F11, F12 brightness keys are dead (serious)

[quenyan]

I suspect the one that didnt registered in puppy system is the X86MONBRIGHTNESS key which reside in the F11 and F12 button. the other F are just fine.

The XF86monBrightnessUp and XF96MonBrightnessDown Fn Keys don't work, as they haven't been configured to work in most puppies.

Different Window Managers configure hot keys differently. If using JWM you can configure the Fn Keys using JWMDesk under Setup > JWM Hotkeys.

The XF86MonBrightness.... are near the bottom of the scroll list. You will need to add a a command, for them to use.

The truth is I don't even know where is XF86MonBrightness is assigned to which keyboard key because it is not registered in the operating system.

at this moment, i temporarily assign "xbacklight -inc -dec" code to SHIFT+CTRL+PgUP(PgDwn)

[Terry H]

In my Dell laptop XF86MonBrightnessUp is Fn + F12, XF86MonBrightnessDown is Fn + F11. Yours may be the same. These keys however are not assigned to be functional.
You can assign those keys using jwmdesk. You could assign them to use xbacklight to do the adjustment if you want to.

[quenyan]

In my Dell laptop XF86MonBrightnessUp is Fn + F12, XF86MonBrightnessDown is Fn + F11. Yours may be the same. These keys however are not assigned to be functional.
You can assign those keys using jwmdesk. You could assign them to use xbacklight to do the adjustment if you want to.

it's the reverse on my dell laptop, i don't know why. in JWMdesk if I assigned a thing to F11, it means I have to press Fn+F11 to activate, F11 by itself won't do.

The keyboard layout im using is US ENGLISH, which is default.

The reverse thing happens not only in puppy, but also in other Linux OS like Ubuntu, Mint, etc. but the difference is that the brightness work on their system, while puppy doesn´t.

[Mike Walsh]

I have to admit, I find this strange.

For years out of mind, Dell laptop brightness keys were a part of the hardware side of things; dedicated keys which controlled that 'function', and that alone.

Are you telling me that those are now software-controlled 'softkeys', instead?

The brightness keys on my ancient Dell Inspiron lappie, from 2002, control screen intensity under Puppy just fine....but then, that is all those particular keys are linked to.

I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose, given the multitude of additional functions that are being crammed into newer models as the years pass. There's only so many keys you can fit on a laptop's keyboard.


Mike.

[quenyan]

I have to admit, I find this strange.

For years out of mind, Dell laptop brightness keys were a part of the hardware side of things; dedicated keys which controlled that 'function', and that alone.

Are you telling me that those are now software-controlled 'softkeys', instead?

The brightness keys on my ancient Dell Inspiron lappie, from 2002, control screen intensity under Puppy just fine....but then, that is all those particular keys are linked to.

I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose, given the multitude of additional functions that are being crammed into newer models as the years pass. There's only so many keys you can fit on a laptop's keyboard.


Mike.

yeah, i found it strange to. the keyboard is just a very standard keyboard layout with 80 buttons on the keyboard, which kind of layout do you think i should use?

[Terry H]

I have to admit, I find this strange.

For years out of mind, Dell laptop brightness keys were a part of the hardware side of things; dedicated keys which controlled that 'function', and that alone.

Are you telling me that those are now software-controlled 'softkeys', instead?

The brightness keys on my ancient Dell Inspiron lappie, from 2002, control screen intensity under Puppy just fine....but then, that is all those particular keys are linked to.

I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose, given the multitude of additional functions that are being crammed into newer models as the years pass. There's only so many keys you can fit on a laptop's keyboard.


Mike.

On my old Dell I think they used to work OOTB, but on my 4 year old laptop they aren't configured. In JWM I play around with JWM Hotkeys to get them working. Also sometimes audio hotkeys don't work and need configuring.

[quenyan]

I have to admit, I find this strange.

For years out of mind, Dell laptop brightness keys were a part of the hardware side of things; dedicated keys which controlled that 'function', and that alone.

Are you telling me that those are now software-controlled 'softkeys', instead?

The brightness keys on my ancient Dell Inspiron lappie, from 2002, control screen intensity under Puppy just fine....but then, that is all those particular keys are linked to.

I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose, given the multitude of additional functions that are being crammed into newer models as the years pass. There's only so many keys you can fit on a laptop's keyboard.


Mike.

On my old Dell I think they used to work OOTB, but on my 4 year old laptop they aren't configured. In JWM I play around with JWM Hotkeys to get them working. Also sometimes audio hotkeys don't work and need configuring.

This is puppy bug, I dont recommend depending on JWM too much because JWM is just a software for Desktop Manager. I suspect that the kernel is a failure here, its critical when some button are dead for no reason, while its actually not dead at all. I just tried a linux os called Sparky Linux, the hotkey works for everything, including f11 f12, tested on xev. iLl post the screenshot when i got time.

[quenyan]

this is the photo of the sparkly OS, i hope it's clear to see what's goin on here.

[Mike Walsh]

@ quenyan:-

I'm just wondering. If you don't mind having a software control for brightness - as opposed to having 'hardware', key control - then take a look at Fredx181's redshift-lite 'portable'. This not only controls brightness, but gives you control over your screen's night-time 'red' tint (based around redshift, which is the Linux world's equivalent to the Windows f.Lux).

You can find it here:-

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=114353

v3 is the current offering, and it works very well indeed.....though, of course, I'll temper that by saying that there are always 'awkward' hardware combinations that don't seem to respond to the normal input commands.

