I'm running Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) on a laptop and would like NumLock to automatically toggle depending on whether my USB keyboard is plugged in (numlock on) or unplugged (numlock off).
To accomplish this, I first installed the "numlockx" package. numlockx on
and numlockx off
works fine.
To hook into the device system, I thought I'd use udev. I have looked at other questions on StackOverflow and read "Writing udev rules". But I'm having trouble getting the udev rule to work.
First, here's an example of the dmesg
output:
[20906.985102] usb 3-2: new low speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 6 [20907.166403] usb 3-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice [20907.192904] input: Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.0/input/input20 [20907.193100] microsoft 0003:045E:00DB.000B: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.11 Keyboard [Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000] on usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input0 [20907.217810] input: Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21 [20907.217979] microsoft 0003:045E:00DB.000C: input,hidraw2: USB HID v1.11 Device [Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000] on usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input1
I used udevadm info
to gather the device info:
> udevadm info -a -p /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21 looking at device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21': KERNEL=="input21" SUBSYSTEM=="input" DRIVER=="" ATTR{phys}=="usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input1" ATTR{uniq}=="" ATTR{modalias}=="input:b0003v045Ep00DBe0111-e0,1,2,3,4,14,k71,72,73,74,75,77,79,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,8A,8B,8C,8E,90,96,98,9B,9C,9E,9F,A1,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,AB,AC,AD,AE,B0,B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6,B8,B9,BA,BB,BC,BD,BE,BF,C0,C1,C2,CE,CF,D0,D1,D2,D5,D9,DB,DF,E2,E7,E8,E9,EA,EB,F0,100,162,166,16A,16E,178,179,17A,17B,17C,17D,17F,180,181,182,185,18C,18D,192,193,195,1A0,1A1,1A2,1A3,1A4,1A5,1A6,1A7,1A8,1A9,1AA,1AB,1AC,1AD,1AE,1B0,1B1,1B7,r6,a20,m4,lsfw" looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1': KERNELS=="3-2:1.1" SUBSYSTEMS=="usb" DRIVERS=="usbhid" ATTRS{bInterfaceNumber}=="01" ATTRS{bAlternateSetting}==" 0" ATTRS{bNumEndpoints}=="01" ATTRS{bInterfaceClass}=="03" ATTRS{bInterfaceSubClass}=="00" ATTRS{bInterfaceProtocol}=="00" ATTRS{modalias}=="usb:v045Ep00DBd0173dc00dsc00dp00ic03isc00ip00" ATTRS{supports_autosuspend}=="1" looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2': KERNELS=="3-2" SUBSYSTEMS=="usb" DRIVERS=="usb" ATTRS{configuration}=="" ATTRS{bNumInterfaces}==" 2" ATTRS{bConfigurationValue}=="1" ATTRS{bmAttributes}=="a0" ATTRS{bMaxPower}=="100mA" ATTRS{urbnum}=="532" ATTRS{idVendor}=="045e" ATTRS{idProduct}=="00db" ATTRS{bcdDevice}=="0173" ATTRS{bDeviceClass}=="00" ATTRS{bDeviceSubClass}=="00" ATTRS{bDeviceProtocol}=="00" ATTRS{bNumConfigurations}=="1" ATTRS{bMaxPacketSize0}=="8" ATTRS{speed}=="1.5" ATTRS{busnum}=="3" ATTRS{devnum}=="6" ATTRS{version}==" 2.00" ATTRS{maxchild}=="0" ATTRS{quirks}=="0x0" ATTRS{authorized}=="1" ATTRS{manufacturer}=="Microsoft" looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3': KERNELS=="usb3" SUBSYSTEMS=="usb" DRIVERS=="usb" ATTRS{configuration}=="" ATTRS{bNumInterfaces}==" 1" ATTRS{bConfigurationValue}=="1" ATTRS{bmAttributes}=="e0" ATTRS{bMaxPower}==" 