### LIBINPUT-GESTURES

[Libinput-gestures][REPO] is a utility which reads [libinput
gestures](https://wayland.freedesktop.org/libinput/doc/latest/gestures.html)
from your touchpad and maps them to gestures you configure in a
configuration file. Each gesture can be configured to activate a shell
command which is typically an [_xdotool_][XDOTOOL] command to action
desktop/window/application keyboard combinations and commands. See the
examples in the provided `libinput-gestures.conf` file. My motivation
for creating this is to use triple swipe up/down to switch workspaces,
and triple swipe right/left to go backwards/forwards in my browser, as
per the default configuration.

This small and simple utility is only intended to be used temporarily
until GNOME and other DE's action libinput gestures natively. It parses
the output of the _libinput list-devices_ and _libinput debug-events_
utilities so is a little fragile to any version changes in their output
format.

This utility is developed and tested on Arch linux using the GNOME 3 DE
on Xorg and Wayland. It works somewhat incompletely on Wayland (via
XWayland). See the WAYLAND section below and the comments in the default
`libinput-gestures.conf` file. It has been [reported to work with
KDE](http://www.lorenzobettini.it/2017/02/touchpad-gestures-in-linux-kde-with-libinput-gestures/).
I am not sure how well this will work on all distros and DE's etc.

The latest version and documentation is available at
https://github.com/bulletmark/libinput-gestures.

### INSTALLATION

IMPORTANT: You must be a member of the _input_ group to have permission
to read the touchpad device:

    sudo gpasswd -a $USER input

After executing the above command, **log out of your session
completely**, and then log back in to assign this group (or just
reboot).

NOTE: Arch users can just install [_libinput-gestures from the
AUR_][AUR]. Then skip to the next CONFIGURATION section.

You need python 3.5 or later, python2 is not supported. You also need
libinput release 1.0 or later. Install prerequisites:

    # E.g. On Arch:
    sudo pacman -S xdotool wmctrl

    # E.g. On Debian based systems, e.g. Ubuntu:
    sudo apt-get install xdotool wmctrl

    # E.g. On Fedora:
    sudo dnf install xdotool wmctrl

Debian and Ubuntu users may also need to install `libinput-tools` if
that package exists in your release:

    sudo apt-get install libinput-tools

Install this software:

    git clone https://github.com/bulletmark/libinput-gestures.git
    cd libinput-gestures
    sudo make install (or sudo ./libinput-gestures-setup install)

### CONFIGURATION

It is helpful to start by reading the documentation about [what libinput
calls gestures](https://wayland.freedesktop.org/libinput/doc/latest/gestures.html).
Many users will be happy with the default configuration in which case
you can just type the following and you are ready to go:

    libinput-gestures-setup autostart
    libinput-gestures-setup start

Otherwise, if you want to create your own custom gestures etc, keep
reading ..

The default gestures are in `/etc/libinput-gestures.conf`. If you want
to create your own custom gestures then copy that file to
`~/.config/libinput-gestures.conf` and edit it. There are many examples
and options described in that file. The available gestures are:

|Gesture               |Example Mapping |
|-------               |--------------- |
|`swipe up`            |GNOME/KDE/etc move to next workspace |
|`swipe down`          |GNOME/KDE/etc move to prev workspace |
|`swipe left`          |Web browser go forward |
|`swipe right`         |Web browser go back |
|`swipe left_up`       |Jump to next open web browser tab |
|`swipe left_down`     |Jump to previous open web browser tab |
|`swipe right_up`      |Close current web browser tab |
|`swipe right_down`    |Reopen and jump to last closed web browser tab |
|`pinch in`            |GNOME open/close overview |
|`pinch out`           |GNOME open/close overview |
|`pinch clockwise`     ||
|`pinch anticlockwise` ||

NOTE: If you don't use "natural" scrolling direction for your touchpad
then you may want to swap the default left/right and up/down
configurations.

