trackpoint.jpg

On most Thinkpads, Debian doesn't enable scrolling with the Trackpoint by default.

Trackpoint scrolling on Lenny

In /etc/X11/xorg.conf, find the section named "Configured Mouse", then follow the instruction : 

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier      "Configured Mouse"
        Driver          "mouse"

        #add those three lines
        Option          "EmulateWheel"          "true"
        Option          "EmulateWheelTimeOut"   "200"
        Option          "EmulateWheelButton"    "2"
EndSection

Trackpoint scrolling on Etch

In /etc/X11/xorg.conf, find the section named "Configured Mouse", then follow the instruction : 

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier      "Configured Mouse"
        Driver          "mouse"
        Option          "CorePointer"
        Option          "Device"               "/dev/input/mice"
        Option          "Protocol"             "ImPS/2"

        #Comment this line out
        #Option          "Emulate3Buttons"      "true"

        #add those three lines
        Option          "EmulateWheel"          "true"
        Option          "EmulateWheelTimeOut"   "200"
        Option          "EmulateWheelButton"    "2"
EndSection

Trackpoint scrolling on Squeeze and later

GNOME

After installing GPointing Device Settings (package gpointing-device-settings), a new option "Pointing devices" appears in the GNOME settings menu. Select "?TrackPoint" and check "Use wheel emulation", select "button: 2", and check "Enable vertical scroll" and "Enable horizontal scroll".

xinput

Install package xinput and run the following commands: 

$ xinput set-int-prop "TPPS/2 IBM TrackPoint" "Evdev Wheel Emulation" 8 1
$ xinput set-int-prop "TPPS/2 IBM TrackPoint" "Evdev Wheel Emulation Button" 8 2
$ xinput set-int-prop "TPPS/2 IBM TrackPoint" "Evdev Wheel Emulation Axes" 8 6 7 4 5

hal and Xorg integration

(Note that HAL is deprecated and not installed by default on Squeeze.)

Create the file /etc/hal/fdi/policy/ibm_trackpoint.fdi containing: 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!-- -*- SGML -*- -->
<deviceinfo version="0.2">

<match key="info.product" string="TPPS/2 IBM TrackPoint">
 <merge key="input.x11_options.EmulateWheel" type="string">true</merge>
 <merge key="input.x11_options.EmulateWheelButton" type="string">2</merge>
 <merge key="input.x11_options.Emulate3Buttons" type="string">true</merge>
 <merge key="input.x11_options.EmulateWheelTimeout" type="string">200</merge>
</match>
</deviceinfo>

Device identification

Device is a "TPPS/2 IBM TrackPoint":

See Also