Asus Eee PC 1201n: Function Keys

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Architecture: i386
CustomUdevRuleFiles: 40-hplip.rules 56-hpmud_support.rules
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release i386 (20091028.5)
Lsusb:
 Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 002: ID 13d3:5111 IMC Networks
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
MachineType: ASUSTeK Computer INC. 1201N
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: udev 147~-6.1
PackageArchitecture: i386
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-20-generic root=UUID=35d90f0d-c2b8-47ee-91d0-b18b83a426c1 ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 LANG=de_DE.UTF-8
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-20.57-generic
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-20-generic i686
UserGroups: lp root
XsessionErrors:
 (gnome-settings-daemon:1746): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
 (polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1:1798): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_once_init_leave: assertion `initialization_value != 0' failed
 (nautilus:1786): Eel-CRITICAL **: eel_preferences_get_boolean: assertion `preferences_is_initialized ()' failed
 (nautilus:2084): Eel-CRITICAL **: eel_preferences_get_boolean: assertion `preferences_is_initialized ()' failed
dmi.bios.date: 12/21/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 0318
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: 1201N
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: x.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 0x00000000
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.chassis.version: x.x
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0318:bd12/21/2009:svnASUSTeKComputerINC.:pn1201N:pvrx.x:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rn1201N:rvrx.xx:cvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:ct10:cvrx.x:
dmi.product.name: 1201N
dmi.product.version: x.x
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.

Hello,

trhanks for your fast response. I added the requested information via apport as you can see above. If you would like to know the key codes of the funtion keys, you could point me to some tools which could tell me the codes? Maybe I could use such tool to get the codes and post them here?

Good night,
Sven

I installed Ubuntu 9.10 - lucid lynx - and there is many regression until the first message :
 * Fn+F2 - wireless switch - doesn't work, no event with xev
 * Fn+F10/F11/F12 - sound mute/decrease/increase - doesn't, no event with xev

Other function keys are like the first message.

eeepc-acpi-scripts package isn't installed.

Hello Albert,

If you have the same model as me (1201N) the world is not that bad... Regarding the WIFI I downloaded the Realtek driver. But I had to take care about the path I placed the sources in order to compile them. As usuall, no spaces should be in the path. But that's common to most makes.

I total the 1201N has almost two issues: BIOS-Reset when changing the display light and the funtion key issues mentioned here.

But please place a different Bug here, because your WIFI issue is slightly off-topic.
;-)

Bye,
Sven

P.S.: When got everything wokring, I will try to find the time to document it in the ubuntu-wiki.

My first name is Nicolas ;)

I didn't say that wifi doesn't work. I compiled realtek driver too.

I said wireless switch (wifi+bluetooth) doesn't work, Fn+F2 doesn't product any X key event.

Hi!

Just ended the installation of ubuntu 10.04 for my new netbook and falled into the same problem. My computer is ASUS 1201NL, which is an underpowered version of the 1201N.

Anyway the motherboard, NVIDIA ION, is the same so I would like not to open a new thread, since I feel that the root of the problem is the same.

Anyway, I've just installed and updated ubuntu 10.04, then added the packed nvidia binary drivers (without was the same from the function keys perspective) and Here is what I get.

fn-F1: sleep, works
fn-F2: wireless, doesn't works, no xev input
fn-F5,F6: brightness works
fn-F7: switch screen off/on, works
fn-F8: switch screen/external monitor, does not works. No xev input
fn-F9: disable keypad, does not works. No xev input
fn-F10,11,12: volume management does not works. No xev input

fn-C: activate screensaver, does not works. No xev
fn-C: activate webcam, does not works. No xev

fn-arrows (all direction), multimedia control work.

I'm adding dmidecode info. Let me know how can I help.

Have a nice weekend
Luca

I can confirm almost the same at my Asus EEEPC 1008HA

Brightness, sleep and WIFI works fine.
But Mute and volume keys doesn't

Mute: Fn + F10
Volume Down: Fn + F11
Volume UP: Fn + F12

They used to work fine on Karmic in the same hardware.

No logs in the dmesg, and no output in showkeys -s

Linux marvin 2.6.32-18-generic #27-Ubuntu SMP Fri Mar 26 19:51:10 UTC 2010 i686 GNU/Linux

dmidecode attached

I installed 10.04 Lucid Lynx last night on my 1201N. For the most part, everything is working. However I too am experiencing issues with certain function keys no longer working. The same results as the other two posts. These keys DID function in 9.10, so it's something specific to the upgrade. 'showkeys' does not recognize that I am hitting them.

In addition, fn-SPACE (run), fn-V (camera) and fn-C (sleep?) do not register.

Any ideas on a fix or solution? Thanks.

