On Fri, 5 Feb 2021 08:04:26 -0500
Steve Litt <slitt@???> wrote:

> On Fri, 05 Feb 2021 12:12:33 +0100
> Florian Zieboll via Dng <dng@???> wrote:
>
> > > By first installing Windows 7 and then the Synaptic drivers on an
> > > old HDD I was able to restore touchpad functionality with the
> > > Fn+F9 switching. This is a programmable multi-gesture touchpad
> > > which I guess may have flash memory.
> > >
> > > There has got to be a better way....
> >
> >
> > Hallo g4sra,
> >
> > as you replied off-list and I don't know of any better way, I bring
> > the issue back to the list: Perhaps someone has a hint on resetting
> > the device, if you'd reveal its make and model?
> >
> > Another idea out of thin air: Did you remove the CMOS battery - or
> > does the notebook provide a button (or pins) to reset the bios
> > password?
> >
> > libre Grüße,
> > Florian
> >
>
> The following shellscript, called touchtoggle.sh, should do what you
> need.
>
> ======================================================
> #!/bin/sh
>
> # touchtoggle.sh Copyright (C) 2019 by Steve Litt
> # All rights reserved.
> # Licensed via the
> # Expat license: https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/License:Expat
>
> # FIRST GET DEVICE'S DEVICE ID CONTAINING CASE INSENSITIVE "TOUCHPAD"
> devid=`xinput | grep -i touchpad | \
> sed -e"s/.*id=//" | sed -e"s/\s.*//"`
>
> # WITH THAT DEVICE ID, FIND EVERYTING ABOUT PROPERTY
> # CONTAINING CASE INSENSITIVE "DEVICE ENABLED"
> scratchline=`xinput --list-props 11 | \
> grep -i "device enabled" | \
> sed -e"s/^\s*//" | sed -e"s/\s*$//"`
> proptext=`echo $scratchline | sed -e"s/\s*(.*//"`
> propid=`echo $scratchline | sed -e"s/.*(//" | sed -e"s/).*//"`
> currstate=`echo $scratchline | sed -e"s/.*):\s*//"`
>

> # DIAGNOSTICS, COMMENT OUT WHEN FULLY FUNCTIONAL
> echo diagnostic devid      =$devid
> echo diagnostic scratchline=$scratchline
> echo diagnostic proptext   =$proptext#
> echo diagnostic propid     =$propid

>

> # TOGGLE CURRSTATE VARIABLE
> echo -n "Current state of $currstate "
> if test "$currstate" = "1"; then
>     currstate=0
> else
>     currstate=1
> fi
> echo has been changed to $currstate.

>
> # IMPLEMENT THE PROPERTY VALUE CHANGE
> xinput set-prop $devid $propid $currstate
>
> # UNCOMMENT FOLLOWING LINE IF PROPERTY ID STOPS WORKING
> #xinput set-prop $devid "$proptext" $currstate
>
> ======================================================
>
> I've had several versions of this shellscript, so please let me know
> whether it works for you.
>
> SteveT



Hallo Steve,

[sorry, now to the list]

after having had a look at your script and the 'xinput' manpage, I
still don't understand, where the information about the device's state
is stored.

As the current state is preserved between different operating systems:
Do I assume correctly, that the touchpad is "stateful" (enabled |
disabled) and replacing a disabled one with an identical one from
another computer (where it had not been disabled) would restore its
functionality?

Thank you and best regards,
Florian