topic title: Brightness Control Issues
Posts: 84
nujinini
Joined: 05 Jun 2010
#1
Hi!

My first encounter with anti-X 8.2 was surprisingly good and pleasing. I find it to be very fast and light to the touch. Thank you for your warm welcome and guidance.

A few months back, I decided to let my lenny go. I was starting love Debian but the problem was I cannot make the brightness control work using hotkeys. They worked with fedora 10, mandriva 2009.1, suse 11.1, mint 7, and yes, it also worked with XP.

I just executed:

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xrandr --output LVDS --set BACKLIGHT_CONTROL native
and it gets to make control brightness work.

I tried it in my newly installed anti-x and hereunder is the output:

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jun@anti-x 8:~$ xrandr --output LVDS --set BACKLIGHT_CONTROL native
X Error of failed request:  BadRROutput (invalid Output parameter)
  Major opcode of failed request:  155 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  15 (RRGetOutputProperty)
  Serial number of failed request:  14
  Current serial number in output stream:  14
jun@anti-x 8:~$
Again, I would like to request for some help regarding this issue please.

Thank you in advance!
Posts: 4,164
rokytnji
Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#2
Have you installed acpi-support
It is able to:
* Detect loss and gain of AC power, lid closure, and the press of a
number of specific buttons (on Asus, IBM, Lenovo, Panasonic, Sony
and Toshiba laptops).
* Suspend, hibernate and resume the computer, with workarounds for
hardware that needs it.
* On some laptops, set screen brightness.
On my Laptop I have that, plus acpi, plus acpi-tools installed also. These are not installed by default. Do a search for acpi in synaptic to find these.
Posts: 84
nujinini
Joined: 05 Jun 2010
#3
Hi rok,

I was able to get acpi and acpi-support and installed properly. I hope __{{emoticon}}__

My I ask what would be my next stpes please? I tried to explore but I decided to just be careful lest I screw this system.

Thanks!

EDIT: acpitool too, just now.

I tired the following fyi:

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jun@anti-x 8:~$ sux
Password: 
root@anti-x 8:/home/jun# cd /proc/acpi/video/VGA/LCD
root@anti-x 8:/proc/acpi/video/VGA/LCD# ls
brightness  EDID  info    state
root@anti-x 8:/proc/acpi/video/VGA/LCD# nano brightness

root@anti-x 8:/# cd /proc/acpi/video/GFX0/DD02
root@anti-x 8:/proc/acpi/video/GFX0/DD02# ls
brightness  EDID  info    state
root@anti-x 8:/proc/acpi/video/GFX0/DD02# nano brightness
root@anti-x 8:/proc/acpi/video/GFX0/DD02#
In both instances I was not able to change the values in the nano editor. Well I mean I can change the numbers but it can't be saved. It gives me an error report.

Thanks! __{{emoticon}}__
Posts: 4,164
rokytnji
Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#4
My I ask what would be my next stpes please
Have you just tried using you brightness keys on your keyboard? On my gear. The Netbook brightness keys work out of the box and on my Laptop also.

You can go to /proc/acpi/video/VGA/LCD using either file manager. Look inside. And see physically what you are trying to edit with nano.

Always make a backup of any file you try to edit in /"root". I do this by making a folder in /home called backups. Then putting original copied files I wish to edit in there. Then if you screw it up. You can boot up live cd and take your original backed up file out of /home/backups . And replaced your screwed edited file with it to bring back to stock. There are other ways to do this. This is just how I do it.
Posts: 84
nujinini
Joined: 05 Jun 2010
#5
Have you just tried using you brightness keys on your keyboard? On my gear. The Netbook brightness keys work out of the box and on my Laptop also.
Yeah, I tried my keys but still no dice.
You can go to /proc/acpi/video/VGA/LCD using either file manager. Look inside. And see physically what you are trying to edit with nano.

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  GNU nano 2.0.9              File: brightness                                  

levels:  5 15 25 35 45 55 65 75 85 95 100
current: 100
                                [ Read 2 lines ]
^G Get Help  ^O WriteOut  ^R Read File ^Y Prev Page ^K Cut Text  ^C Cur Pos
^X Exit      ^J Justify   ^W Where Is  ^V Next Page ^U UnCut Text^T To Spell
Apparently, it gives me several levels of brightness and the current level which is at 100.
My problem is when I edit current to say 25, hit ^X - Y - Enter to exit, it gives me an error report and does not allow me to eventually change the level.
Always make a backup of any file you try to edit in /"root". I do this by making a folder in /home called backups. Then putting original copied files I wish to edit in there. Then if you screw it up. You can boot up live cd and take your original backed up file out of /home/backups . And replaced your screwed edited file with it to bring back to stock. There are other ways to do this. This is just how I do it.
Darn, why didn't think of that __{{emoticon}}__ . Thank you for the idea! __{{emoticon}}__
Posts: 4,164
rokytnji
Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#6
Apparently, it gives me several levels of brightness and the current level which is at 100.
My problem is when I edit current to say 25, hit ^X - Y - Enter to exit, it gives me an error report and does not allow me to eventually change the level.
Time for you to learn something else. Go to that file in your file manager. Go to right click on that file and look at properties>permissions. You will see that owner only has write privileges to that file. In other words you need to be root user to edit that file.

To open pcmanfm as root. Find the run app in menu. Type in pcmanfm and tick the box that says run as root. Then you can edit file.
Posts: 1,228
secipolla
Joined: 15 Jun 2008
#7
To save the changed file in nano you must use ctrl+o, then 'Enter' to confirm.
Posts: 84
nujinini
Joined: 05 Jun 2010
#8
I tried to change the current to 25:

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GNU nano 2.0.9              File: brightness                        Modified  

levels:  5 15 25 35 45 55 65 75 85 95 100
current: 25 
File Name to Write: brightness                                                  
^G Get Help         ^T To Files         M-M Mac Format      M-P Prepend
^C Cancel           M-D DOS Format      M-A Append          M-B Backup File
After hitting contol O and then enter to confirm, this is the error I got.