It's got to be worth a try, though.

Download it, unpack the tarball, and put the resulting script into /root/Startup. This will ensure it starts everytime your machine boots. To start it the first time, simply click on it, and you'll see the little icon appear in the tray area to the right.

Left-click lets you manually set brightness and tint levels. Once you're happy with your settings, you can then right-click, and set it to 'auto' mode'. It'll auto-locate your geographical location, so that the 'tint' levels will adjust correctly for your time of day.....

If it doesn't work for you, simply delete it from /root/Startup. Re-start 'X', and the tray icon will be gone. Has to be worth a try, eh? Nothing ventured, nothing gained.....

(You can manually adjust brightness at any time by left-clicking, adjusting to suit yourself, then saving again.)


Mike.

[quenyan]

@ quenyan:-

I'm just wondering. If you don't mind having a software control for brightness - as opposed to having 'hardware', key control - then take a look at Fredx181's redshift-lite 'portable'. This not only controls brightness, but gives you control over your screen's night-time 'red' tint (based around redshift, which is the Linux world's equivalent to the Windows f.Lux).

You can find it here:-

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=114353

v3 is the current offering, and it works very well indeed.....though, of course, I'll temper that by saying that there are always 'awkward' hardware combinations that don't seem to respond to the normal input commands.

It's got to be worth a try, though.

Download it, unpack the tarball, and put the resulting script into /root/Startup. This will ensure it starts everytime your machine boots. To start it the first time, simply click on it, and you'll see the little icon appear in the tray area to the right.

Left-click lets you manually set brightness and tint levels. Once you're happy with your settings, you can then right-click, and set it to 'auto' mode'. It'll auto-locate your geographical location, so that the 'tint' levels will adjust correctly for your time of day.....

If it doesn't work for you, simply delete it from /root/Startup. Re-start 'X', and the tray icon will be gone. Has to be worth a try, eh? Nothing ventured, nothing gained.....

(You can manually adjust brightness at any time by left-clicking, adjusting to suit yourself, then saving again.)


Mike.

as I already stated above, I am using xbacklight to control brightness. as for redshift, it actually already came with bionicpup by default, I know what that is because I used to use Flux when i was windows user, it's a similar software.

my point creating this post is to fix the problem which puppy has, not covering it by manipulating it with software.

[ally]

maybe this is why it's not working

Code: Select all

pfix=fsck [b]acpi_backlight=vendor[/b] and this separately [b]intel_pstate=disable acpi_osi="!Windows 2012"[/b]

try just copying the code without the b's and brackets that you have in the above line

[quenyan]

maybe this is why it's not working

Code: Select all

pfix=fsck [b]acpi_backlight=vendor[/b] and this separately [b]intel_pstate=disable acpi_osi="!Windows 2012"[/b]

try just copying the code without the b's and brackets that you have in the above line

this is me explaining
acpi_backlight=vendor and this separately intel_pstate=disable acpi_osi="!Windows 2012"
in the code, we cannot use text formatting.
it meant, I tried both ways, and it didnt work.

[Mike Walsh]

I think you're going to have to accept that your machine is one of those that just has 'issues' with the way Puppy does things. We've exhausted most of the usual 'fixes' & 'workarounds'.....and according to what you tell us, absolutely nothing works.

Certain modern Lenovos are a bit like this. The manufacturers have taken MyCrudSoft literally at face value when they say 'You don't need to provide the 'legacy' option in the BIOS any more; it's not compulsory now''.....and have promptly locked their machines solidly to Windows. No arguments, or workarounds available, or even possible....after all, as M$ were wont to say at one time, 'Why would you even want to use anything else?' (Like as not there were some persuasive 'backhanders' in the works, somewhere along the line. We all know it goes on...)

It's rare this happens, but very occasionally, it does. It's unfortunate, but there's not very much you can do about it...


Mike.

[Dry Falls]

Hi Mike. There's still one trick to try. Install pup to usb. boot/login to windows. Plug in usb. Under M$ system settings, choose rebuild from usb (or the equivalent). Ok or yes and M$ will properly/safely hybernate itself and restart. This should bring up the pup (or whatever) bootmenu and you'll be in puppy. I've done this under xp, win8 and win10 on other folks 'puters.

df

[quenyan]

Hi Mike. There's still one trick to try. Install pup to usb. boot/login to windows. Plug in usb. Under M$ system settings, choose rebuild from usb (or the equivalent). Ok or yes and M$ will properly/safely hybernate itself and restart. This should bring up the pup (or whatever) bootmenu and you'll be in puppy. I've done this under xp, win8 and win10 on other folks 'puters.

df

what trick is this for ?

[quenyan]

I think you're going to have to accept that your machine is one of those that just has 'issues' with the way Puppy does things. We've exhausted most of the usual 'fixes' & 'workarounds'.....and according to what you tell us, absolutely nothing works.

Certain modern Lenovos are a bit like this. The manufacturers have taken MyCrudSoft literally at face value when they say 'You don't need to provide the 'legacy' option in the BIOS any more; it's not compulsory now''.....and have promptly locked their machines solidly to Windows. No arguments, or workarounds available, or even possible....after all, as M$ were wont to say at one time, 'Why would you even want to use anything else?' (Like as not there were some persuasive 'backhanders' in the works, somewhere along the line. We all know it goes on...)

It's rare this happens, but very occasionally, it does. It's unfortunate, but there's not very much you can do about it...


Mike.

well, then i guess this is it, a dead end. thank you for your hard work, i will close the case now.