You can choose to specify a specific finger count, typically [3 or more
fingers for swipe](https://wayland.freedesktop.org/libinput/doc/latest/gestures.html#swipe-gestures),
and [2 or more for pinch](https://wayland.freedesktop.org/libinput/doc/latest/gestures.html#pinch-gestures).
If a finger count is specified then the command is executed when exactly that
number of fingers is used in the gesture. If not specified then the
command is executed when that gesture is invoked with any number of
fingers. Gestures specified with finger count have priority over the
same gesture specified without any finger count.

Of course, 2 finger swipes and taps are already interpreted by your DE
and apps [for scrolling](https://wayland.freedesktop.org/libinput/doc/latest/scrolling.html#two-finger-scrolling) etc.

IMPORTANT: Test the program. Check for reported errors in your custom
gestures, missing packages, etc:

    # Ensure the program is stopped
    libinput-gestures-setup stop

    # Test to print out commands that would be executed:
    libinput-gestures -d
    (<ctrl-c> to stop)

Confirm that the correct commands are reported for your 3 finger
swipe up/down/left/right gestures, and your 2 or 3 finger pinch
in/out gestures. Some touchpads can also support 4 finger gestures.
If you have problems then follow the TROUBLESHOOTING steps below.

Apart from simple environment variable and `~` substitutions within the
configured command name, `libinput-gestures` does not run the configured
command under a shell so shell argument substitutions and expansions etc
will not be parsed. This is for efficiency and because most don't need
it. This also means your `PATH` is not respected of course so you must
specify the full path to any command. If you need something more
complicated, you can add your commands in an executable personal script,
e.g. `~/bin/libinput-gestures.sh` e.g. with a `#!/bin/sh` shebang . Run
that script by hand until you get it working then configure the script
path as your command in your `libinput-gestures.conf`.

In most cases, `libinput-gestures` automatically determines your
touchpad device. However, you can specify it in your configuration file
if needed. If you have multiple touchpads you can also specify
`libinput-gestures` to use all devices. See the notes in the default
`libinput-gestures.conf` file about the `device` configuration command.

### STARTING AND STOPPING

Search for, and then start, the `libinput-gestures` app in your DE or
you can start it immediately in the background using the command line
utility:

    libinput-gestures-setup start

You can stop the background app with:

    libinput-gestures-setup stop

You can enable the app to start automatically in the background when you
log in (on an XDG compliant DE such as GNOME and KDE) with:

    libinput-gestures-setup autostart

You can disable the app from starting automatically with:

    libinput-gestures-setup autostop

You can restart the app or reload the configuration file with:

    libinput-gestures-setup restart

You can check the status of the app with:

    libinput-gestures-setup status

### UPGRADE

    # cd to source dir, as above
    git pull
    sudo make install (or sudo ./libinput-gestures-setup install)
    libinput-gestures-setup restart

### REMOVAL

    libinput-gestures-setup stop
    libinput-gestures-setup autostop
    sudo libinput-gestures-setup uninstall

### WAYLAND AND OTHER NOTES

This utility exploits `xdotool` which unfortunately only works with
X11/Xorg based applications. So `xdotool` shortcuts for the desktop do
not work under GNOME on Wayland which is the default since GNOME
3.22. However, it is found that `wmctrl` desktop selection commands do work
under GNOME on Wayland (via XWayland) so this utility adds a built-in
`_internal` command which can be used to switch workspaces using the
swipe commands.
The `_internal` `ws_up` and `ws_down` commands use `wmctrl` to work out
the current workspace and select the next one. Since this works on both
Wayland and Xorg, and with GNOME, KDE, and other EWMH compliant
desktops, it is the default configuration command for swipe up and
down commands in `libinput-gestures.conf`. See the comments in that file
about other options you can do with the `_internal` command.
Unfortunately `_internal` does not work with Compiz for Ubuntu
Unity desktop so also see the explicit example there for Unity.

Of course, `xdotool` commands do work via XWayland for Xorg based apps
so, for example, page forward/back swipe gestures do work for Firefox
and Chrome browsers when running on Wayland as per the default
configuration.

Note that GNOME on Wayland natively implements the following gestures:

- 3 finger pinch opens/close the GNOME overview.
- 4 finger swipe up/down changes workspaces.

