Linux-kernel mailing list archive 2000-06,: Re: PS/2 mouse error....

# Re: PS/2 mouse error....

Derrick Steed (derrick@m-steed.freeserve.co.uk)
Tue, 8 Feb 2000 09:12:46 -0000

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Hi Richard,

I suggest you do a little reading on mice and their heritage. Aside having
designed the ultimate deepthought computer they use different protocols.
Specifically, A PS/2 MOUSE IS NOT A SERIAL MOUSE. So, you can't just take a
ps/2 mouse and plug it into a serial port and expect it to work nor the
other way around (a serial mouse is a serial mouse is a serial mouse).

That said, some mice support both protocols. The interrupt the mouse would
use in serial mode would be one of the serial IRQ's 3 or 4 not 12
(basically, leave the serial port as is, but tell that which is expecting
mouse input: where it's coming from, what protocol it is - the protocol is
very important unless you fancy watching the pointer antics and strange
behaviour when it's wrong).

see http://www.hut.fi/~then/mytexts/mouse.html for detail
also see http://www.xfree86.org/XFree86/3.3.2/mouse4.html for supported
protocols in XFree86

Rgds,

Derrick.

----- Original Message -----
From: Richard Adams <pa3gcu@zeelandnet.nl>
To: <jstarkey@polaris.umuc.edu>
Cc: <linux-kernel@vger.rutgers.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2000 12:53 AM
Subject: Re: PS/2 mouse error....

> On Mon, 07 Feb 2000, John Starkey wrote:
> > I am back to the mouse issue. I really need to setup StarOffice for
school and the only thing
> > stopping this is the mouse problem. I need a desktop other than Mac. I
don't wanna have to convert
> > everything later and the instructors are sending me .doc files that I
can't convert (for some reason)
> > with Appleworks or WordPerfect.
> >
> > So here's the "so far".
> >
> > Common factors: Red Hat 6.1, three meeces, gnome.
> >
> > I'm now using my Microsoft "Basic" mouse which I've had working with my
girlfriend's HP. So I know
> > the mouse is ok. But I have to use the ps/2 to serial adaptor on mine.
Hers has a ps/2 connection on
> > the back.
> >
> > Here are the comparisons:
> >
> > ps ax is showing:
> >
> > both boxes have a gpm -t ps/2 entry.
> >
> > /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/XFConfig is showing on my box:
> >
> > Protocol "PS/2"
> > Device "/dev/ttyS0"
> >
> > On hers:
> >
> > Protocol "PS/2"
> > Device "dev/psaux"
> >
> >
> > (I checked the motherboard on mine and the serial port ribbon for the
mouse is plugged into com1)
> >
> > I have the serial mouse on my box set for irq 12 (I set it manually).
>
> Oops, do you know what you are doing.?????
>
> You have said before, the wires go into a serial plug, so just leave
> it as is, setting it to IRQ12 i in my opinion useless.
>
> The rest we have been thro' before.
>
> > Anyone???
>
> --
> Regards Richard
> pa3gcu@zeelandnet.nl
> http://people.zeelandnet.nl/pa3gcu/
>
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