TPB(1)

NAME
tpb - program to use the IBM ThinkPad (tm) special keys

SYNOPSIS
tpb [options]

DESCRIPTION
With TPB it is possible to bind a program to the ThinkPad, Mail, Home and Search button. TPB can also run a callback program on each state change with the changed state and the new state as options. So it is possible to trigger several actions on different events.
TPB    has a on-screen display (OSD) to show volume, mute, brightness and some other informations.
Furthermore TPB supports a software mixer, as the R series ThinkPads have no hardware mixer to change the volume.

OPTIONS

-h, --help
    Display help.

-d, --daemon
    Startup as daemon.

-c, --config=FILE
    Read FILE as additional configuration file.

-A, --apm=STATE
    Some ThinkPads generate mouse and keyboard events or have a high CPU load when polling /proc/apm. You may enable this, if you want the AC connected/AC disconnected messages. Default is off.

-P, --powermgt=STATE
    The program apmiser (part of tpctl package) switches the power management mode according to the needs of the user. This results in lots of changes displayed in OSD. To avoid this, the power management messages can be turned off. Default is auto.

-x, --xevents=STATE
    Some of the special keys generate X11 events instead of changing the nvram. TPB is able to grab those keys and run an application. In general events are only grabbed for keys for which a command is assigned or if the callback script is configured. However some people like to use the X11 events through xmodmap or the like. This option turns off the grabbing of all events regardless if they are configured or not. Affected keys are HOME, SEARCH, MAIL, FAVORITES, RELOAD, ABORT, BACKWARD, FORWARD and FN. Default is on.

-m, --mixer=STATE
    Use OSS mixer to change volume and for mute/unmute. This should be use on models with no hardware mixer (volume and mute buttons show no effect). R31 is reported to have no hardware mixer. To use this you must enable write access to the NVRAM device (possibly dangerous). Possible values are on and off. Default is off.

-o, --osd=STATE
    Show on-screen display for volume, mute and brightness. Possible values are on and off. Default is on.

-p, --poll=DELAY
    Set delay between polls in microseconds. Default is 200000.

-t, --thinkpad=CMD
    String with command and options that should be executed when ThinkPad button is pressed. It is possible to execute any program. The program needs to include the complete path to the executable. By default no command is executed.

-H, --home=CMD
    String with command and options that should be executed when Home button is pressed. By default no command is executed.

-S, --search=CMD
    String with command and options that should be executed when Search button is pressed. By default no command is executed.

-M, --mail=CMD
    String with command and options that should be executed when Mail button is pressed. By default no command is executed.

-W, --wireless=CMD
    String with command and options that should be executed when Wireless button is pressed. By default no command is executed.

-C, --callback=CMD
    String with command and options that should be executed each button press and state change. tpb passes an identifier as first argument and the new state as second argument to the callback. So you can do fancy things :) By default no command is executed.

-v, --verbose
    Print information about pressed keys.

CONFIGURATION FILE
The default values of tpb can be overridden using a configuration file. The priority of the configuration options is:

•   builtin defaults

•   configuration in /etc/tpbrc

•   configuration in $HOME/.tpbrc

•   configuration in file given with '--config' command line option

•   command line options

tpb searches for the file '~/.tpbrc'. The configuration consists of lines of the form:

    # COMMENT
    KEYWORD ARGUMENT # COMMENT

Keywords are:

NVRAM
    Should define the nvram device from where the information about the key states is read. Default is to try /dev/nvram, followed by /dev/misc/nvram.

POLLTIME
    Defines the delay between polls in microseconds. Default is 200000.

THINKPAD
    String with command and options that should be executed when ThinkPad button is pressed. It is possible to execute any program. By default no command is executed.

HOME
    String with command and options that should be executed when Home button is pressed (only available on A and S series). By default no command is executed.

SEARCH
    String with command and options that should be executed when Search button is pressed (only available on A and S series). By default no command is executed.

MAIL
    String with command and options that should be executed when Mail button is pressed(only available on A and S series). By default no command is executed.

FAVORITES
    String with command and options that should be executed when Favorites button is pressed (only available on A series). By default no command is executed.

RELOAD
    String with command and options that should be executed when Reload button is pressed (only available on A series). By default no command is executed.

ABORT
    String with command and options that should be executed when Abort button is pressed (only available on A series). By default no command is executed.

BACKWARD
    String with command and options that should be executed when Backward button is pressed (only available on A series). By default no command is executed.

FORWARD
    String with command and options that should be executed when Forward button is pressed (only available on A series). By default no command is executed.

FN  String with command and options that should be executed when Fn button is pressed. This is only triggered, when Fn is released again and it was not used for a key combination. By default no command is executed.

