/**
 * file: chatgpt_karbytes_17january2025.txt
 * type: plain-text
 * date: 17_JANUARY_2025
 * author: karbytes
 * license: PUBLIC_DOMAIN
 */

The following conversation transcript was slightly modified for stylistic (and abridgement) purposes and taken from a conversation had between karbytes and ChatGPT-4o at approximately 2:00PM Pacific Standard Time on 17_JANUARY_2025. The conversation pertains to karbytes troubleshooting issues with its Lenovo laptop's touchscreen feature (and karbytes wanting to disable the touch screen feature to prevent "ghost clicks" from accumulated moisture on the laptop screen). The conversation ends with karbytes working with ChatGPT-4o to find a viable solution using the Linux command line interface to update hardware settings which are not readily accessible via the graphical user interface's settings application.

* * *

karbytes:

How come my Lenovo laptop (which unfortunately has a touch screen monitor) starts clicking on things by itself after I leave it open for a while?

ChatGPT:

Your Lenovo laptop's touchscreen may be experiencing "phantom touches" or "ghost touches," which are unintentional inputs detected by the touchscreen without you interacting with it. This can be caused by several factors:

1. Environmental Factors

- Heat or Humidity: Changes in temperature or high humidity can interfere with the touchscreen's sensitivity.

- Static Electricity: Static buildup on the screen or surrounding environment can cause false inputs.

2. Hardware Issues

- Dirty Screen: Dust, smudges, or debris on the screen can trick the sensors into registering touches.

- Screen Damage: Physical damage, such as cracks or pressure points on the screen, can lead to ghost touches.

- Loose Connections: Internal cables or connectors for the touchscreen might be loose or malfunctioning.

- Faulty Touchscreen Panel: A defective or aging touchscreen may produce erratic behavior.

3. Software Issues

- Outdated Drivers: Incompatible or outdated touchscreen drivers can cause erratic behavior.

- Operating System Bugs: Glitches in the operating system or conflicts between applications can result in phantom touches.

- Background Applications: Certain applications running in the background might interact improperly with touchscreen functionality.

Steps to Troubleshoot

1. Clean the Screen:

- Use a microfiber cloth and a screen cleaner to remove any dust or smudges.

2. Update Drivers:

- Go to the Device Manager, find the touchscreen under Human Interface Devices, and update the driver.

3. Calibrate the Touchscreen:

- On Windows, search for "Calibrate the screen for pen or touch input" and follow the calibration process.

4. Disable and Re-enable the Touchscreen:

- In the Device Manager, locate the touchscreen driver, right-click it, and select Disable Device. After a moment, re-enable it.

5. Check for Physical Damage:

- Inspect the screen for any visible signs of damage. If damaged, the screen may need repair or replacement.

6. Check for Software Conflicts:

- Boot into Safe Mode to see if the issue persists. If it stops, a third-party application may be causing the problem.

7. Disable Touchscreen Temporarily:

- If you don't frequently use the touchscreen, you can disable it through the Device Manager:

- Locate HID-compliant touch screen, right-click, and select Disable Device.

8. Reset or Update the Operating System:

- Ensure your system is up-to-date with the latest OS patches. If the problem persists, consider performing a factory reset (after backing up your data).

9. If the Issue Persists

- If none of these steps resolve the problem, the touchscreen hardware might be faulty. Contact Lenovo support or take the laptop to a certified technician for repair or replacement.

karbytes:

Is there a Unix shell command I can use to turn off the touch screen feature?

ChatGPT:

Yes, you can disable the touchscreen feature in a Unix-based system (e.g., Linux) using the xinput command, which allows you to manage input devices. Here's how to do it:

Steps to Disable the Touchscreen

1. List Input Devices: Open a terminal and run:

xinput list

This command will list all input devices connected to your system. Look for the touchscreen device, which may have a name like ELAN Touchscreen, Atmel Touchscreen, or similar.

2. Find the Device ID: Identify the device ID for the touchscreen from the output. It will look like this:

⎡ Virtual core pointer                          id=2    [master pointer  (3)]

⎜   ↳ ELAN Touchscreen                           id=10   [slave  pointer  (2)]

3. Disable the Touchscreen: Use the xinput disable command followed by the device ID. For example, if the device ID is 10:

xinput disable 10

Verify: Test the touchscreen to confirm that it is disabled.

To Re-enable the Touchscreen

If you need to turn the touchscreen back on, run:

xinput enable 10

Making the Change Persistent

The xinput command is temporary and will reset after a reboot. To make it persistent:

Add the xinput disable command to your startup script. For example, edit the ~/.xprofile or ~/.bashrc file and add:

xinput disable <device-id>

Alternatively, create a systemd service or add it to your desktop environment's startup settings.

If you need further guidance on making this persistent, let me know!

karbytes:

I got the following response when I entered the command "xinput enable 10": WARNING: running xinput against an Xwayland server. See the xinput man page for details.

ChatGPT:

The warning indicates that your system is running on a Wayland display server instead of the traditional X11 display server. xinput is specifically designed for X11 and works in a limited capacity when used on Xwayland (a compatibility layer for running X11 applications on Wayland). This is why you're seeing the warning message.

Options for Disabling the Touchscreen on Wayland

1. Use xinput via Xwayland

While you see the warning, the xinput command might still work. Check whether the touchscreen functionality is actually disabled after running the command. If it doesn’t work, proceed with the next methods.

2. Use udev Rules

You can create a custom udev rule to disable the touchscreen at the hardware level:

Identify the Touchscreen Device: Run the following command:

sudo libinput list-devices

Look for the touchscreen device and note its Device Node, such as /dev/input/eventX.

Create a udev Rule: Open a new rule file:

sudo nano /etc/udev/rules.d/99-touchscreen-disable.rules
Add the following content, replacing eventX with the correct event node:

SUBSYSTEM=="input", ENV{ID_INPUT_TOUCHSCREEN}=="1", KERNEL=="eventX", ENV{LIBINPUT_IGNORE_DEVICE}="1"

Reload udev: Save and close the file, then reload the udev rules:

sudo udevadm control --reload

sudo udevadm trigger

Test the Configuration: The touchscreen should now be disabled.

3. Disable via GNOME/Wayland Configuration (GNOME Users)

If you're using GNOME with Wayland, you can disable the touchscreen by creating a configuration file:

Create or Edit a Configuration File: Open a terminal and create/edit a file for input devices:

sudo nano /etc/libinput/local-overrides.quirks

Add a Section for the Touchscreen: Add the following, replacing Device Name with the actual name of your touchscreen device from libinput list-devices:

[Disable Touchscreen]

MatchName=Device Name

MatchDevicePath=/dev/input/event*

Option "Ignore" "on"

Save and Restart: Save the file and restart your system to apply the changes.

4. Switch to X11 (if Compatible)

If none of the above works and you still need to use xinput, you can switch back to the X11 session:

Log out of your current session.

On the login screen, look for a gear icon or similar, and select X11 or Xorg.

Log back in and use xinput as previously described.

Let me know if you need additional help with any of these steps!

karbytes:

I noticed that the command I entered seems to disable touch screen in Chromium windows but not in Firefox windows.

ChatGPT:

The behavior you're experiencing suggests that the touchscreen functionality is being selectively affected due to differences in how Chromium and Firefox interact with the system's input layer under Wayland or Xwayland. Here's why this might be happening and how to address it:

Why the Touchscreen Behavior Differs

Chromium and Firefox Handle Input Differently:

Chromium might be using Xwayland, where xinput commands can have an effect.

Firefox, on the other hand, may run as a native Wayland application, bypassing Xwayland, which means xinput commands have no effect.

Wayland's Input Handling:

Under Wayland, input devices are managed differently, and many X11 tools like xinput don't fully work. Firefox likely communicates directly with Wayland for input events, ignoring xinput configurations.

Application-Specific Input Behavior:

Some applications implement additional layers of input handling, allowing them to respond to touchscreen inputs differently.

Potential Solutions

1. Disable Touchscreen in Wayland for All Applications

Since xinput doesn’t work natively on Wayland, you need a Wayland-compatible method:

Create a udev Rule: Follow the instructions in my earlier response to create a udev rule. This will disable the touchscreen at the system level, affecting all applications equally.

Disable via GNOME/Wayland Configuration: Use the libinput configuration method described earlier.

2. Force Firefox to Use Xwayland

If you need to use xinput to manage input devices, you can force Firefox to run on Xwayland:

Open Firefox with the following command:

MOZ_ENABLE_WAYLAND=0 firefox

This forces Firefox to use Xwayland instead of native Wayland.

Make it Persistent: To always start Firefox with Xwayland, edit its .desktop file:

sudo nano /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop

Find the Exec line and update it:

Exec=env MOZ_ENABLE_WAYLAND=0 /usr/lib/firefox/firefox %u

3. Disable Touch Events in Firefox Only

Firefox provides a configuration option to disable touch input specifically:

Open Firefox and type about:config in the address bar.

Search for dom.w3c_touch_events.enabled.

Change the value to 0 to disable touch events.

4. Switch to an X11 Session

If Wayland-specific limitations are causing persistent issues, you can switch to an X11 session:

Log out of your current session.

On the login screen, select Xorg or X11 from the session options.

Log back in and reapply the xinput command.

Let me know which method works best for you or if you need further clarification!

karbytes:

Is there an alternate way (perhaps a non-command-line way) to completely disable the touchscreen?

ChatGPT:

Yes, you can disable the touchscreen on your laptop using graphical tools or BIOS/UEFI settings, depending on your system configuration. Here are some alternate methods:

1. Disable Touchscreen via System Settings

If your desktop environment (e.g., GNOME, KDE) supports device management through its settings interface:

GNOME (Wayland or X11):

Open Settings.

Navigate to Devices → Touchpad & Mouse (or Display and Devices).

Look for an option to disable the touchscreen.

KDE (Plasma):

Open System Settings.

Go to Input Devices → Touchscreen.

Disable the touchscreen or adjust its configuration.

2. Disable Touchscreen via Device Manager (Ubuntu)

In Ubuntu or other Linux distributions with a graphical interface:

Open the Settings or Device Manager application.

Search for input devices under "Devices" or a similar section.

Find the touchscreen device (it may be listed by its hardware name, e.g., ELAN Touchscreen).

Disable or turn off the device from the graphical interface.

3. Disable Touchscreen via BIOS/UEFI

Many laptops allow you to disable the touchscreen at the hardware level through the BIOS or UEFI firmware settings:

Restart your laptop and press the appropriate key (e.g., F2, F12, Del, or Esc) to enter BIOS/UEFI during startup.

Look for a section like Input Devices, Integrated Devices, or Touchscreen.

Locate the touchscreen option and disable it.

Save changes and exit.

4. Using Tweak Tools (GNOME or KDE)

If you're using GNOME or KDE, you can use additional configuration tools like GNOME Tweaks or KDE System Settings:

Install the tool:

sudo apt install gnome-tweaks

Open the tool and navigate to the input devices section.

Disable the touchscreen from the list of devices.

5. Mask the Touchscreen Driver

If none of the above options work and you want a graphical interface workaround:

Open Software & Updates in your Linux distribution.

Navigate to the Additional Drivers tab.

Check if the touchscreen driver is listed.

If it is, switch to a different driver or disable it from this interface.

If you're unsure which method suits your system, feel free to share details, and I’ll help you further!

karbytes:

How do I open gnome-tweaks after installing it?

ChatGPT:

After installing GNOME Tweaks, you can open it in several ways:

1. Search in the Applications Menu

Open your Applications Menu (accessible from the top-left or bottom-left corner of your screen, depending on your distribution).

Type Tweaks in the search bar.

Click on Tweaks or GNOME Tweaks when it appears.

2. Run from the Command Line

If you prefer using the terminal:

gnome-tweaks

This will launch the GNOME Tweaks application.

3. Use the "Run Command" Dialog

Press Alt + F2 on your keyboard to open the Run Command dialog.

Type gnome-tweaks and press Enter.

4. Shortcut in the Settings Application

Open Settings from the Applications Menu or System Tray.

Some Linux distributions (e.g., Ubuntu with GNOME desktop) might add a link to GNOME Tweaks directly within the Settings application under Appearance, Devices, or similar sections.

If you can't find GNOME Tweaks after installing it, make sure it was installed successfully:

sudo apt install gnome-tweaks

Let me know if you encounter any issues!

karbytes:

How do I use that application to turn off the touch screen?

ChatGPT:

Unfortunately, GNOME Tweaks does not provide a built-in option to directly disable the touchscreen. However, you can use GNOME Tweaks to configure various input-related settings, such as touchpad behavior and gestures. To disable the touchscreen, you'll need to try one of the following alternative approaches that complement GNOME Tweaks:

Alternate Methods for Disabling the Touchscreen

1. Using GNOME Extensions

If you're using GNOME Tweaks, you can manage GNOME extensions to modify device behaviors:

Open GNOME Tweaks.

Go to the Extensions section.

Search for and install an extension like Block Input Devices (via the GNOME Extensions website).

Use the extension to disable the touchscreen.

2. Disable the Touchscreen with xinput

GNOME Tweaks can work alongside commands like xinput for finer control of input devices:

Run xinput list in the terminal to find your touchscreen device.

Disable the touchscreen with:

xinput disable <device-id>

3. Modify Accessibility Features

In GNOME Tweaks:

Go to the Keyboard & Mouse section.

If you see options related to touch input (e.g., gestures), you can disable them. This doesn't turn off the touchscreen but limits its functionality.

4. Disable Touchscreen via GNOME Settings (if available)

Some GNOME-based distributions provide touchscreen settings:

Open Settings (not GNOME Tweaks).

Look under Devices → Touchpad & Mouse for an option to disable the touchscreen.

5. Make the Change Persistent

If you use a command (e.g., xinput) or libinput configuration:

Add the command to your GNOME Tweaks Startup Applications section to apply the change on reboot.

Alternative: Use udev Rules or BIOS Settings

If none of the above methods fit your needs, try using udev rules (as explained earlier) or disabling the touchscreen directly in your laptop's BIOS/UEFI settings.

If you'd like detailed steps on any specific method, let me know!

karbytes:

I tried running "sudo libinput list-devices" and got the following response: sudo: libinput: command not found

ChatGPT:

The error indicates that the libinput tool is not installed on your system. You can install it and then run the command. Here's how to do it:

Install libinput-tools Package

Open a terminal and run the following command:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install libinput-tools

This will install the libinput utility, which includes the list-devices command.

Once installed, try running the command again:

sudo libinput list-devices

If You're Using a Different Linux Distribution

On Fedora:

sudo dnf install libinput

On Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S libinput

On openSUSE:

sudo zypper install libinput-tools

Troubleshooting

If you still experience issues, ensure that your system's package manager has access to the required repositories. Let me know if you encounter any errors during the installation!

karbytes:

How do I get the event node and touchscreen ID for the new libinput rule(s)?

ChatGPT:

To create a udev rule for disabling the touchscreen, you'll need to identify the event node (e.g., /dev/input/eventX) and possibly the touchscreen device name. Here's how to gather this information using libinput and other tools:

1. Get Device Details with libinput list-devices

After installing libinput-tools:

Run the command:

sudo libinput list-devices

Look for the entry that corresponds to your touchscreen device. It will look something like this:

Device:           ELAN Touchscreen

Kernel:           /dev/input/event10

Group:            9

Capabilities:     touch

Device Name: ELAN Touchscreen (or your device's name).

Event Node: /dev/input/event10 (the exact number may vary).

2. Confirm with evtest

To verify the event node and identify the correct touchscreen:

Install the evtest utility if not already installed:

sudo apt install evtest

Run evtest and choose the event node associated with your touchscreen:

sudo evtest

Select the touchscreen from the list. When you touch the screen, you should see output indicating that the device is responding.

3. Get the Device Path with udevadm

To ensure you use the correct device path for your udev rule:

Run:

sudo udevadm info --query=all --name=/dev/input/event10

Replace event10 with the actual event node for your touchscreen.

Look for the ID_INPUT_TOUCHSCREEN attribute:

E: ID_INPUT_TOUCHSCREEN=1

4. Create the udev Rule

With the event node and device details:

Open the rules file for editing:

sudo nano /etc/udev/rules.d/99-touchscreen-disable.rules

Add the following line (replace event10 with your event node):

SUBSYSTEM=="input", ENV{ID_INPUT_TOUCHSCREEN}=="1", KERNEL=="event10", ENV{LIBINPUT_IGNORE_DEVICE}="1"

Reload the udev rules:

sudo udevadm control --reload

sudo udevadm trigger

5. Test the Configuration

Reboot your system or unplug/replug the device to apply the rule.

Verify that the touchscreen is disabled.

If you encounter any difficulties during these steps, let me know!

karbytes:

Available devices:

/dev/input/event0:	Lid Switch

/dev/input/event1:	Power Button

/dev/input/event10:	HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=3

/dev/input/event11:	HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=7

/dev/input/event12:	HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=8

/dev/input/event13:	HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=9

/dev/input/event2:	AT Translated Set 2 keyboard

/dev/input/event3:	ELAN06FA:00 04F3:31BE Mouse

/dev/input/event4:	ELAN06FA:00 04F3:31BE Touchpad

/dev/input/event5:	GTCH7503:00 2A94:D64D

/dev/input/event6:	Ideapad extra buttons

/dev/input/event7:	Video Bus

/dev/input/event8:	HDA Intel PCH Mic

/dev/input/event9:	HDA Intel PCH Headphone

ChatGPT:

The touchscreen device in your system appears to be /dev/input/event5, identified as GTCH7503:00 2A94:D64D. Here's how you can proceed to disable it:

Steps to Disable the Touchscreen

1. Verify the Device

Use evtest to confirm that /dev/input/event5 is the touchscreen:

Install evtest if you haven't already:

sudo apt install evtest

Run evtest:

sudo evtest

Select /dev/input/event5 from the list.

Touch the screen and check if input events are displayed. If you see output responding to your touch, this is indeed the touchscreen device.

2. Create a udev Rule

Disable the touchscreen using a custom udev rule:

Open a new udev rules file:

sudo nano /etc/udev/rules.d/99-touchscreen-disable.rules

Add the following line (replace event5 if needed based on confirmation from evtest):

SUBSYSTEM=="input", ENV{ID_INPUT_TOUCHSCREEN}=="1", KERNEL=="event5", ENV{LIBINPUT_IGNORE_DEVICE}="1"

Save and close the file.

3. Reload the udev Rules

Apply the new rule:

sudo udevadm control --reload

sudo udevadm trigger

4. Test the Configuration

Touch the screen to verify that it no longer responds to input.

If it still works, reboot your system to ensure the rule is applied.

5. Re-enable the Touchscreen (Optional)

If you need to re-enable the touchscreen in the future:

Delete the 99-touchscreen-disable.rules file:

sudo rm /etc/udev/rules.d/99-touchscreen-disable.rules

Reload the rules:

sudo udevadm control --reload

sudo udevadm trigger

Reboot if necessary.

Let me know if you encounter any issues!

karbytes:

After entering 5 I see ongoing changes to some of the values in the command line interface.

ChatGPT:

If selecting /dev/input/event5 with evtest results in ongoing changes in the output, even when you're not interacting with the screen, it strongly suggests that /dev/input/event5 corresponds to your touchscreen device, as it is actively reporting input data.

Here's what you can do next to proceed with disabling the touchscreen:

1. Confirm Ongoing Events are Touch-Related

If the output changes in response to touching the screen, it confirms that /dev/input/event5 is your touchscreen.

Look for event types like:

Event: time 1674745782.123456, type EV_ABS, code ABS_MT_POSITION_X, value 1234

Event: time 1674745782.123457, type EV_ABS, code ABS_MT_POSITION_Y, value 5678

These are common touch-related event types.

2. Disable the Touchscreen Using udev

Once confirmed, follow these steps to create a udev rule:

Open a new udev rules file:

sudo nano /etc/udev/rules.d/99-touchscreen-disable.rules

Add the following content:

SUBSYSTEM=="input", ENV{ID_INPUT_TOUCHSCREEN}=="1", KERNEL=="event5", ENV{LIBINPUT_IGNORE_DEVICE}="1"

Save the file (Ctrl + O, then Enter, and Ctrl + X to exit).

3. Apply the Rule

Reload the udev rules and trigger the changes:

sudo udevadm control --reload

sudo udevadm trigger

4. Test the Configuration

After applying the rule, touch the screen. If the rule works, the touchscreen should no longer respond.

Reboot the system if necessary to ensure the rule is fully applied.

5. Verify the Rule is Working

You can check if the udev rule is applied with:

sudo udevadm info --query=all --name=/dev/input/event5

Look for the LIBINPUT_IGNORE_DEVICE=1 attribute.

6. Revert the Change (Optional)

If you want to re-enable the touchscreen:

Delete the udev rule file:

sudo rm /etc/udev/rules.d/99-touchscreen-disable.rules

Reload the udev rules:

sudo udevadm control --reload

sudo udevadm trigger

Let me know if you need help verifying or further refining the process!

karbytes:

I noticed that the newly added rule to disable the touchscreen did not work until after I restarted the computer. Now that rule appears to be working.

ChatGPT:

That's great to hear! It's not uncommon for udev rules to require a system restart to fully apply in some cases, especially for input devices like touchscreens that may already be in use by the system when the rule is added.

Now that the rule is successfully disabling the touchscreen, here's a quick recap and additional tips for managing this setup:

Why a Restart Was Needed

Device Persistence: Some input devices, like touchscreens, are initialized during boot. When the udev rule is added, the device might need to be reinitialized, which usually happens during a restart.

System Services: Services that manage input devices (e.g., libinput or Xorg) may cache device configurations and only refresh them after a reboot.
Verifying the Rule

You can double-check that the udev rule is applied properly:

Run the following command:

sudo udevadm info --query=all --name=/dev/input/event5

Look for the attribute:

E: LIBINPUT_IGNORE_DEVICE=1

If this appears, it means the rule is being applied correctly.

Managing the Rule

To Disable the Touchscreen Again: Ensure the rule is present in /etc/udev/rules.d/99-touchscreen-disable.rules. No further action is needed.

To Re-enable the Touchscreen:

Delete the rule:

sudo rm /etc/udev/rules.d/99-touchscreen-disable.rules

Reload the rules:

sudo udevadm control --reload

sudo udevadm trigger

Restart the computer.

Persistent Management

If you frequently toggle the touchscreen on and off, consider creating a simple script to manage this:

Example Script

Create a script file:

nano ~/toggle_touchscreen.sh

Add the following content:

#!/bin/bash

if [ "$1" == "disable" ]; then
    echo 'Disabling touchscreen...'
    echo 'SUBSYSTEM=="input", ENV{ID_INPUT_TOUCHSCREEN}=="1", KERNEL=="event5", ENV{LIBINPUT_IGNORE_DEVICE}="1"' | sudo tee /etc/udev/rules.d/99-touchscreen-disable.rules
    sudo udevadm control --reload
    sudo udevadm trigger
    echo 'Touchscreen disabled. Please restart for changes to take effect.'

elif [ "$1" == "enable" ]; then
    echo 'Enabling touchscreen...'
    sudo rm /etc/udev/rules.d/99-touchscreen-disable.rules
    sudo udevadm control --reload
    sudo udevadm trigger
    echo 'Touchscreen enabled. Please restart for changes to take effect.'

else
    echo 'Usage: ./toggle_touchscreen.sh [disable|enable]'
fi

Save and close the file (Ctrl + O, then Ctrl + X).

Make it executable:

chmod +x ~/toggle_touchscreen.sh

Usage:

To disable:

./toggle_touchscreen.sh disable

To enable:

./toggle_touchscreen.sh enable

Let me know if you need help setting up or troubleshooting anything else! 😊