[PATCH] libinput-seat: Don't regard no input devices as failure

[Pekka Paalanen]

On Tue, 30 Dec 2014 17:19:45 +0000
Daniel Stone <daniel at fooishbar.org> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> On 29 December 2014 at 00:03, Peter Hutterer <peter.hutterer at who-t.net>
> wrote:
> 
> > On Sun, Dec 28, 2014 at 11:25:16PM +0100, Sjoerd Simons wrote:
> > > The reason for not having any input devices could actually be that there
> > > are no input devices attached, imagine that. Mention that cause in the
> > > warning and no longer return an error.
> > >
> > > This fixes starting weston on boards with no input devices attached.
> > >
> > > Signed-off-by: Sjoerd Simons <sjoerd.simons at collabora.co.uk>
> >
> > Reviewed-by: Peter Hutterer <peter.hutterer at who-t.net>
> >
> > though I'd use "available" over "attached" which is less ambiguous in
> > a multi-seat scenario.
> >
> 
> It'd be nice to distinguish between 'devices are available but could not be
> opened', and no devices whatsoever. In either case, we made Xorg require an
> option (AllowEmptyInput) to start with no devices, and I guess it could be
> nice to do the same for weston-launch.

Yes, definitely.

I believe it is a relatively common user error in installation or
configuration to not be able to open any input devices when they do
exist. When that happens, the user is left with a completely
unresponsive computer, except maybe the ACPI power button for a
controlled shutdown. Yes, remote access too, but only if you happen to
have it.

Some way to avoid that accident by default would be nice. It is in the
same fashion as we have some other checks to avoid e.g. "black screen"
symptoms and prefer exiting with a message.

I suppose a weston.ini option would do.


Thanks,
pq