Xfce Forum

zakazak

Member

Registered: 2018-12-11

Posts: 13

Keyboard Backlight: Autostart and turn off on inactivity?

Hello everyone, 
I am running XFCE on my laptop and currently wonder how to fix the following situation:

1. After booting the system, the keyboard backlight is turned off. I always need to manually activate it via "Fn + Space".
Is there a way to automatically enable it? Probably with auto-running the keyboard shortcut on boot?

2. Is there a way to automatically turn off the keyboard backlight after a certain inactivity and then turn it on again when pressing a button?

Thanks in advance!

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 11,017

Re: Keyboard Backlight: Autostart and turn off on inactivity?

On my laptop, the keyboard backlight settings are set and managed in the bios. Do you have something similar? What is the make and model of your laptop?

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zakazak

Member

Registered: 2018-12-11

Posts: 13

Re: Keyboard Backlight: Autostart and turn off on inactivity?

Hmm no there isnt anything similiar in my BIOS.
But I believe (could be wrong) that the keyboard backlight already worked before? Maybe only on AC? I will try later. Coukd be that TLP is changing the behaviour.

But a defenitive way to set it would be nice anyway (e.g. lightning strength, inactivity tkmeout,...).

Thinkpad  X1 Extreme

Last edited by zakazak (2018-12-24 22:01:08)

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 11,017

Re: Keyboard Backlight: Autostart and turn off on inactivity?

1. After booting the system, the keyboard backlight is turned off. I always need to manually activate it via "Fn + Space".
Is there a way to automatically enable it? Probably with auto-running the keyboard shortcut on boot?

Unfortunately, since the function key doesn't generate an event in linux (it's bios-based) there is not way to replicate the press in linux (that I am aware of).

2. Is there a way to automatically turn off the keyboard backlight after a certain inactivity and then turn it on again when pressing a button?

See this Arch Wiki page for some info on managing the keyboard backlight. Hopefully it will work for you.

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zakazak

Member

Registered: 2018-12-11

Posts: 13

Re: Keyboard Backlight: Autostart and turn off on inactivity?

I already knew that wiki article.
It would let me allow to turn it on after boot (although I believe that this already worked).

But I still cant control the automatic disabling after a certain time of inactivity?

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 11,017

Re: Keyboard Backlight: Autostart and turn off on inactivity?

But I still cant control the automatic disabling after a certain time of inactivity?

Xfce doesn't have this functionality natively. You'll need to use external tools or processes to manage this.

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zakazak

Member

Registered: 2018-12-11

Posts: 13

Re: Keyboard Backlight: Autostart and turn off on inactivity?

Hmm alright, thanks!

I will give it a try in the Arch forum.