So if you choose to run `libinput-gestures` on Wayland, be sure to
change or disable the your `libinput-gestures.conf` pinch and swipe
up/down gestures to not clash with these. E.g, configure your
`libinput-gestures.conf` pinch gestures for only 2 fingers, and the
swipe up/down for only 3 fingers so they work independently of the
native gestures.

GNOME on Xorg does not natively implement any gestures.

### EXTENDED GESTURES

They are not enabled in the default `libinput-gestures.conf`
configuration file but you can enable extended gestures which augment
the gestures listed above in CONFIGURATION. See the commented out
examples in `libinput-gestures.conf`.

- `swipe right_up` (e.g. jump to next open browser tab)
- `swipe left_up` (e.g. jump to previous open browser tab)
- `swipe left_down` (e.g. close current browser tab)
- `swipe right_down` (e.g. reopen and jump to last closed browser tab)
- `pinch clockwise`
- `pinch anticlockwise`

So instead of just configuring the usual swipe up/down and left/right
each at 90 degrees separation, you can add the above extra 4 swipes to
give a total of 8 swipe gestures each at 45 degrees separation. It works
better than you may expect, at least after some practice. It means you
can completely manage browser tabs from your touchpad.

### TROUBLESHOOTING

Please don't raise a github issue but provide little information about
your problem, and please don't raise an issue until you have considered
all the following steps. **If you raise an issue ALWAYS include the
output of `libinput-gestures -l` to show the environment and
configuration you are using, regardless of what the issue is about**.

1. Ensure you are running the latest version from the
   [libinput-gestures github repository][REPO] or from the [Arch AUR][AUR].

2. Ensure you have followed the installation instructions here
   carefully. The most common mistake is that you have not added your
   user to the _input_ group and re-logged in as described above.

3. Perhaps temporarily remove your custom configuration to try with the
   default configuration.

4. Run `libinput-gestures` on the command line in debug mode while
   performing some 3 and 4 finger left/right/up/down swipes, and some
   pinch in/outs. In debug mode, configured commands are not executed,
   they are merely output to the screen:
   ````
	libinput-gestures-setup stop
	libinput-gestures -d
	(<ctrl-c> to stop)
   ````

5. Run `libinput-gestures` in raw mode by repeating the same commands as
   above step but use the `-r` (`--raw`) switch instead of `-d`
   (`--debug`). Raw mode does nothing more than echo the raw gesture
   events received from `libinput debug-events`. If you see `POINTER_*`
   events but no `GESTURE_*` events then unfortunately your touchpad
   and/or libinput combination can report simple finger movements but
   does not report multi-finger gestures so `libinput-gestures` will not
   work. Also note that discrimination of `SWIPE` and `PINCH` gestures
   is done completely within libinput, before they get to
   `libinput-gestures`.

6. Search the web for Linux kernel and/or libinput issues relating to
   your specific touchpad device and/or laptop/pc. Update your BIOS if
   possible.

7. Be sure that a configured external command works exactly how you want
   when you run it directly on the command line, **before** you configure
   it for `libinput-gestures`. E.g. run `xdotool` manually and
   experiment with various arguments to work out exactly what arguments
   it requires to do what you want, and only then add that command +
   arguments to your custom configuration in
   `~/.config/libinput-gestures.conf`. Clearly, if the your manual
   `xdotool` command does not work correctly then there is no point
   raising an `libinput-gestures` issue about it!

8. **If you raise an issue, always include the output of
   `libinput-gestures -l` to show the environment and configuration you
   are using**. If appropriate, also paste the output from steps 4 and 5
   above. If your device is not being recognised by `libinput-gestures`
   at all, paste the complete output of `libinput list-devices`
   (`libinput-list-devices` on libinput < v1.8).

### LICENSE

Copyright (C) 2015 Mark Blakeney. This program is distributed under the
terms of the GNU General Public License.
This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or any later
version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General
Public License at <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/> for more details.

[REPO]: https://github.com/bulletmark/libinput-gestures/
[AUR]: https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/libinput-gestures/
[XDOTOOL]: https://www.semicomplete.com/projects/xdotool/

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