Fedora KDE Dell E5540 TrackPoint buttons with keyboard without trackpoint

Hello,
I would like to ask for help if someone knows or if someone can give a a hint.

I have notebook Dell Latitude E5540 and install Fedora 34 with KDE Plasma 5.22.5. I had the keyboard with trackpoint and with led backlight. This week because some buttons were broken I bought the used keyboard without trackpoint. After that I find out that it also does not have led backlight. I can used for it it is ok.

But the problem is that Fedora does not recognise the trackpoint and now there are not working the trackpoint buttons under the keyboard!

DMESg does not show anything. Also for the old keyboard it works ok.

So I think Fedora thinks that because there is no trackpoint it does not activate also the buttons.

But they works fine. If I open bios they are working. So the problem is Fedora does not activate drive for it.

Does anybody know how to enable the driver for it? Or anything else?

Here is xinput:
[janka@Prizrak ~]$ xinput
⎡ Virtual core pointer id=2 [master pointer (3)]
⎜ ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer id=4 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint id=14 [slave pointer (2)]
⎣ Virtual core keyboard id=3 [master keyboard (2)]
↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard id=5 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Power Button id=6 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Video Bus id=7 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Video Bus id=8 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Power Button id=9 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Sleep Button id=10 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Laptop_Integrated_Webcam_HD: In id=11 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Dell WMI hotkeys id=12 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard id=13 [slave keyboard (3)]
[janka@Prizrak ~]$

There is missing the trackpoint driver activated or enabled, how to do it?

Thanks very much.

May be you could start with sudo modprobe -r psmouse and then reload again with sudo modprobe psmouse. If this still not work you could repeat it again sudo modprobe -r psmouse and then sudo modprobe psmouse proto=imps.

Those changes should be temporary and will gone if you reboot. If one of above methods work, you could make it permanent by creating file sudo touch /etc/modprobe.d/custom-psmouse.conf and add options psmouse or options psmouse proto=imps.

Thanks for trying to help.
I tried it but it does not have any affect:
[vlada@Prizrak input]$ sudo modprobe -r psmouse
modprobe: FATAL: Module psmouse is builtin.
[vlada@Prizrak input]$ sudo modprobe psmouse
[vlada@Prizrak input]$ sudo modprobe -r psmouse
modprobe: FATAL: Module psmouse is builtin.
[vlada@Prizrak input]$ sudo modprobe psmouse proto=imps
[vlada@Prizrak input]$

I still think that KDE or Fedora do not activate the trackpoint buttons because the keyboard have no trackpoint even the buttons are there. But how can I check the driver for trackpoint?

xinput still does not contain anythink about the trackpoint only the GlidePoint what I think is the touchpad.

So firstly I have to “somehow” activate driver for trackpoint but I do not know how.

If you can help me what commands I can run to check it?

When I change the keyboard and put back the original keyboard with trackpoint the fedora KDE recognize it as this:

vlada@Prizrak janka]$ xinput
⎡ Virtual core pointer id=2 [master pointer (3)]
⎜ ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer id=4 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint TouchPad id=14 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint Stick id=15 [slave pointer (2)]
⎣ Virtual core keyboard id=3 [master keyboard (2)]
↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard id=5 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Power Button id=6 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Video Bus id=7 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Video Bus id=8 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Power Button id=9 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Sleep Button id=10 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Laptop_Integrated_Webcam_HD: In id=11 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ Dell WMI hotkeys id=12 [slave keyboard (3)]
↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard id=13 [slave keyboard (3)]
[vlada@Prizrak janka]$

So the difference is that the second keyboard without trackpoint the fedora kde recognize as
AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint id=14 [slave pointer (2)]

What I want is to activate this:
AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint Stick id=15 [slave pointer (2)]

Is there any possibility to do it even the keyboard does not have it?

I tried to change the keyboard and put the original and tje KDE Fedora recognize it as this:
[vlada@Prizrak janka]$ xinput
⎡ Virtual core pointer id=2 [master pointer (3)]
⎜ ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer id=4 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint TouchPad id=14 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint Stick id=15 [slave pointer (2)]

And if I put the different keyboard without trackpoint the kde fedora recognize it as
⎡ Virtual core pointer id=2 [master pointer (3)]
⎜ ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer id=4 [slave pointer (2)]
⎜ ↳ AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint id=14 [slave pointer (2)]

So the difference is the GlidePoint and missing the
AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint Stick id=15 [slave pointer (2)]

The question is how to activate the DualPoint Stick?

Thanks for help.

Just for information here are the pictures of keaboards

On the picture of notebook I cyrcle the trackpoint buttons that are under touchpoint that are not working when I put the keaboard without trackpoint. The buttons are not connected to keyboard.