0mA" ATTRS{urbnum}=="127" ATTRS{idVendor}=="1d6b" ATTRS{idProduct}=="0001" ATTRS{bcdDevice}=="0206" ATTRS{bDeviceClass}=="09" ATTRS{bDeviceSubClass}=="00" ATTRS{bDeviceProtocol}=="00" ATTRS{bNumConfigurations}=="1" ATTRS{bMaxPacketSize0}=="64" ATTRS{speed}=="12" ATTRS{busnum}=="3" ATTRS{devnum}=="1" ATTRS{version}==" 1.10" ATTRS{maxchild}=="2" ATTRS{quirks}=="0x0" ATTRS{authorized}=="1" ATTRS{manufacturer}=="Linux 2.6.31-16-generic uhci_hcd" ATTRS{product}=="UHCI Host Controller" ATTRS{serial}=="0000:00:1a.0" ATTRS{authorized_default}=="1" looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0': KERNELS=="0000:00:1a.0" SUBSYSTEMS=="pci" DRIVERS=="uhci_hcd" ATTRS{vendor}=="0x8086" ATTRS{device}=="0x2937" ATTRS{subsystem_vendor}=="0x1558" ATTRS{subsystem_device}=="0x0860" ATTRS{class}=="0x0c0300" ATTRS{irq}=="16" ATTRS{local_cpus}=="ff" ATTRS{local_cpulist}=="0-7" ATTRS{modalias}=="pci:v00008086d00002937sv00001558sd00000860bc0Csc03i00" ATTRS{broken_parity_status}=="0" ATTRS{msi_bus}=="" looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00': KERNELS=="pci0000:00" SUBSYSTEMS=="" DRIVERS==""
So I created a file called /etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules
:
# Turn on NumLock when keyboard is plugged in. ACTION=="add", ATTRS{manufacturer}=="Microsoft", SUBSYSTEM=="input", RUN+="/usr/bin/numlockx on" # Turn off NumLock when keyboard is unplugged. ACTION=="remove", ATTRS{manufacturer}=="Microsoft", SUBSYSTEM=="input", RUN+="/usr/bin/numlockx off"
I have used udevadm test
to verify that the rules are correct:
> udevadm test --action=add /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21 run_command: calling: test udevadm_test: version 147 [...] parse_file: reading '/etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules' as rules file udev_rules_new: rules use 180864 bytes tokens (15072 * 12 bytes), 31614 bytes buffer udev_rules_new: temporary index used 49760 bytes (2488 * 20 bytes) udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x28d7d80 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21' udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN '/sbin/modprobe -b $env{MODALIAS}' /lib/udev/rules.d/80-drivers.rules:5 udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN 'socket:@/org/freedesktop/hal/udev_event' /lib/udev/rules.d/90-hal.rules:2 udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x28d8560 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1' udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x28d8708 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2' udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN '/usr/bin/numlockx on' /etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules:7 udevadm_test: UDEV_LOG=6 udevadm_test: DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21 udevadm_test: PRODUCT=3/45e/db/111 udevadm_test: NAME="Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000" udevadm_test: PHYS="usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input1" udevadm_test: UNIQ="" udevadm_test: EV==10001f udevadm_test: KEY==837fff 2c3027 bf004444 0 0 1 10f84 8a27c007 ff7f7bfa d9415fff febeffdf ffefffff ffffffff fffffffe udevadm_test: REL==40 udevadm_test: ABS==1 0 udevadm_test: MSC==10 udevadm_test: MODALIAS=input:b0003v045Ep00DBe0111-e0,1,2,3,4,14,k71,72,73,74,75,77,79,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,8A,8B,8C,8E,90,96,98,9B,9C,9E,9F,A1,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,AB,AC,AD,AE,B0,B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6,B8,B9,BA,BB,BC,BD,BE,BF,C0,C1,C2,CE,CF,D0,D1,D2,D5,D9,DB,DF,E2,E7,E8,E9,EA,EB,F0,100,162,166,16A,16E,178,179,17A,17B,17C,17D,17F,180,181,182,185,18C,18D,192,193,195,1A0,1A1,1A2,1A3,1A4,1A5,1A6,1A7,1A8,1A9,1AA,1AB,1AC,1AD,1AE,1B0,1B1,1B7,r6,a20,m4,lsfw udevadm_test: ACTION=add udevadm_test: