46 )
dmi.board.name: 4313CTO
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: Not Available
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: Not Available
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvr6MET86WW(1.46):bd05/24/2011:svnLENOVO:pn4313CTO:pvrThinkPadT510:rvnLENOVO:rn4313CTO:rvrNotAvailable:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 4313CTO
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad T510
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.5.0-0ubuntu5
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu13
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.26-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu6
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.6.0-1ubuntu13
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20110811.g93fc084-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.15.901-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110411+8378443-1

See original description

Tags:

Revision history for this message

Ahmed Shams (ashams) wrote on 2011-08-14:

Hello Anders,
Thank you for reporting this bug and help making Ubuntu better. In order for this bug to be forwarded to upstream developers, it needs to be well-documented.
Please connect the external monitor then run this command from your terminal: 'apport-collect 825548' (without quotes).
Thanks.

Changed in xserver-xorg-input-synaptics (Ubuntu):
status:	New → Incomplete
summary:	- Touchpad moves twice as fast horizontally after connecting an external - monitor + Touchpad cursor moves twice as fast horizontally after connecting an + external monitor

Revision history for this message

Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: BootDmesg.txt

BootDmesg.txt Edit (64.5 KiB, text/plain)

apport information

tags:	added: apport-collected reproducible ubuntu
description:	updated

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: BootLog.gz

BootLog.gz Edit (266 bytes, application/octet-stream)

apport information

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: CurrentDmesg.txt

CurrentDmesg.txt Edit (4.5 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: Dependencies.txt

Dependencies.txt Edit (2.5 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: DpkgLog.txt

DpkgLog.txt Edit (1.3 MiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: GconfCompiz.txt

GconfCompiz.txt Edit (36.7 KiB, text/plain)

apport information

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: GdmLog.txt

GdmLog.txt Edit (29.3 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: GdmLog1.txt

GdmLog1.txt Edit (75.4 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: GdmLog2.txt

#10

GdmLog2.txt Edit (28.9 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: LightdmDisplayLog.txt

#11

LightdmDisplayLog.txt Edit (1.0 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: LightdmGreeterLog.txt

#12

LightdmGreeterLog.txt Edit (3.4 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: LightdmLog.txt

#13

LightdmLog.txt Edit (5.9 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: Lspci.txt

#14

Lspci.txt Edit (15.0 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: Lsusb.txt

#15

Lsusb.txt Edit (547 bytes, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: ProcCpuinfo.txt

#16

ProcCpuinfo.txt Edit (3.3 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: ProcInterrupts.txt

#17

ProcInterrupts.txt Edit (2.1 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: ProcModules.txt

#18

ProcModules.txt Edit (5.0 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: UdevLog.txt

#19

UdevLog.txt Edit (295.9 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: UnitySupportTest.txt

#20

UnitySupportTest.txt Edit (596 bytes, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: XorgLog.txt

#21

XorgLog.txt Edit (40.7 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: XorgLogOld.txt

#22

XorgLogOld.txt Edit (95.7 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: Xrandr.txt

#23

Xrandr.txt Edit (9.5 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: drirc.txt

#24

drirc.txt Edit (303 bytes, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: locale.txt

#25

locale.txt Edit (315 bytes, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: peripherals.txt

#26

peripherals.txt Edit (1.5 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: setxkbmap.txt

#27

setxkbmap.txt Edit (263 bytes, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: xdpyinfo.txt

#28

xdpyinfo.txt Edit (9.7 KiB, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: xinput.txt

#29

xinput.txt Edit (913 bytes, text/plain)

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Anders Kaseorg (andersk) wrote on 2011-08-15: xkbcomp.txt

#30

xkbcomp.txt Edit (53.8 KiB, text/plain)

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Changed in xserver-xorg-input-synaptics (Ubuntu):
status:	Incomplete → New

Ahmed Shams (ashams) on 2011-08-27

Changed in xserver-xorg-input-synaptics (Ubuntu):
status:	New → Confirmed

Bug Watch Updater (bug-watch-updater) on 2011-08-29

Changed in xserver-xorg-input-synaptics:
importance:	Unknown → Low
status:	Unknown → Confirmed

Revision history for this message

Bryce Harrington (bryce) wrote on 2011-08-30:

#31

Yeah this is due to the aspect ratio and scaling behavior of the mouse.
This is a known bug.

Changed in xserver-xorg-input-synaptics (Ubuntu):
importance:	Undecided → Medium

Revision history for this message

rawphi (raphael-ist) wrote on 2011-10-17:

#32

it seems that something scales the touchpad x/y speeds to the virtual screen size, without respecting aspect ratio. as this does not happen with other mice, the synaptics driver probably is to be blamed.

there's a crude hack for this bug: mimick the aspect ratio via setting the virtual screen size with xrandr

1) figure out the virtual screen size (the screen size is automatically shrink-wrapped to the smallest possible size to contain all monitors)
e.g. on my laptop, with an external monitor connected:

~$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 3360 x 1080, maximum 8192 x 8192
LVDS1 connected 1440x900+0+180 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 261mm x 163mm
   1440x900 50.0*+
   1360x768 59.8 60.0
   1152x864 60.0
   1024x768 60.0
   800x600 60.3 56.2
   640x480 59.9
VGA1 connected 1920x1080+1440+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 509mm x 286mm
   1920x1080 60.0*+
   1280x1024 75.0 60.0
   1152x864 75.0
   1024x768 75.1 60.0
   800x600 75.0 60.3
   640x480 75.0 60.0
   720x400 70.1
HDMI1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

2) increase the screen size to have the same aspect ratio as your synaptics touchpad (here, it's ~3360/1.938):
~$ xrandr --fb 3660x1734

Revision history for this message

penalvch (penalvch) wrote on 2014-01-10:

#33

Anders Kaseorg, this bug was reported a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue? If so, could you please test for this with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ .

If it remains an issue, could you please run the following command in the development release from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal), as it will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report:

apport-collect -p xserver-xorg-input-synaptics REPLACE-WITH-BUG-NUMBER

Please note, given that the information from the prior release is already available, doing this on a release prior to the development one would not be helpful.

Thank you for your understanding.

Helpful bug reporting tips:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs