XIIPM - XFree86 Input Driver and Tools for the Numonics IPM Whiteboard Copyright 2001, 2002 by Konrad Rieck - All rights reserved. Frequently Asked Questions Q: Why don't you provide some RPM packages of the driver? A: Providing RPM packages would be a good solution to avoid the annoying compilation and installation process. Unfortunatley there are several different Linux distributions, hardware platforms and distribution releases available and I am not willing to compile packages for all of those, such as Debian, SuSE, RedHat, YellowDog... If you have some spare time, bundle an RPM package for your favorite system and send it to me Konrad Rieck , including the SRPM and the SPEC file. You'll get full credits for your package. Q: XFree86 server says '(EE) module ABI minor version...'. What can I do? A: The XFree86 system detected a version conflict between the header files provided with this package and your XFree86 installation. If you are not using an old XFree86 version (3.3.x), try using the option "-ignoreABI" when launching the XFree86 server. The Numonics IPM driver is compatible with old ABI versions and might be also compatible wit newer ones. Q: XFree86 server says '(EE) Failed to load module "ipm"'. Is there a fix? A: Look at the log file generated by the XFree86 server, usually stored in /var/log/XFree86.0.log. Find the lines that document the loading of the IPM driver. In most cases explicit error messages are printed during this phase. Also take a look at the question and answer above that also deal with a common XFree86 problem. Q: Do I need to calibrate the board everytime I restart the system? A: Yes and No. Depending on your setup. If you have a fix setup including a fixed projector and whiteboard, you will only need to calibrate the driver once. Follow the instructions in the README file explaining the permanent configuration. That's it. If you are often changing the projector's or board's position, you'll have to re-calibrate the board everytime. The volatile calibration might be a good solution for these situations, use the instructions provided in the README file describing the volatile calibration. Q: On some fix positions the pointer jumps. Is this a bug? A: No! I have also stumbled over this problem and in fact it is a hardware problem. If you don't believe this, try using the ipmdump(1) tool and find out that you have indeed "blackholes" on your Numonics IPM device. If you have the chance, return your board to the vendor, it is broken, if not, read the ipm(4x) manual page and especially the part about the "blackhole" options, that can minimize this problem. Q: Can I tune the sensitivity of the pointer movement? A: Yes it is possible to manupalte the sensitivity of the Numonics IPM whiteboard using the option "Threshold". You'll find more information about this driver option and even more options in the manual page of the Numonics IPM driver ipm(4x). Q: Is there any official support for this driver? A: First of all that's a good question. I guess you have paid a lot of money for your whiteboard and you are now looking for some professional Linux customer support. I am doing this project in my free time, for fun and for the Linux community, I have never received any feedback from Numonics Inc. eventhough I have sent several emails and faxes. If you have problems contact me, Konrad Rieck, , but keep in mind that I am often busy with real projects and this is some kind of hobby. Q: My question has not been answered in this FAQ. And now? Well. You can post your question to the author of this package, the email has already been displayed too often in this project. If dealing with open source projects, it's always a good idea to hunt for some own solutions. Why don't use the "try-and-error" method? Why don't play a little bit with an option or argument? Maybe you discover a solution to your problem. In case you did, let me know of both, the problem and the solution.