xinput only sees buttons if the cursor is over the desktop

[Peter Hutterer]

On Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 01:03:16PM +0200, ManDay wrote:
> I've tried to figure this out for more than a month now and have asked
> whatever people I could think could help. Among other issues with xinput
> (one being that for a Wacom Tablet the scroll wheel reports totally off
> motion data although in practice it works fine) I've one specific of
> which I'm 90% sure that it must be xorg-related and has nothing to do
> with the driver.
> 
> If I run xinput on whatever pointer device (mouse, wacom) I get No
> Button events (although the button works just fine) unless my mouse is
> over a free area on the desktop.

xinput the tool or X Input the API?

button presses are passively grabbed by most window managers. those WM's
then intercept the event and replay it on the window after performing some
action. probably the reason why you don't see it.

Cheers,
  Peter

> Can you help?
> 
> I'm using Linux engine 2.6.34-gentoo-r6 #3 SMP Fri Aug 27 16:22:58 CEST
> 2010 x86_64 Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU @ 2.40GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux
> with openbox
> 
> [ebuild   R   ] x11-wm/openbox-3.4.11.2  USE="nls startup-notification" 0 kB
> 
> and xorg server
> 
> [ebuild   R   ] x11-base/xorg-server-1.8.2  USE="ipv6 nptl udev xorg
> -dmx -doc -hal -kdrive -minimal -static-libs -tslib" 0 kB
> 
> and
> 
> [ebuild   R   ] x11-base/xorg-drivers-1.8  INPUT_DEVICES="evdev keyboard
> mouse wacom -acecad -aiptek -elographics -fpit -joystick -penmount
> -synaptics -tslib -virtualbox -vmmouse -void" VIDEO_CARDS="nvidia -apm
> -ark -ast -chips -cirrus -dummy -epson -fbdev -fglrx (-geode) -glint
> -i128 (-i740) (-impact) -intel -mach64 -mga -neomagic (-newport)
> -nouveau -nv -r128 -radeon -radeonhd -rendition -s3 -s3virge -savage
> -siliconmotion -sis -sisusb (-sunbw2) (-suncg14) (-suncg3) (-suncg6)
> (-sunffb) (-sunleo) (-suntcx) -tdfx -tga -trident -tseng -v4l -vesa -via
> -virtualbox -vmware (-voodoo) (-xgi)" 0 kB
>