MS Natural keyboard extra keys using usb

MS Natural keyboard extra keys using usb

[Daniel Ceregatti]

Hi,

First off, I do not subcribe to the kernel list, so if anyone responds
to this, please CC me at vi@sh.nu.

I've got an MS Natural keyboard plugged in via USB. I've mapped all the
"Internet Keys", those blue keys above the keyboard, in X using xmodmap.
I use them to control xmms, volume, spawn shells, etc.

Ever since 2.4.10, these keys have stopped working. I suspect it's some
issue with USB, as my mouse, an MS Intellimouse Optical, also stopped
working in X with that kernel. The fix for the mouse was to change the
protocol from NetmousePS/2 to ExplorerPS/2. I never use console, so I
don't know if it broke there too. Keep in mind here that the only thing
that changed was the kernel. Nothing in X changed. If I go back to
2.4.9, everything works as it did before. This problem exists with all
kernels between 2.4.10 and 2.4.13.

To further prove the usb theory, these mouse and keyboard issues have
been present in all the ac kernels since about 2.4.5-acX. I understand
that a lot of these ac changes were merged into 2.4.10. So it seems
logical to conclude that something that was merged from ac is the cause
of this.

I'm not a kernel programmer, so I have no idea how to troubleshoot this.
I've searched high and low for resolutions to this issue and have come
up blank. That is why I'm posting here.

Thanks,

Daniel Ceregatti

Re: MS Natural keyboard extra keys using usb

[Daniel Ceregatti]

Here is a snippet from lsmod:

keybdev                 1728   0  (unused)

If I remove that module, the keyboard ceases to function. I have to ssh 
in and re-insert it. I have no idea why it says unused.

The module is loaded explicitly in rc.sysinit (Redhat 7.1)

2.4.9, the kernel where these keys work, uses the same driver.

Daniel

Greg KH wrote:

>On Fri, Nov 09, 2001 at 12:23:22PM -0800, Daniel Ceregatti wrote:
>
>>Ever since 2.4.10, these keys have stopped working.
>>
>
>Are you sure you are still using the HID keyboard drivers, and not the
>usbkbd (boot protocol keyboard) driver?
>
>thanks,
>
>greg k-h
>

Re: MS Natural keyboard extra keys using usb

[Greg KH]

On Fri, Nov 09, 2001 at 12:23:22PM -0800, Daniel Ceregatti wrote:
> 
> Ever since 2.4.10, these keys have stopped working.

Are you sure you are still using the HID keyboard drivers, and not the
usbkbd (boot protocol keyboard) driver?

thanks,

greg k-h

Re: MS Natural keyboard extra keys using usb

[Greg KH]

On Fri, Nov 09, 2001 at 04:14:56PM -0800, Daniel Ceregatti wrote:
> Here is a snippet from lsmod:
> 
> keybdev                 1728   0  (unused)
> 
> If I remove that module, the keyboard ceases to function. I have to ssh 
> in and re-insert it. I have no idea why it says unused.
> 
> The module is loaded explicitly in rc.sysinit (Redhat 7.1)
> 
> 2.4.9, the kernel where these keys work, uses the same driver.

Hm, I'd recommend asking this on the linux-usb-devel list, which is
where the keyboard and HID developers are.

thanks,

greg k-h

Re: MS Natural keyboard extra keys using usb

[Greg Sheard]

On Sat, 2001-11-10 at 01:00, Greg KH wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 09, 2001 at 12:23:22PM -0800, Daniel Ceregatti wrote:
> > 
> > Ever since 2.4.10, these keys have stopped working.
> 
> Are you sure you are still using the HID keyboard drivers, and not the
> usbkbd (boot protocol keyboard) driver?
> 

A quick squint at menuconfig in 2.4.13 offers CONFIG_USB_HIDDEV:

  Say Y here if you want to support HID devices (from the USB
  specification standpoint) that aren't strictly user interface
  devices, like monitor controls and Uninterruptable Power Supplies.
  It is also used for "consumer keys" on multimedia keyboards and
  USB speakers.

  This module supports these devices separately using a separate
  event interface on /dev/usb/hiddevX (char 180:96 to 180:111).
  This driver requires CONFIG_USB_HID.

IMHO this may offer the functionality that's disappeared - whilst I also
have a Natural Keyboard, I've yet to bother mapping the consumer keys.

Cheers,
Greg.