CALLBACK
    String with command and options that should be executed each button press and state change. tpb passes an identifier as first argument and the new state as second argument to the callback. So you can do fancy things :) By default no command is executed. Supported identifiers and states are:
    IDENTIFIER        STATES/VALUE
    thinkpad          pressed
    home              pressed
    search            pressed
    mail              pressed
    favorites         pressed
    reload            pressed
    abort             pressed
    backward          pressed
    forward           pressed
    fn                pressed
    zoom              on, off
    thinklight        on, off
    display           lcd, crt, both
    expand            on, off
    brightness        PERCENT
    volume            PERCENT
    mute              on, off
    ac_power          connected, disconnected
    powermgt_ac       high, auto, manual
    powermgt_battery  high, auto, manual

MIXER
    Use OSS mixer to change volume and for mute/unmute. This should be use on models with no hardware mixer (volume and mute buttons show no effect). R31 is reported to have no hardware mixer. To use this you must enable write access to the NVRAM device (possibly dangerous). Possible values are on and off. Default is off.

MIXERSTEPS
    Defines how much steps should be available when using the OSS mixer. Default is 14. If an other number of steps is used, tpb needs write access to the nvram device.

MIXERDEV
    Defines the mixer device to use for OSS mixer support. Default is /dev/mixer.

APM Some ThinkPads generate mouse and keyboard events or have a high CPU load when polling /proc/apm. You may enable this, if you want the AC connected/AC disconnected messages. Default is off.

POWERMGT
    The program apmiser (part of tpctl package) switches the power management mode according to the needs of the user. This results in lots of changes displayed in OSD. To avoid this, the power management messages can be turned off. Default is auto.

XEVENTS
    Some of the special keys generate X11 events instead of changing the nvram. TPB is able to grab those keys and run an application. In general events are only grabbed for keys for which a command is assigned or if the callback script is configured. However some people like to use the X11 events through xmodmap or the like. This option turns off the grabbing of all events regardless if they are configured or not. Affected keys are HOME, SEARCH, MAIL, FAVORITES, RELOAD, ABORT, BACKWARD, FORWARD and FN. Default is on.

OSD Show on-screen display for volume, mute and brightness. Possible values are on and off. Default is on.

OSDZOOM
    Specific switch for showing on-screen display for zoom button. Possible values are on and off. Default is unset, follows the OSD option.

OSDTHINKLIGHT
    Specific switch for showing on-screen display for thinklight button. Possible values are on and off. Default is unset, follows the OSD option.

OSDDISPLAY
    Specific switch for showing on-screen display for display output button. Possible values are on and off. Default is unset, follows the OSD option.

OSDHVEXPANSION
    Specific switch for showing on-screen display for HV expansion button. Possible values are on and off. Default is unset, follows the OSD option.

OSDBRIGHTNESS
    Specific switch for showing on-screen display for brightness buttons. Possible values are on and off. Default is unset, follows the OSD option.

OSDVOLUME
    Specific switch for showing on-screen display for ivolume and mute buttons. Possible values are on and off. Default is unset, follows the OSD option.

OSDPOWERMGT
    Specific switch for showing on-screen display for ipower management changes. Possible values are on and off. Default is unset, follows the OSD option.

OSDFONT
    Defines the font for the on-screen display. You may use "xfontsel" to choose one. Default is the default font of the xosd library.

OSDCOLOR
    Defines the color of the on-screen display. You may use "xcolors" to choose one. Default is BLUE.

OSDTIMEOUT
    Defines how long (in seconds) the on-screen display is shown after the last keys was pressed. Default is 3.

OSDOFFSET
    For backward compatibility. Same as OSDVERTICAL.

OSDSHADOW
    Defines the offset of the font shadow in pixels. Default is 2.

OSDSHADOWCOLOR
    Defines the color of the shadow of the on-screen display. You may use "xcolors" to choose one. Default is BLACK.

OSDOUTLINE
    Defines the width of the font outline in pixels. Default is 1.

OSDOUTLINECOLOR
    Defines the color of the outline of the on-screen display. You may use "xcolors" to choose one. Default is BLACK.

OSDVERTICAL
    Defines the offset from the top or bottom of the screen in pixels. Default is 25.

OSDHORIZONTAL
    Defines the offset from the left or right of the screen in pixels. Only supported by xosd 2.0.0 and above. Default is 25.

OSDPOS
    Defines where the osd is shown. Possible values are top, middle and bottom. The value middle is only supported by xosd 2.0.0 and above. Default is bottom.

OSDALIGN
    Defines the alignment of the osd. Possible values are left, center and right. Default is left.

NOTES
Requires NVRAM device /dev/nvram. This must be enabled in your kernel. Although the device file must exist. The device file could be created with 'mknod /dev/nvram c 10 144' This program was developed on a Thinkpad Model T21.

EXAMPLE
tpb --osd=off --verbose --thinkpad="xterm -T ntpctl -e ntpctl"

COPYRIGHT
Copyright 2002-2005, Markus Braun <markus.braun@krawel.de>

Licensed under GNU GPL version 2 or later. This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

AUTHOR
Written by Markus Braun