Maybe you could start to find the solution by following this other distro instruction (ignore the kernel part). Look like it have exact devices like yours.

I try it. Thanks for quick response.

So I tried but it still shows GlidePoint instead of TrackPoint.
I do not know how to enable the trackpoint.
I think the kernel part is important. How can I check that that module extension is enabled:
ALPS PS/2 mouse protocol extension

What command?

The links is abouot to change the xorg configuration and drivers I can change for example the driver to synaptics but it still shows only GlidePoint.

The Xorg log shows onlz Glidepoint:

    17.899] (II) config/udev: Adding input device AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint (/dev/input/event5)
[    17.899] (**) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: Applying InputClass "evdev touchpad catchall"
[    17.899] (**) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: Applying InputClass "libinput touchpad catchall"
[    17.899] (**) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: Applying InputClass "touchpad catchall"
[    17.899] (**) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: Applying InputClass "Default clickpad buttons"
[    17.899] (**) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: Applying InputClass "libinput touchpad catchall"
[    17.899] (**) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: Applying InputClass "touchpad catchall"
[    17.899] (**) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: Applying InputClass "Default clickpad buttons"
[    17.899] (II) LoadModule: "synaptics"
[    17.899] (II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/input/synaptics_drv.so
[    17.901] (II) Module synaptics: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[    17.901]    compiled for 1.20.10, module version = 1.9.1
[    17.901]    Module class: X.Org XInput Driver
[    17.901]    ABI class: X.Org XInput driver, version 24.1
[    17.901] (II) Using input driver 'synaptics' for 'AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint'
[    17.901] (**) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: always reports core events
[    17.901] (**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/event5"
[    17.917] (II) synaptics: AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: ignoring touch events for semi-multitouch device
[    17.917] (--) synaptics: AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: x-axis range 0 - 2000 (res 26)
[    17.917] (--) synaptics: AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: y-axis range 0 - 1400 (res 34)
[    17.917] (--) synaptics: AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: pressure range 0 - 127
[    17.917] (II) synaptics: AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: device does not report finger width.
[    17.917] (--) synaptics: AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: buttons: left right middle double triple
[    17.917] (--) synaptics: AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: Vendor 0x2 Product 0x8
[    17.917] (--) synaptics: AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: invalid finger width range.  defaulting to 0 - 15
[    17.917] (--) synaptics: AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: touchpad found
[    17.917] (**) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: always reports core events
[    17.929] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/platform/i8042/serio1/input/input6/event5"
[    17.929] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint" (type: TOUCHPAD, id 14)
[    17.929] (**) synaptics: AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: (accel) MinSpeed is now constant deceleration 2.5
[    17.929] (**) synaptics: AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: (accel) MaxSpeed is now 1.75
[    17.929] (**) synaptics: AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: (accel) AccelFactor is now 0.082
[    17.929] (**) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: (accel) keeping acceleration scheme 1
[    17.929] (**) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: (accel) acceleration profile 1
[    17.929] (**) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: (accel) acceleration factor: 2.000
[    17.929] (**) AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: (accel) acceleration threshold: 4
[    17.929] (--) synaptics: AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint: touchpad found
[    17.929] (II) config/udev: Adding input device AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint (/dev/input/mouse0)
[    17.929] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
[    17.929] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
[    17.930] (II) config/udev: Adding input device PC Speaker (/dev/input/event8)

The kernel mentioned in link above in Fedora Linux already enabled. You could check with cat /boot/config* | grep -i ALPS.

I’m not sure, but may be you could check with dmesg | grep -i input and find there mentioning ALPS DualPoint Stick. If you can’t find this messages from dmesg, from my understanding, maybe the system probe for detecting the hardware are not recognize that (maybe it can’t found the stick part and then ignore it). If this what happen I don’t know to force it to load and make sure it’s pointing the right hardware to control (I’m still searching on how to do it, ah yes, I’m also want to learn from here).

Yes I think this is exactly my problem. When connect original keyboard the dmesg shows:

[vlada@Prizrak OriginalKeyBoard]$ sudo dmesg | grep -i input
[sudo] heslo pro vlada: 
[    0.394747] input: Lid Switch as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0C0D:00/input/input0
[    0.394802] input: Power Button as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0C0C:00/input/input1
[    0.394842] input: Sleep Button as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0C0E:00/input/input2
[    0.394874] input: Power Button as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXPWRBN:00/input/input3
[    0.428327] input: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard as /devices/platform/i8042/serio0/input/input4
[    1.767922] input: AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint Stick as /devices/platform/i8042/serio1/input/input7
[    1.780455] input: AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint TouchPad as /devices/platform/i8042/serio1/input/input6
[    2.852594] input: Video Bus as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0A08:00/device:08/LNXVIDEO:00/input/input8
[    2.854913] input: Video Bus as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0A08:00/LNXVIDEO:01/input/input9
[    6.248248] input: PC Speaker as /devices/platform/pcspkr/input/input10
[    6.392162] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=3 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input11
[    6.392245] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=7 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input12
[    6.392322] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=8 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input13
[    6.392395] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=9 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input14
[    6.392464] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=10 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input15
[    6.421408] input: Dell WMI hotkeys as /devices/platform/PNP0C14:01/wmi_bus/wmi_bus-PNP0C14:01/9DBB5994-A997-11DA-B012-B622A1EF5492/input/input16
[    6.523042] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC1D0:    inputs:
[    6.565443] input: HDA Intel PCH Dock Mic as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input17
[    6.565516] input: HDA Intel PCH Dock Line Out as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input18
[    6.565580] input: HDA Intel PCH Front Headphone as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input19
[    6.609218] input: Laptop_Integrated_Webcam_HD: In as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.6/1-1.6:1.0/input/input20

When I connect the keyboard without trackpoint I have got this dmesg:

[vlada@Prizrak KeyBoardWithoutTP xorg.conf.d]$ sudo dmesg | grep -i input
[    0.404854] input: Lid Switch as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0C0D:00/input/input0
[    0.404922] input: Power Button as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0C0C:00/input/input1
[    0.404990] input: Sleep Button as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0C0E:00/input/input2
[    0.405044] input: Power Button as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXPWRBN:00/input/input3
[    0.438855] input: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard as /devices/platform/i8042/serio0/input/input4
[    1.588631] input: AlpsPS/2 ALPS GlidePoint as /devices/platform/i8042/serio1/input/input6
[    2.582546] input: Video Bus as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0A08:00/device:08/LNXVIDEO:00/input/input7
[    2.584910] input: Video Bus as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0A08:00/LNXVIDEO:01/input/input8
[    5.740320] input: PC Speaker as /devices/platform/pcspkr/input/input9
[    5.742596] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=3 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input10
[    5.742663] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=7 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input11
[    5.742725] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=8 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input12
[    5.742785] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=9 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input13
[    5.742847] input: HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=10 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input14
[    5.862206] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC1D0:    inputs:
[    5.879684] input: Dell WMI hotkeys as /devices/platform/PNP0C14:01/wmi_bus/wmi_bus-PNP0C14:01/9DBB5994-A997-11DA-B012-B622A1EF5492/input/input15
[    5.909633] input: HDA Intel PCH Dock Mic as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input16
[    5.909729] input: HDA Intel PCH Dock Line Out as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input17
[    5.909804] input: HDA Intel PCH Front Headphone as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input18
[    5.911271] input: Laptop_Integrated_Webcam_HD: In as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.6/1-1.6:1.0/input/input19

So the question is how to enforce the Fedora KDE Plasma to connect the driver even it is not detected?
After that I can set up it by xinput but if it is not recognized then I have no chance.

I can send the logs and other commands for both keyboards but I do not know how to input files here.

I also does not know how it works. How this automatic detecting systems working and if there is possibility to enforce something what is not presented.

On the software side (driver), I don’t know and still can’t figure out how. But from hardware side (warning: it is dangerous), after I find about your keyboards, there a board pcb under each your keyboards. You could try to swap it. Once again, it’s dangerous if you never have experiences with hardware mod.

The other thing, you could also compare the different connector of new and old keyboard. Move your ALPS stick (left/right), then find what value changes on multi-meter (most likely combination of two resistant/ohm). Then leave it without moving and note the value. Give fake equivalent value to the connector (if it resistant, give ohm equivalent).

Hi
I think I will create new discussion how to change the automatic detecting system maybe some other will know? What do you think?
About this I this this detecting system is Fedora, KDE or X11 problem? I think this is exactly the Fedora.

About the hardware possibility. What do you mean with “board pcb” you mean some swiches and where should they be on the board as you say not in the keyboard?
The other way I think is very clever I think it would work. Unfortunately I cannot do much experiments like this because it is notebook for my wife and it must work :-).
Thanks.

It’s worth to try.

Found in marketplace, and here the board what I mean:

81612281147dd02917fa3a25d0ab2e27c31aed25.jpeg

I very understand about this. Happen to me months ago with different device. :smiley:

Thanks about PCB, I understand now. I thing I will try it as soon as I will have a time.

I created new theme about the Linux detection system:
https://discussion.fedoraproject.org/t/linux-core-how-to-turn-off-the-automatic-hardware-detection-system/67553?u=vlskrbek