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+1  Q: 

Script in udev rule doesn't run

I'm running Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) on a laptop and would like NumLock to automatically toggle depending on whether my USB keyboard is plugged in (numlock on) or unplugged (numlock off).

To accomplish this, I first installed the "numlockx" package. numlockx on and numlockx off works fine.

To hook into the device system, I thought I'd use udev. I have looked at other questions on StackOverflow and read "Writing udev rules". But I'm having trouble getting the udev rule to work.

First, here's an example of the dmesg output:

[20906.985102] usb 3-2: new low speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 6
[20907.166403] usb 3-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[20907.192904] input: Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.0/input/input20
[20907.193100] microsoft 0003:045E:00DB.000B: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.11 Keyboard [Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000] on usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input0
[20907.217810] input: Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21
[20907.217979] microsoft 0003:045E:00DB.000C: input,hidraw2: USB HID v1.11 Device [Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000] on usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input1

I used udevadm info to gather the device info:

> udevadm info -a -p /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21

  looking at device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21':
    KERNEL=="input21"
    SUBSYSTEM=="input"
    DRIVER==""
    ATTR{phys}=="usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input1"
    ATTR{uniq}==""
    ATTR{modalias}=="input:b0003v045Ep00DBe0111-e0,1,2,3,4,14,k71,72,73,74,75,77,79,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,8A,8B,8C,8E,90,96,98,9B,9C,9E,9F,A1,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,AB,AC,AD,AE,B0,B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6,B8,B9,BA,BB,BC,BD,BE,BF,C0,C1,C2,CE,CF,D0,D1,D2,D5,D9,DB,DF,E2,E7,E8,E9,EA,EB,F0,100,162,166,16A,16E,178,179,17A,17B,17C,17D,17F,180,181,182,185,18C,18D,192,193,195,1A0,1A1,1A2,1A3,1A4,1A5,1A6,1A7,1A8,1A9,1AA,1AB,1AC,1AD,1AE,1B0,1B1,1B7,r6,a20,m4,lsfw"

  looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1':
    KERNELS=="3-2:1.1"
    SUBSYSTEMS=="usb"
    DRIVERS=="usbhid"
    ATTRS{bInterfaceNumber}=="01"
    ATTRS{bAlternateSetting}==" 0"
    ATTRS{bNumEndpoints}=="01"
    ATTRS{bInterfaceClass}=="03"
    ATTRS{bInterfaceSubClass}=="00"
    ATTRS{bInterfaceProtocol}=="00"
    ATTRS{modalias}=="usb:v045Ep00DBd0173dc00dsc00dp00ic03isc00ip00"
    ATTRS{supports_autosuspend}=="1"

  looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2':
    KERNELS=="3-2"
    SUBSYSTEMS=="usb"
    DRIVERS=="usb"
    ATTRS{configuration}==""
    ATTRS{bNumInterfaces}==" 2"
    ATTRS{bConfigurationValue}=="1"
    ATTRS{bmAttributes}=="a0"
    ATTRS{bMaxPower}=="100mA"
    ATTRS{urbnum}=="532"
    ATTRS{idVendor}=="045e"
    ATTRS{idProduct}=="00db"
    ATTRS{bcdDevice}=="0173"
    ATTRS{bDeviceClass}=="00"
    ATTRS{bDeviceSubClass}=="00"
    ATTRS{bDeviceProtocol}=="00"
    ATTRS{bNumConfigurations}=="1"
    ATTRS{bMaxPacketSize0}=="8"
    ATTRS{speed}=="1.5"
    ATTRS{busnum}=="3"
    ATTRS{devnum}=="6"
    ATTRS{version}==" 2.00"
    ATTRS{maxchild}=="0"
    ATTRS{quirks}=="0x0"
    ATTRS{authorized}=="1"
    ATTRS{manufacturer}=="Microsoft"

  looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3':
    KERNELS=="usb3"
    SUBSYSTEMS=="usb"
    DRIVERS=="usb"
    ATTRS{configuration}==""
    ATTRS{bNumInterfaces}==" 1"
    ATTRS{bConfigurationValue}=="1"
    ATTRS{bmAttributes}=="e0"
    ATTRS{bMaxPower}=="  0mA"
    ATTRS{urbnum}=="127"
    ATTRS{idVendor}=="1d6b"
    ATTRS{idProduct}=="0001"
    ATTRS{bcdDevice}=="0206"
    ATTRS{bDeviceClass}=="09"
    ATTRS{bDeviceSubClass}=="00"
    ATTRS{bDeviceProtocol}=="00"
    ATTRS{bNumConfigurations}=="1"
    ATTRS{bMaxPacketSize0}=="64"
    ATTRS{speed}=="12"
    ATTRS{busnum}=="3"
    ATTRS{devnum}=="1"
    ATTRS{version}==" 1.10"
    ATTRS{maxchild}=="2"
    ATTRS{quirks}=="0x0"
    ATTRS{authorized}=="1"
    ATTRS{manufacturer}=="Linux 2.6.31-16-generic uhci_hcd"
    ATTRS{product}=="UHCI Host Controller"
    ATTRS{serial}=="0000:00:1a.0"
    ATTRS{authorized_default}=="1"

  looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0':
    KERNELS=="0000:00:1a.0"
    SUBSYSTEMS=="pci"
    DRIVERS=="uhci_hcd"
    ATTRS{vendor}=="0x8086"
    ATTRS{device}=="0x2937"
    ATTRS{subsystem_vendor}=="0x1558"
    ATTRS{subsystem_device}=="0x0860"
    ATTRS{class}=="0x0c0300"
    ATTRS{irq}=="16"
    ATTRS{local_cpus}=="ff"
    ATTRS{local_cpulist}=="0-7"
    ATTRS{modalias}=="pci:v00008086d00002937sv00001558sd00000860bc0Csc03i00"
    ATTRS{broken_parity_status}=="0"
    ATTRS{msi_bus}==""

  looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00':
    KERNELS=="pci0000:00"
    SUBSYSTEMS==""
    DRIVERS==""