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 GNU nano 2.0.9              File: brightness                        Modified  

levels:  5 15 25 35 45 55 65 75 85 95 100
current: 25 
                 [ Error writing brightness: Invalid argument ]
^G Get Help  ^O WriteOut  ^R Read File ^Y Prev Page ^K Cut Text  ^C Cur Pos
^X Exit      ^J Justify   ^W Where Is  ^V Next Page ^U UnCut Text^T To Spell
Posts: 1,228
secipolla
Joined: 15 Jun 2008
#9
nujinini, I don't have a laptop so I may only help in this case if i stumble with something related on the net. Anyway this file you're trying to edit doesn't seem to be editable to me. The brightness level must be set somewhere else and this file is just outputting that information.
Posts: 84
nujinini
Joined: 05 Jun 2010
#10
secipolla, thank you very much. I really appreciate it. __{{emoticon}}__
Posts: 84
nujinini
Joined: 05 Jun 2010
#11
Time for you to learn something else.
Shoot __{{emoticon}}__
Go to that file in your file manager. Go to right click on that file and look at properties>permissions. You will see that owner only has write privileges to that file. In other words you need to be root user to edit that file.
When I click on properties of brightness, it says I am root. The boxes for read & write are already checked. I tried to also check"execute" but an error report appears saying that"operation not permitted".

__{{emoticon}}__

I have not updated my system since I installed it. Do you think it has something to do with it?
Posts: 1,520
eriefisher
Joined: 07 Oct 2007
#12
As mentioned earlier, that file is just a status report. After you installed the acpi stuff did you restart X(reboot or logout/login)?

On my Compaq laptop the brightness key work perfectly as well as most of the others. I did not catch what the rig was but there may also be a"hotkeys" package available for it.
Posts: 84
nujinini
Joined: 05 Jun 2010
#13
eriefisher wrote:As mentioned earlier, that file is just a status report. After you installed the acpi stuff did you restart X(reboot or logout/login)?

On my Compaq laptop the brightness key work perfectly as well as most of the others. I did not catch what the rig was but there may also be a"hotkeys" package available for it.
Hello eriefisher,

Yes, after I installed acpi, I restarted my system after I saw that it did not have any effect.

My machine is a Lenovo G430,

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jun@anti-x 8:~$ inxi -F
System:    Host anti-x 8.2 Kernel 2.6.27-1-mepis-smp i686 (32 bit) Distro antiX-M8.2 Tȟašúŋke Witkó - Crazy Horse 24 July 2009
CPU:       Dual core Intel Pentium Dual T3400 (SMP) cache 1024 KB flags (sse3 nx lm) bmips 8649.04 
           Clock Speeds: (1) 1000.00 MHz (2) 1000.00 MHz
Graphics:  Card Intel Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller X.Org 1.4.2 Res: 1024x768@71.0hz 
           GLX Renderer Mesa GLX Indirect GLX Version 1.4 (2.1 Mesa 7.0.4) Direct Rendering No
Audio:     Card Intel 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller driver HDA Intel
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Version 1.0.17
Network:   Card-1 Broadcom NetLink BCM5906M Fast Ethernet PCI Express driver tg3 v: 3.94
           Card-2 Broadcom BCM4312 802.11b/g driver wl
Disks:     HDD Total Size: 250.1GB (0.7% used) 1: /dev/sda Hitachi HTS54252 250.1GB
Partition: ID:/ size: 6.0G used: 1.6G (29%) ID:swap-1 size: 6.96GB used: 0.00GB (0%) 
Info:      Processes 88 Uptime 24 min Memory 172.9/2908.2MB Client Shell inxi 1.0.17 
jun@anti-x 8:~$
The keys I usually use for brightness is Fn+arrow down. This brings out a sort of an icon on the desktop that shows the level.

In my Fedora 12/Ubuntu 9.10, the icon shows up and moves even if there is no change happening in the screen brightness. In my antix, there is no icon showing at all. fyi __{{emoticon}}__
Posts: 4,164
rokytnji
Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#14
nujinini.

I hope you read this before you go for your 8.5 install. I see by your inxi readout you have a
250 gig hardrive. When running the installer. Make your previous 6 gig for just /"root" partition, Ext3 file system. Then shrink the 244 gig of Windows you have left . Make it(the new partiton, not Windows ) about 15 gig, label it as /home Ext3 partition. This can be done all through the installer in the run Gparted section. Then when you get to the next windows. Point the root to your 6 gig / partition and home to your /home partition. Go ahead and let it format it again as it is no big deal. That way AntiX root will go to / partition. Home will install to /home partition.
Posts: 84
nujinini
Joined: 05 Jun 2010
#15
rok,

I might have a little problem with this since my 250 G HD is multiboot. I can just allot 10 G max for antix 8.5.

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jun@jun-laptop ~ $ sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for jun: 

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xc5e3f820

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1        1930    15502693+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2            1931       15817   111547327+   5  Extended
/dev/sda3           15818       29555   110350485    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4           29556       30401     6795495   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda5            9778       14512    38033856   83  Linux
/dev/sda6            3836        5224    11157111   83  Linux
/dev/sda7            5225        8994    30282493+  83  Linux
/dev/sda8           14513       15817    10481663+  83  Linux
/dev/sda9            1931        3835    15301849+  83  Linux
/dev/sda10           8995        9777     6289416   83  Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order
jun@jun-laptop ~ $
/dev/sda10 is anti-x partition, fyi.