Wacom Settings in Ubuntu 16.4

Wacom configuration in Ubuntu used to be easier, but the new program for configuring the Wacom pad and pen doesn’t allow you configure the buttons on the pen (stylus). So if you need to configure those you’ll have to use the terminal command line to do so.

The syntax is…

xsetwacom –list devices [that may appear as a single but is actually a minus followed by a minus without a space between]

This will show you the available devices exactly as listed in the system.

My output looks like Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen stylus id:8 type:Stylus

Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen stylus id: 8 type: STYLUS
Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pad pad id: 9 type: PAD
Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen eraser id: 13 type: ERASER
Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen cursor id: 14 type: CURSOR

I want to configure the stylus so the syntax will be…

xsetwacom set “Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen stylus” Button 3 “key G”

and

xsetwacom set “Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen stylus” Button 2 “key L”

in my case

or

xsetwacom set “Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen stylus” Button 3 “key Shift g”

and

xsetwacom set “Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen stylus” Button 2 “key Shift l”

for another usage.

(If you use a lower case letter but need an upper case letter you have to include the word “Shift” with a capital S. Otherwise you can just use a capital letter in the first place.)

key means pressing that key on the keyboard. If you need a combo use a space between them like “key ctrl a” and if you just want to swap buttons use “button 1” or whatever. Button 1 is the pen tip, button 2 the lower button on the shaft of the stylus, button 3 the upper, and 4 the eraser tip on the top of the stylus.

Since mouse button syntax is “button number” then # then the name of the button the syntax for switching the buttons on the pen back to right and left mouse buttons as default is…

xsetwacom — set “Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen stylus” Button 2 3 !# button 2 acts like right mouse Button (button 3 on mouse)
xsetwacom — set “Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen stylus” Button 3 2 !# button 3 acts like left mouse Button

If you get into trouble just unplug and replug in the tablet or reboot and it will return to default.

for more information here is the output of the help file for xsetwacom…
Usage: xsetwacom [options] [command [arguments…]]
Options:
-h, –help – usage
-v, –verbose – verbose output
-V, –version – version info
-d, –display “display” – override default display
-s, –shell – generate shell commands for ‘get’
-x, –xconf – generate xorg.conf lines for ‘get’

Commands:
–list devices – display detected devices
–list parameters – display supported parameters
–list modifiers – display supported modifier and specific keys for keystrokes
–set “device name” parameter [values…] – set device parameter by name
–get “device name” parameter [param…] – get current device parameter(s) value by name

I am writing a bash script to setup my wacom pen the way I wanted and to reset it to default. I’m still developing it, but here is the rough idea…

#!/bin/bash
echo Wacom Tool Setup Script – By Jeremiah Embs – EmbsComputerArt.com
echo This sets Wacom Tools
echo Press 0 to exit
echo Press 1 to setup Wacom tools for Photoshop
echo Press 2 to reset Wacom tools for standard use
read answer
case $answer in
0) exit ;;
1) xsetwacom set “Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen stylus” Button 2 “key Shift l”
xsetwacom set “Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen stylus” Button 3 “key Shift G”
xsetwacom set “Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen stylus” Button 1 1;;#! pentip-mouseLeftClick
2) xsetwacom set “Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen stylus” Button 2 3 #!Button 2 (lowerToggle)-mouseRightClick
xsetwacom set “Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen stylus” Button 3 2 #! Button 3 (upperToggle)-mouseMiddleClick
xsetwacom set “Wacom Intuos4 6×9 Pen stylus” Button 1 1 #! pentip-mouseLeftClick
esac
#!  xsetwacom set “Wacom Intuos4 6×9 stylus” Button 1 3 —- sets the button 1 to logical button 3 – a right click