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From: rthomson@mesa.dsd.es.com (Rich Thomson)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Re: Using tablets in X (Was: Re: Moving pointer in software ?)
Message-ID: <1991Mar18.170530.13580@dsd.es.com>
Date: 18 Mar 91 17:05:30 GMT
References: <9103131557.AA10051@devnull.Eng.Sun.COM> <1165@dandelion.CI.COM>
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In article <1165@dandelion.CI.COM>
	dale@jack.ci.com (Dale Gallaher) writes:
>   Has anyone implemented applications which use tablet input instead
>   of the mouse.  We have a CAD package where many uses prefer using
>   a tablet but I have never seen anyone discuss using tablets in X.

The X input extension allows input from a wide variety of devices.
However, the support for the input extension must be built into the
server (including driving the devices).  It is not plug-and-play in
that respect.

Also, applications that wish to use these devices must call the
client-side routines that interface to them.  An interesting thing is
that you can change the core pointer to be a tablet instead of the
mouse.  If you do this, applications that are mouse-based could use a
tablet without having to know they were using the tablet.  You can
change back and forth without restarting the server (or any client,
for that matter).

E&S has been using the input extension in its X implementation to
provide: tablets (several varieties of different sizes), dial boxes (8
dials with 8-character LED labels), and a button box.  I am not aware
of which other vendors are using the X input extension, but the
extension was contributed by HP.

						-- Rich
-- 
  ``Read my MIPS -- no new VAXes!!'' -- George Bush after sniffing freon
	    Disclaimer: I speak for myself, except as noted.
UUCP: ...!uunet!dsd.es.com!rthomson		Rich Thomson
ARPA: rthomson@dsd.es.com			PEXt Programmer