[N310] Fn-keys + VGA + samsung-scripts

[endless]

Hello,

I have a few questions regarding my ubuntu installation on my N310; I upgraded to the kernel in the repository:
2.6.31-18-generic

- why not using the default keybindings for backlight control? (i.e. on a supported laptop, ubuntu shows a brightness icon and indicates the level of brightness, comparable to the indicator for sound volume)

- If I understand correctly, In order to bind the keys to the corresponding samsung-scripts command, one needs compiz? I use gnome-shell and the keys are not bound (yet). Why does one need to use compiz?

- samsung scripts work; only when enabling bluetooth; I get this message:
$ sudo samsung-scripts bluetooth
/usr/lib/samsung-scripts/bluetooth.sh: line 66: /sys/bus/usb/devices/3-2/power/level: No such file or directory
Bluetooth - Bluetooth enabled

- backlight does not work (the backlight applet is disabled) ; how can I test on command line?? How can I fix this?

- VGA out makes the machine freak; the external monitor keeps switching on and off.

many thanks in advance

[endless]

Ok, question 3 is not relevant anymore; I didn't notice I had karmic-proposed enabled, and thus was on kernel 2.6.31-18 and not on 2.6.31-17 from your kernel. Backlight works fine now (although no standard indicator, but that may be a gnome-shell issue).

Other questions remain

- how would I enable the fn keys without compiz (ie. in pure metacity or on gnome-shell)
- Anyone experiences with VGA out on N310?


Endless

[voria]

Hello

Welcome to the forum.

I upgraded to the kernel in the repository:
2.6.31-18-generic

Kernel 2.6.31-18 is only available on proposed repositories, not on the main ones.
I do not support proposed updates, my latest kernel on the experimental repository is 2.6.31-17, and it's the same for 'samsung-backlight' and 'samsung-wireless', built against kernel 2.6.31-17.

- why not using the default keybindings for backlight control? (i.e. on a supported laptop, ubuntu shows a brightness icon and indicates the level of brightness, comparable to the indicator for sound volume)

Yes, infact my 'samsung-scripts' does not modify the keybindings for backlight control.
It sets the behaviour of the Fn-F5, Fn-F7, Fn-F8, Fn-F9 keys (and other non-standard hotkeys for toggling the webcam and switching metacity/compiz windows managers).
Actually, I'm not sure to understand why you ask this. Assuming you have installed the 'samsung-backlight' package in order to enable the backlight control on N310, your Fn-up and down keys should change the backlight and the usual popup notification should appear (but, since you are using a kernel with no patch for forcing FN keys release, they remain stuck).

- If I understand correctly, In order to bind the keys to the corresponding samsung-scripts command, one needs compiz? I use gnome-shell and the keys are not bound (yet). Why does one need to use compiz?

The hotkeys are controlled by a compiz plugin, gnome refers to it even when compiz is not actually in use. Instead I've never tried gnome-shell, so I'm sorry, I don't know how it works.

- samsung scripts work; only when enabling bluetooth; I get this message:
$ sudo samsung-scripts bluetooth
/usr/lib/samsung-scripts/bluetooth.sh: line 66: /sys/bus/usb/devices/3-2/power/level: No such file or directory
Bluetooth - Bluetooth enabled

My scripts are mainly thinked for Samsung NC10, they try to enable the USB autosuspend option for bluetooth and webcam. On NC10, that one is the path for setting such option for the bluetooth. You have to find the correct device number in '/sys/bus/usb/devices/' for your bluetooth device (on NC10 it's 3-2), and set it accordingly in '/etc/default/samsung-scripts'. Or, alternatively, just disable the option (follow instructions in '/etc/default/samsung-scripts').

- backlight does not work (the backlight applet is disabled) ; how can I test on command line?? How can I fix this?

The backlight is not controllable by default on Karmic, due to the bad BIOS shipped with Samsung netbooks. For NC10 and some other models Samsung has released a fixed BIOS. For all the other models, there is the need to use the 'samsung-backlight' package from my repository. Test it (as I said, it's for kernel 2.6.31-17).

- VGA out makes the machine freak; the external monitor keeps switching on and off.

There are some problems with the VGA out, specificly when trying to use it with a composite manager enabled (compiz, for instance). Unfortunately the problem cannot be properly fixed with the current mesa stack shipped with Karmic, we have to wait for the next Ubuntu release, Lucid.
I don't know how to fix the problem with gnome-shell. On a standard ubuntu installation, the problem can be easily workarounded by making sure compiz is disabled prior to enable the VGA out (this is the reason why 'samsung-scripts' includes a script for switching compiz/metacity windows managers).

[voria]

Oh, I didn't notice your new post.
Well, it doesn't matter.

Backlight works fine now (although no standard indicator, but that may be a gnome-shell issue).

Are you using my 'samsung-backlight' package, or the backlight control works by default?
I added the N310 support to the package (actually, I don't even know if it's really needed), and I'm yet waiting for reports from N310 users.

[endless]

I am using the samsung-backlight package, but not samsung-wireless (the n310 has atheros wifi chip). I will now remove the samsung-backlight and see backlight control still works after reboot.

[endless]

Ok, apparently the N310 needs the samsung-backlight package for those keys to work.

[endless]

My dmesg is full of the stuff pasted below; is that a problem?

[ 195.050069] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 195.096726] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 18
[ 195.096778] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 1, Code: 18, Value: 0
[ 195.096802] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 195.137748] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 31
[ 195.137780] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 1, Code: 31, Value: 1
[ 195.137799] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 195.185664] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 34
[ 195.185708] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 1, Code: 34, Value: 1
[ 195.185736] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 195.259146] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 31
[ 195.259191] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 1, Code: 31, Value: 0
[ 195.259216] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
[ 195.286156] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 4, Code: 4, Value: 28
[ 195.286200] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 1, Code: 28, Value: 1
[ 195.286233] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0

[voria]

Ok, apparently the N310 needs the samsung-backlight package for those keys to work.

Thanks for testing.

My dmesg is full of the stuff pasted below; is that a problem?
[ 195.050069] evbug.c: Event. Dev: input5, Type: 0, Code: 0, Value: 0
...

It's the output of the evbug kernel module, it's used for debugging purposes.
Normally it should not be used, infact it should not be loaded automatically at boot time.
If it keeps to be loaded, add it to '/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf' file.