Ubuntu Wiki

• Contact: Neehilo

• Make: ASUSTek Computer Inc.
• Brand: ASUS
• Model: UL30A

Current Issues

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In Ubuntu 9.10, default setup :

• Gnome power manager interferes with manual setting of screen backlight (see Notes at end of page).
• Touchpad may not be disabled with Fn+F9 (see Notes at end of page).

System Info

system-manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.

system-product-name: UL30A

system-version: 1.0

Hardware details

Notes

Ubuntu 9.10 - Gnome power manager and screen backlight

Gnome power manager interferes with manual setting of screen backlight : it works for some seconds, and after some idle or mouse move, the screen backlight is restored to the default level (AC or battery).

Suggestion for fixing : bash script that disables gnome-power-manager screen brightness handler, and use xbacklight to modify screen backlight.

The script backups all modified files, installs xbacklight if needed, and replaces the default ACPI brightness handling with xbacklight calls. Creates a "lcd" script in "bin" subdirectory of user's home. That "lcd" script should be run on startup to initialize default brightness level.

Script :

# Neehilo's Asus UL30A Screen Brightness Fix
# Release 1.0 - 2009-12-17
#
# - installs xbacklight if required
# - backups Asus ACPI Brightness scripts /etc/acpi/asus-brn-down.sh to /etc/acpi/asus-brn-down.sh.dist
#   /etc/acpi/asus-brn-up.sh to /etc/acpi/asus-brn-up.sh.dist
# - replaces both scripts with xbacklight calls (10% step)
# - disables gnome-power-manager brightness handler
#   May be restored with console command :
#      gconftool-2 --set /apps/gnome-power-manager/backlight/enable --type bool 1
#   Or run "gconf-editor", browse "/apps/gnome-power-manager/backlight", and click "enable".
# - creates "lcd" script in "bin" subdirectory of user's home. Subdirectory will be created if required.
#   "lcd" script should be added to startup programs to initialize brightness to chosen level (see LCD_DEFAULT=15 line) on #   startup.
#   "lcd" script may also be called with "up" and "down" parameters to change brightness level.
#
# Tested with Karmic Koala 64 bits on Asus UL30A
# Should work with all xbacklight compatible graphic cards
#
# Requires administrator privileges (will ask for sudo password)

echo "Neehilo's Asus UL30A Screen Brightness Fix"

# Install xbacklight if needed
if [ ! -f /usr/bin/xbacklight ]; then
 sudo apt-get install xbacklight
fi

# Backup default Asus ACPI Brightness scripts if required
if [ ! -f /etc/acpi/asus-brn-down.sh.dist ]; then
 sudo cp -a /etc/acpi/asus-brn-down.sh /etc/acpi/asus-brn-down.sh.dist
fi

if [ ! -f /etc/acpi/asus-brn-up.sh.dist ]; then
 sudo cp -a /etc/acpi/asus-brn-up.sh /etc/acpi/asus-brn-up.sh.dist
fi

# Replace ACPI Brightness scripts
sudo bash -c "
cat >/etc/acpi/asus-brn-down.sh <<EOT
#!/bin/sh
xbacklight -dec 10
EOT"
sudo chmod +x /etc/acpi/asus-brn-down.sh

sudo bash -c "
cat >/etc/acpi/asus-brn-up.sh <<EOT
#!/bin/sh
xbacklight -inc 10
EOT"
sudo chmod +x /etc/acpi/asus-brn-up.sh

# Disable gnome-power-manager brightness system
gconftool-2 --set /apps/gnome-power-manager/backlight/enable --type bool 0

# Create lcd setting script in "bin" subdirectory of user's home, should be called on startup
# Default value and increase/decrease step may be customized with variables LCD_DEFAULT and LCD_STEP
if [ ! -f ~/bin/lcd ]; then
   if [ ! -d ~/bin ]; then
      mkdir ~/bin
   fi

   cat >~/bin/lcd <<'EOT'
#!/bin/sh
LCD_DEFAULT=15
LCD_STEP=10
case $1 in
  default) xbacklight -set $LCD_DEFAULT;;
  up)      xbacklight -inc $LCD_STEP;;
  down)    xbacklight -dec $LCD_STEP;;
  *)       xbacklight -set $LCD_DEFAULT;;
esac
EOT
   chmod +x ~/bin/lcd
fi

echo "Done. Please add ~/bin/lcd to startup programs."

As suggested by Thomas, if Gnome power manager reactivates, you may disable it manually :

• launch gconf-editor
• go to "/apps/gnome-power-manager/backlight", and uncheck "enable"

The following command line should have the same effect :

gconftool-2 --set /apps/gnome-power-manager/backlight/enable --type bool 0

Ubuntu 9.10 - Disable touchpad with Fn+F9

With default Ubuntu setup, touchpad may not be disabled with Fn+F9.

As suggested by Jacob (launchpad), it can be fixed as follows :

• modify /etc/acpi/events/asus-touchpad, change line "event=hotkey (ATKD|HOTK) 0000006a" with "event=hotkey (ATKD|HOTK) 0000006b"

• backup /etc/acpi/asus-touchpad.sh,
• modify /etc/acpi/asus-touchpad.sh content with Jacob's script :

[ -f /usr/share/acpi-support/state-funcs ] || exit 0

. /usr/share/acpi-support/power-funcs

# if this is the right behavior, then this should be moved out of acpi-support
# to hal (or whatever is replacing hal for such events)
getXconsole

XINPUT="ImPS/2 Logitech Wheel Mouse"

# get the current state of the touchpad
tpstate=`xinput list-props "$XINPUT" | grep "Device Enabled" | cut -d: -f2`

# if getting the status failed, exit
test -z $tpstate && exit 1

if [ $tpstate -eq 0 ]; then
   xinput set-int-prop "$XINPUT" "Device Enabled" 8 1
else
   xinput set-int-prop "$XINPUT" "Device Enabled" 8 0
fi

Lucid Lynx - ACPI errors and problems with FN+x key combinations (backlight, touchpad disable)

Issues with backlight dimming (brightness), Various ACPI error messages like ACPI Error (psparse-0537): Method parse/execution failed [\_SB_.PCI0.VGA_.GCBL] (Node ffff88007bb2f420), AE_AML_PACKAGE_LIMIT" and "ACPI Exception: AE_AML_PACKAGE_LIMIT, Index (000000010) is beyond end of object" , etc...

Solution: in /etc/default/grub edit the line GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX and add at least "acpi_backlight=vendor acpi_osi=linux"

CategoryLaptop