How to install Synaptics on touchpad on Ubuntu 14.04

Question

I've recently upgraded my system to Ubuntu 14.04 LTS version but Previously i was in Ubuntu 13.10 where i used to operate my touchpad with circle scrolling. But Now in the Ubuntu 14.04 there is no " synaptiks " package on Ubuntu software center so please help me to install the package or any alternative to use circle scrolling?

Solution 1

For14.04

You can download the .deb file from debian here http://http.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/s/synaptiks/kde-config-touchpad_0.8.1-2_all.deb

and you can install it using something like dpkg or gdebi or just execute the following commands.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install wget gdebi
wget http://http.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/s/synaptiks/kde-config-touchpad_0.8.1-2_all.deb
sudo gdebi kde-config-touchpad_0.8.1-2_all.deb
sudo apt-mark hold kde-config-touchpad=0.8.1-2

To set up synaptiks, open a terminal and type:

synaptiks

You will see a few errors and something about a broken pipe or syntax whatever . . . just ignore it because it doesn't matter.

When that's done just use ALT + F2 and type synaptiks

this time, synaptiks should open up fine with no troubles.

Solution 2

As you can see on the package page on launchpad, synaptiks has been developed until Ubuntu 13.10. I tried installing the package for 13.10 on 14.04 but it conflicts with the default Ubuntu Mouse & Touchpad utility. A package for 14.04 could be made available in the future, but I'm not sure about that. Since I was missing this utility too, and the default one is missing some customization options, in the meantime I'm using Gpointing device settings. It is pretty good and it allows circle scrolling. You can find it in the Software Center.

UPDATE: It seems that Gpointing device settings is no longer maintained, and the version from the Software Center doesn't save settings after reboot. I couldn't file another GUI application, so I had to use xinput from the terminal. This is how you do it:

1) Check the name of your device:

xinput list

2) See available options for your device:

xinput list-props "Your Device Name"

3) Edit settings (to make settings consistent after reboot/shutdown just add this command to Startup Applications):

xinput set-prop "Your Device Name" "Option Name" "Value"

Here is an example command I used to activate locked drags:

xinput set-prop "SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad" "Synaptics Locked Drags" 1

To activate Circle Scrolling just look for it in your device available options and play with them until you get the desired result, then add the command to Startup Applications and you're done! Hope it helps! : )

SECOND UPDATE: Another nice GUI application you can try is touchpad-indicator:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:atareao/atareao
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install touchpad-indicator

Comments

[mchid]

now that there is a new kde-config-touchpad, you have to run sudo apt-mark hold kde-config-touchpad to prevent upgrades

[Werner]

Sorry, I needed to specify that I have a Kubuntu installation and thus was refering to KDE, not Gnome.

[Werner]

I added screenshots showing the options

[mchid]

I see, I don't use Kubuntu or KDE.

[Michael Allan Jackson]

xinput did the trick on Dell m4400 with Ubuntu 16.04

[Julius]

this worked on a macbook pro

[Morteza]

I'm on Mint Mate. My touchpad was disabled and Fn + F1 did not work. Using touchpad-indicator enabled it!

[mchid]

Ohmygosh, I'm sorry. to prevent upgrades, you must run sudo apt-mark hold kde-config-touchpad=0.8.1-2 . when you apt-mark something, you have to specify the version number!

[userDepth]

I checked if the package was available and got positive here. Right in the repos :)

[mchid]

@userDepth Kind of late but the version available in the repos wasn't the same application. The newer versions are completely different.

[mchid]

Although, the dependencies are no longer satisfiable.