Adding "acpi_osi=Linux" to the grub's kernel boot parameters list helps, and most of the keys are taken into account. Even multimedia keys.

fn-SPACE belongs to the "Super Hybrid Engine" throttle control, which does not exist on the linux side.
fn-V could work if bound to an application for the camera (like cheese).
fn-C is for the screensaver, so could be bound like the CTRL-L standard action.

What really matter me, since I would like to switch between the built-in and the external monitor.They does not work, even if their keypress is reported by acpi.
You can check this by issuing the following command and then pressing the hotkeys:
$ lshal -m

I would like to open a specific bug for this last case.

Hey, thanks for the acpi_osi=Linux comment. I just ran

sudo dpkg-reconfigure grub-pc and added it to the second prompt before "quiet splash" so that it read "acpi_osi=Linux quiet splash"

The thing I wanted the most were the volume controls and this fixed it in Lucid (Kubuntu)

acpi_osi=Linux fixed the problem for me too
Asus Eee PC 1201N with Lucid 32bit

however before I added "acpi_osi=Linux" the fn5&fn6 brightness keys worked and the notification worked as well
But after adding "acpi_osi=Linux" the brightness keys still functionally work however the notification does not show up
not a big deal I guess

Ah, hello,

I didn't had much time in the last weeks,....

@Nicolas Albert:
Ah, sorry, yes, of cause, your name is Nicolas. Sorry!
And, yes, you didn't write anything about WIFI in general... I can't remember, what I thought in that moment!? Maybe partial amnesia?
%-)

Well, just another interesting info... while testing for another bug, I had to install the last upstream kernel (2.6.34 rc2 for Karmic), which actually did show a correct behaviour of the Fn+F7 key (display backlight off). But that's all. All other keys remained the same.

Well in general, I do not expect to have the same behaviour for all keys as, let's say, in the Bug#1 OS. This is even not making sense, because Fn+SPACE for "Super Hybrid Engine" is not available under Linux. Well, that's ok, because:

1. Under Linux we don't have too much hyper-hyper stuff. ;-)
2. Just a key event would be ok, so we could map it to something "like" that.... it's because the manufacturer printed nice pictures on the keys.

@Luca Aluffi:
Well, really, the external monitor is not activated? I just checked the key (Fn+F8) and it generates events. But unfortunately I don't have any suitable monitor to check this out. So, it would be nice, if you could track that issue by yourself and maybe give a signal, when it is solved or any progress?
Well, I just detected the "detect displays" option in the property settings of the ION Gfx settings (under "X Server Display Configuration"). Does that work? I personally guess that this topic is part of the Gfx driver support. But I do not know anything about architectural decisions in the depth of the OS/GUI. Maybe this has to be fixed in one of EeePC packages, which should manage the binding from the key to any script/code that toggles the GFx-Drv configuration!?

Let's say it on short: I don't know, if you should open a new bug entry for that or not.

Bye,
Sven

Luca,

Thanks. Confirmed the acpi_osi=Linux worked for me too.

Hello at all,

well, I just have one simple question.

As the original poster, I would like to check the above statements about the acpi_osi parameter against my original bug entry. Yes, my original post was against Ubuntu 9.10.... now I installed 10.4 (Netbook Edition) in the expectation, that something changes and that using a more current version will help the developers to focus on one single source.

Well, unfortinately I do not have much time and I did not need to change any boot kernel boot parameter in the years before. I tried to find any description in any wiki HOW to change those parameters EXACTLY. This menas everybody is talking about the contents to change, but nobody actually says, how to do that?

The total information chain is not very userfriendly. For example: Changing the parameters during boot-up by pressing the 'e'-key actually shows up the params, where I can edit them.... but there is exactly zero information about how to store the changes - so useless. The second way is to open the grub.cfg after login with an editor and to edit the entries of the boot menu, which contains the parameters in a {}-block. In fact I tried this by adding a new line with the above statement "acpi_osi=Linux". But that actually made absolute no difference.

So based on the above abitlity of myself, I currently cannot confirm, that anything's changed. In fact it is even worse, because less keys work than with karmic. So I currently can confirm only that with lucid the situation is worse.

As I strongly believe that I am just too stupid, I didn't update the checklist of keys.

So, if there is somebody who has the energy to explain to me, how to change the kernel boot parameters, it would be very nice. Then I will update the list in respect of the original intention of this bug entry. If necessary, we could use direct email communication in order to keep the bug comments clean.

Bye,
Sven

P.S.: I do not have time regulary. Usually once per week. Let's say for about 2 hours per week for this topic. Usually on Mondays or Tuesdays.
;-)

@SKid: these parameters go in /etc/default/grub. Simply do:

- Press Alt+F2, enter "gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub" and press enter
- Change the line that reads
    GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""
  to
    GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="acpi_osi=Linux acpi_backlight=vendor"
- Save and exit
- Press Alt+F2, enter "gksudo update-grub", tick "Run in terminal" (to see
  the progress) and press enter

Notice the "acpi_backlight=vendor" bit. This is a suggestion from another user in a duplicate-ish of this bug (dealing with the same problem for a different eeepc model), which makes the brightness OSD and automatic brightness adjustment features work correctly.

