Downstream bug report: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-input-synaptics/+bug/1271281 1) Utopic Unicorn 14.10 lsb_release -rd Description: Ubuntu Trusty Tahr (development branch) Release: 14.04 2) xorg 7.7 apt-cache policy xserver-xorg-input-synaptics xserver-xorg-input-synaptics: Installed: 1.7.1-0ubuntu1 Candidate: 1.7.1-0ubuntu1 Version table: *** 1.7.1-0ubuntu1 0 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status 3) What is expected to happen by default is when one rests their finger on the touchpad click points, and with the other hand attempts to move the cursor via the touchpad, it would move. 4) What happens instead is the cursor does not move. WORKAROUND: Remove finger from click point first, then cursor moves via touchpad. Use an external mouse.
probably not going to happen. synaptics needs a rewrite to track the fingers separately to tell that one finger is in the button area. This isn't really feasable, we're concentrating on libinput atm that will allow us to do that.
Peter Hutterer, thanks for your input on this. I'll mark this as an enhancement request for now. If the requested functionality emerges working downstream in Ubuntu via libinput, that would work for me (and others who have advised of this issue). Let us keep this report open to track this, and until the functionality is tested working. As well, this appears to be a more general issue with clickpads, as it's reproducible using a Lenovo IdeaPad S415 Touch.
yeah, it's an issue that affects any clickpad, and it's caused by synaptics still primarily handling touchpads as single-touch devices. a few additions allowed for some MT stuff, but the driver needs significant changes to be true multitouch capable - and that's out of scope. Changing bug title to drop the device specifics.
Closing. Some parts of these were fixed in 1.7 (iirc) when Hans added support for the *40 series. Any remaining issues will remain unfixed, synaptics is in maintenance mode and teaching it about true multitouch is beyond the effort anyone wants to spend.
Use of freedesktop.org services, including Bugzilla, is subject to our Code of Conduct. How we collect and use information is described in our Privacy Policy.