Using hotplug with input.agent and input.rc

XFree Local Multi-User HOWTO
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# 5.2. Using hotplug with `input.agent` and `input.rc`

Using the input.agent will allow you to manage input devices based on their PHYS ID.

The input.rc script will run the input.agent with appropriate arguments for drivers that are built in the kernel or are loaded before hotplug is available.

## 5.2.1. `input.agent`

The input agent uses 3 configuration files:

- `/etc/hotplug/kbd.conf`

- `/etc/hotplug/mouse.conf`

- `/etc/hotplug/event.conf`

| Note
| The explanations here are using Backstreet Ruby ( usb devices have PHYS_ID "usb-00:xx.x-..."), if you are running Ruby-2.6 for usb devices you should have PHYS_ID "usb-0000:00:xx.x-...." , but you should be able to use the same configuration files both under Backstreet Ruby and Ruby-2.6 by specifying "usb-0*:xx.x-..." .

To configure the keyboards you have to adjust `/etc/hotplug/kbd.conf`

If I wanted to use the PS2 keyboard for the primary Display and for the VGA console, I would have:

    #
    # keyboard configuration
    #
    # vt_name device_physicaly_location

    VT0	isa0060/serio0/input0
    VT1	usb-00:10.1-1.1/input0

Or, if I want to use the USB keyboard for the primary Display and for the VGA console:

    #
    # keyboard configuration
    #
    # vt_name device_physicaly_location

    VT0	usb-00:10.1-1.1/input0
    VT1	isa0060/serio0/input0

you could also use "*.*" instead of the pci function of the USB controller:

    #
    # keyboard configuration
    #
    # vt_name device_physicaly_location

    VT0	usb-*.*-1.1/input0
    VT1	isa0060/serio0/input0

For mouse devices you have to edit `/etc/hotplug/mouse.conf`

    #
    # mouse device configuration
    #
    # sym_link device_physicaly_location
    mouse0br	usb-00:10.1-1.2/input0
    mouse1br	usb-*.*-2.7.*/input0
    mouse2br	isa0060/serio1/*

and adjust the XFree configuration file.

For the first mouse change

    ......
        Option "Protocol"    "IMPS/2"
        Option "Device"      "/dev/input/mouse0"
        Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
    ......

to :

    ......
        Option "Protocol"    "IMPS/2"
        Option "Device"      "/dev/input/mouse0br"
        Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
    ......

For the second mouse change

    ......
        Option "Protocol"    "IMPS/2"
        Option "Device"      "/dev/input/mouse1"
        Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
    ......

to :

    ......
        Option "Protocol"    "IMPS/2"
        Option "Device"      "/dev/input/mouse1br"
        Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
    ......

and so on.

For Event devices edit `/etc/hotplug/event.conf`

    #
    # input event device config file
    #
    # symbolic_link device_physicaly_location
    event0br	isa0060/serio0/*
    event1br	isa0060/serio1/input0
    event2br	usb-*.*-3/input0

and configure the applications which use them to use the symbolic links instead of the real devices

## 5.2.2. `input.rc`

If you are using input drivers built into the kernel please ensure that the `input.rc` script is started/executed at system start. In case the script is not executed you will find that hotplug could not configure these input devices.

| Note
| This area requires user feedback. Currently I have information only about Mandrake, where hotplug is not run as service.

If your distribution runs hotplug as service this will be done automatically.

If your distribution does not run hotplug as service you will have to modify your init scripts to run `input.rc` for you before XFree is started.

You may add this at the end of your `/etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit`

    if [[ -f /proc/bus/console -o -n tmp=`uname -r | sed -n 's:ruby::p'` ]]; then
       if [ -x /etc/hotplug/input.rc ]; then
          /etc/hotplug/input.rc start
          if [ $? = 0 ]; then
          	action "Configuring cold plugged input devices" /bin/true
          else
    	action "Configuring cold plugged input devices" /bin/false
          fi
       else if [ -f /etc/hotplug/input.rc ]; then
         	   action "Input: input.rc installed, but not executable. Please check the file permissions." /bin/false
    	else
    	   action "Input: Failed to configure cold plugged devices - input.rc missing"  /bin/false
            fi
       fi
    fi

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