Guys,
some days ago I discovered that the key FN-F8 (switch display) works... but just with NOUVEAU drivers. The matter comes when using NVIDIA: indeed, it stops to work.

Since the NVIDIA's configuration panels works and the card detectc the discrete display (from hdmi, in my case), I suppose that the problem resides in the X server.

I'll open the new problem for X server as soon as I can.

Uh... forgotten...
Multimedia keys FN-Arrows works fine, but just when there is a multimedia application running: I guess it makes sense, so we should be fine with that.

Adding "acpi=Linux acpi_backlight=vendor" parameter makes no changes here. Backlight Function keys are still working, but without notification.
Fn+F7 (Turn off the backlight) doesn't work in both cases.

My netbook model: Assus EEEPc 1008ha

Hello at all,

well I just put the current status into one single table (see attachment) in order to have it more handy.

Today evening I had very much bad luck with 10.4, which drives me to decide to no longer support 10.4 with my tests, because it behaves so unstable that really costs me too much time.

Well, it is a different topic, but currently I do not have the time to track all these issues just for this simple test.
(I tried to install proprietary GFX driver (checking brightness keys: I waited for 1 hour due to unstable WLAN driver for buidling up the indizes, I tried to install new driver from USB-CD-ROM which was not mounted..... everything working under 9.10....).

Hah, it's a pity, but I can no longer put energy into 10.4.
So hopefully you can understand, that I personally insist on 9.10 at the moment.

Volume function keys are working again with maverick alpha 1 on my 1005HA, but wireless still does not.

While function keys such as Fn+F2 still don't work, a workaround is to enable/disable this in the BIOS.

To expand slightly on the details SKid(Sven) posted, here is some tests done using Ubuntu 10.04, with and without acpi_osi=Linux.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Ap2XdAnh9KHQdFB2VWdiRkxpT2N3QVpuNFQ2VEpMVUE&hl=en

It looks like when adding acpi_osi=Linux to the boot parameters, the results on Ubuntu 10.04 and 9.10 are basically the same (with the exception that the touchpad on/off buttons (both fn+f9 and the dedicated key) now work.

There are currently multiple issues here:

1) acpi_osi=Linux is required otherwise the eeepc-laptop.ko module isn't loaded. Is this why the bug is marked as affecting udev? I know nothing what-so-ever about udev.

2) Various keymapping are missing from the eeepc-laptop.ko module. Some of these have been added in more recent updates (http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git;a=commitdiff;h=b39b85e74acfd62a22afc33a88a7bda36beb3367) but others are still missing (0x39 -> KEY_F15, 0x3c -> KEY_SCREENLOCK).

3) There is no ACPI event being triggered by the fn+V (webcam) key. I've no idea why not, I'd have expected it to be consistent with fn+C (screensaver key)...

4) The wireless key (fn+F2) triggers the keypress KEY_WLAN, which only toggles wifi. It seems more sensible that this should trigger KEY_RFKILL and hence toggle wifi+bluetooth. KEY_RFKILL was added in kernel 2.6.33 so I'm not sure if it's any use here.

5) There is no brightness notifications shown on screen but the keys work. This is down to buggy code in the eeepc-laptop.ko module. This area (http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git;a=blob;f=drivers/platform/x86/eeepc-laptop.c;hb=c9db3efee16add57ea459a00dfa00610fcbce931#l1211) looks like it has been rewritten in 2.6.33, though I haven't tested it.

on my 1201n FN+F8 work only with nouveau drivers. after installing nVidia drivers FN+F8 is unusable

will ubuntu solve this somewhere in the future?

Hi everyone

Almost all the keys Fn and special work under my Ubuntu 10.04 + kernel

-> http://forum.ubuntu.pl/showpost.php?p=785500&postcount=1086

- for different machines + wifi drivers and ndiswrapper,

and this script -> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2936246/splash-nvidia-ati.tar.bz2 (also in that thread I put it).

However, in Ubuntu 10.10, you can forget about including action special key to disable/enable touchpad (both the metal and Fn). Well udev does not implement what it should, and this blocks the action of ACPI in the kernel (my kernels are shared for netbooks - 2.6.35.8-zen3-ext73-f1-10.1-atom-bfs and workstations/desktops - 2.6.35.8-zen3- ext73-f1-10.1-k8-bfs).

Thus, can someone from Canonical use which gives the kernel, rather than inventing their own "bizarre" solution.

Greetings

Tomek

If it's still an issue in oneiric, can you please follow the "fixing broken keys" section in /usr/share/doc/udev/README.keymap.txt.gz and add the info here? Thanks!

[Expired for udev (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]