SUBSYSTEM=input udevadm_test: run: '/sbin/modprobe -b input:b0003v045Ep00DBe0111-e0,1,2,3,4,14,k71,72,73,74,75,77,79,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,8A,8B,8C,8E,90,96,98,9B,9C,9E,9F,A1,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,AB,AC,AD,AE,B0,B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6,B8,B9,BA,BB,BC,BD,BE,BF,C0,C1,C2,CE,CF,D0,D1,D2,D5,D9,DB,DF,E2,E7,E8,E9,EA,EB,F0,100,162,166,16A,16E,178,179,17A,17B,17C,17D,17F,180,181,182,185,18C,18D,192,193,195,1A0,1A1,1A2,1A3,1A4,1A5,1A6,1A7,1A8,1A9,1AA,1AB,1AC,1AD,1AE,1B0,1B1,1B7,r6,a20,m4,lsfw' udevadm_test: run: 'socket:@/org/freedesktop/hal/udev_event' udevadm_test: run: '/usr/bin/numlockx on'
And here's the "remove" test:
> udevadm test --action=remove /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21 run_command: calling: test udevadm_test: version 147 [...] parse_file: reading '/etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules' as rules file udev_rules_new: rules use 180864 bytes tokens (15072 * 12 bytes), 31614 bytes buffer udev_rules_new: temporary index used 49760 bytes (2488 * 20 bytes) udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0xd2fd80 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21' udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN 'socket:@/org/freedesktop/hal/udev_event' /lib/udev/rules.d/90-hal.rules:2 udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0xd2fff8 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1' udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0xd30690 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2' udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN '/usr/bin/numlockx off' /etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules:10 udevadm_test: UDEV_LOG=6 udevadm_test: DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21 udevadm_test: PRODUCT=3/45e/db/111 udevadm_test: NAME="Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000" udevadm_test: PHYS="usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input1" udevadm_test: UNIQ="" udevadm_test: EV==10001f udevadm_test: KEY==837fff 2c3027 bf004444 0 0 1 10f84 8a27c007 ff7f7bfa d9415fff febeffdf ffefffff ffffffff fffffffe udevadm_test: REL==40 udevadm_test: ABS==1 0 udevadm_test: MSC==10 udevadm_test: MODALIAS=input:b0003v045Ep00DBe0111-e0,1,2,3,4,14,k71,72,73,74,75,77,79,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,8A,8B,8C,8E,90,96,98,9B,9C,9E,9F,A1,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,AB,AC,AD,AE,B0,B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6,B8,B9,BA,BB,BC,BD,BE,BF,C0,C1,C2,CE,CF,D0,D1,D2,D5,D9,DB,DF,E2,E7,E8,E9,EA,EB,F0,100,162,166,16A,16E,178,179,17A,17B,17C,17D,17F,180,181,182,185,18C,18D,192,193,195,1A0,1A1,1A2,1A3,1A4,1A5,1A6,1A7,1A8,1A9,1AA,1AB,1AC,1AD,1AE,1B0,1B1,1B7,r6,a20,m4,lsfw udevadm_test: ACTION=remove udevadm_test: SUBSYSTEM=input udevadm_test: run: 'socket:@/org/freedesktop/hal/udev_event' udevadm_test: run: '/usr/bin/numlockx off'
The problem is that when the keyboard is plugged in or unplugged, the NumLock status doesn't change. I have tried restarting the udev service, with no luck. Are my udev rules wrong? Am I going about this the wrong way?
Best Answer
I'm not very knowledgeable about this, but my guess would be that the keyboard state is managed by the X11 "plumbing", which sits at a higher level than udev, so whatever you're doing down there is getting overridden. You may find out more by digging through the configuration files in
/etc/X11
.You may get more relevant answers to this on superuser.com (link at very bottom of this page). I won't vote to close your question down here, but others might.