Wacom Cintiq 12WX in Ubuntu

From Wasteland

These are some notes about my struggles trying to make the tablet Wacom Cintiq 12WX work under Ubuntu v8.10 (Intrepid Ibex).

Contents 1 Summary 2 Hardware 3 Software 4 Image in the tablet, but no 3D acceleration 5 3D acceleration, but no image on the Wacom tablet 6 Combining different X Server configurations

Summary

It is possible to run one monitor and the Wacom tablet using the free driver, but you don't get GLX acceleration. 3D acceleration is a requirement of image visualization programs, e.g. Seg3D. In this case, both the stylus input and the tablet screen work.

Alternatively, you can use the nVidia proprietary driver to get 3D acceleration. But in this case, the Wacom tablet cannot display any image. The input from the stylus does work.

Hardware

• HP xw6600 Worstation
• Two nVidia Quadro FX 570 video cards
• Two HP LP2065 monitors

Software

• Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex v8.10
• Video card drivers: nvidia-glx-180 (Ubuntu package)
• Wacom tablet drivers: linuxwacom-0.8.2-2.tar.bz2

Ubuntu Intrepid as of this writing (21 Jan 2009) provides an older Wacom driver (linuxwacom). It is necessary to download and install the latest version, v0.8.2.2. In this HOW TO: Install a LinuxWacom Kernel Driver for Tablet PC's, it is explained how to do it in a few easy steps. (Ignore the fact that the HowTo is for Tablet PCs).

Image in the tablet, but no 3D acceleration

You need in your /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Section "Module"
    Load           "dbe"
    Load           "extmod"
    Load           "type1"
    Load           "freetype"
        Load    "glx"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        Identifier      "Plain Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier      "Plain Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier      "Plain Screen"
        Monitor         "Plain Monitor"
        Device          "Plain Video Device"
        DefaultDepth    24
        SubSection "Display"
                   Depth        24
                   Modes      "1280x800@60"
        EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "InputDevice" 
      Identifier        "stylus" 
      Driver            "wacom" 
      Option "Device" "/dev/input/by-path/pci-0000:00:1d.3-usb-0:2:1.0-event-mouse"
      Option            "Type"           "stylus"
      Option            "USB"            "on" 
      Option            "Button2"        "3"  # make side-switch a right button 
      # calibration Plain
      Option            "TopX"           "1593" 
      Option            "TopY"           "1823" 
      Option            "BottomX"        "52592" 
      Option            "BottomY"        "35500" 
EndSection

Section "InputDevice" 
      Identifier        "eraser" 
      Driver            "wacom" 
      Option "Device" "/dev/input/by-path/pci-0000:00:1d.3-usb-0:2:1.0-event-mouse"
      Option            "Type"           "eraser"
      Option            "USB"            "on" 
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "plain"
    Screen      "Plain Screen"
    Inputdevice       "stylus"         "SendCoreEvents" 
    Inputdevice       "eraser"         "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

3D acceleration, but no image on the Wacom tablet

You need in your /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Section "Module"
    Load           "dbe"
    Load           "extmod"
    Load           "type1"
    Load           "freetype"
        Load    "glx"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier      "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier      "Default Screen"
        Monitor         "Configured Monitor"
        Device          "Configured Video Device"
        DefaultDepth    24
EndSection

Section "Device"
        Identifier      "Configured Video Device"
        Driver  "nvidia"
        Option  "NoLogo"        "True"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice" 
      Identifier        "stylus" 
      Driver            "wacom" 
      Option "Device" "/dev/input/by-path/pci-0000:00:1d.3-usb-0:2:1.0-event-mouse"
      Option            "Type"           "stylus"
      Option            "USB"            "on" 
      Option            "Button2"        "3"  # make side-switch a right button 
      # calibration Plain
      Option            "TopX"           "1593" 
      Option            "TopY"           "1823" 
      Option            "BottomX"        "52592" 
      Option            "BottomY"        "35500" 
EndSection

Section "InputDevice" 
      Identifier        "eraser" 
      Driver            "wacom" 
      Option "Device" "/dev/input/by-path/pci-0000:00:1d.3-usb-0:2:1.0-event-mouse"
      Option            "Type"           "eraser"
      Option            "USB"            "on" 
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
        Identifier      "single"
        Screen  "Default Screen"
    Inputdevice       "stylus"         "SendCoreEvents" 
    Inputdevice       "eraser"         "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

Combining different X Server configurations

In order to make tests, it's useful to have different X Server configurations running at the same time. For this, you need to merge the above into a single /etc/X11/xorg.conf file. In addition, you need to edit /etc/gdm/gdm.conf

In the [servers] section you need to have

0=Standard
1=Plain

We want to have the Standard configuration ("3D acceleration, but no image on the Wacom tablet") in DISPLAY :0 (CTRL+F9), and the Plain configuration ("Image in the tablet, but no 3D acceleration") in DISPLAY :1 (CTRL+F10).

In the same file you need to have

[server-Standard]
name=Standard server
command=/usr/X11R6/bin/X -br -audit 0 
flexible=true

[server-Plain]
name=Plain server
command=/usr/X11R6/bin/X -br -audit 0 -layout plain
flexible=true