So I created a file called /etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules:

# Turn on NumLock when keyboard is plugged in.
ACTION=="add", ATTRS{manufacturer}=="Microsoft", SUBSYSTEM=="input", RUN+="/usr/bin/numlockx on"

# Turn off NumLock when keyboard is unplugged.
ACTION=="remove", ATTRS{manufacturer}=="Microsoft", SUBSYSTEM=="input", RUN+="/usr/bin/numlockx off"

I have used udevadm test to verify that the rules are correct:

> udevadm test --action=add /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21
run_command: calling: test
udevadm_test: version 147

[...]
parse_file: reading '/etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules' as rules file
udev_rules_new: rules use 180864 bytes tokens (15072 * 12 bytes), 31614 bytes buffer
udev_rules_new: temporary index used 49760 bytes (2488 * 20 bytes)
udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x28d7d80 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21'
udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN '/sbin/modprobe -b $env{MODALIAS}' /lib/udev/rules.d/80-drivers.rules:5
udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN 'socket:@/org/freedesktop/hal/udev_event' /lib/udev/rules.d/90-hal.rules:2
udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x28d8560 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1'
udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x28d8708 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2'
udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN '/usr/bin/numlockx on' /etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules:7
udevadm_test: UDEV_LOG=6
udevadm_test: DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21
udevadm_test: PRODUCT=3/45e/db/111
udevadm_test: NAME="Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000"
udevadm_test: PHYS="usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input1"
udevadm_test: UNIQ=""
udevadm_test: EV==10001f
udevadm_test: KEY==837fff 2c3027 bf004444 0 0 1 10f84 8a27c007 ff7f7bfa d9415fff febeffdf ffefffff ffffffff fffffffe
udevadm_test: REL==40
udevadm_test: ABS==1 0
udevadm_test: MSC==10
udevadm_test: MODALIAS=input:b0003v045Ep00DBe0111-e0,1,2,3,4,14,k71,72,73,74,75,77,79,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,8A,8B,8C,8E,90,96,98,9B,9C,9E,9F,A1,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,AB,AC,AD,AE,B0,B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6,B8,B9,BA,BB,BC,BD,BE,BF,C0,C1,C2,CE,CF,D0,D1,D2,D5,D9,DB,DF,E2,E7,E8,E9,EA,EB,F0,100,162,166,16A,16E,178,179,17A,17B,17C,17D,17F,180,181,182,185,18C,18D,192,193,195,1A0,1A1,1A2,1A3,1A4,1A5,1A6,1A7,1A8,1A9,1AA,1AB,1AC,1AD,1AE,1B0,1B1,1B7,r6,a20,m4,lsfw
udevadm_test: ACTION=add
udevadm_test: SUBSYSTEM=input
udevadm_test: run: '/sbin/modprobe -b input:b0003v045Ep00DBe0111-e0,1,2,3,4,14,k71,72,73,74,75,77,79,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,8A,8B,8C,8E,90,96,98,9B,9C,9E,9F,A1,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,AB,AC,AD,AE,B0,B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6,B8,B9,BA,BB,BC,BD,BE,BF,C0,C1,C2,CE,CF,D0,D1,D2,D5,D9,DB,DF,E2,E7,E8,E9,EA,EB,F0,100,162,166,16A,16E,178,179,17A,17B,17C,17D,17F,180,181,182,185,18C,18D,192,193,195,1A0,1A1,1A2,1A3,1A4,1A5,1A6,1A7,1A8,1A9,1AA,1AB,1AC,1AD,1AE,1B0,1B1,1B7,r6,a20,m4,lsfw'
udevadm_test: run: 'socket:@/org/freedesktop/hal/udev_event'
udevadm_test: run: '/usr/bin/numlockx on'

And here's the "remove" test:

> udevadm test --action=remove /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21

run_command: calling: test
udevadm_test: version 147

[...]
parse_file: reading '/etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules' as rules file
udev_rules_new: rules use 180864 bytes tokens (15072 * 12 bytes), 31614 bytes buffer
udev_rules_new: temporary index used 49760 bytes (2488 * 20 bytes)
udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0xd2fd80 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21'
udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN 'socket:@/org/freedesktop/hal/udev_event' /lib/udev/rules.d/90-hal.rules:2
udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0xd2fff8 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1'
udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0xd30690 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2'
udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN '/usr/bin/numlockx off' /etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules:10
udevadm_test: UDEV_LOG=6
udevadm_test: DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21
udevadm_test: PRODUCT=3/45e/db/111
udevadm_test: NAME="Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000"
udevadm_test: PHYS="usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input1"
udevadm_test: UNIQ=""
udevadm_test: EV==10001f
udevadm_test: KEY==837fff 2c3027 bf004444 0 0 1 10f84 8a27c007 ff7f7bfa d9415fff febeffdf ffefffff ffffffff fffffffe
udevadm_test: REL==40
udevadm_test: ABS==1 0
udevadm_test: MSC==10
udevadm_test: MODALIAS=input:b0003v045Ep00DBe0111-e0,1,2,3,4,14,k71,72,73,74,75,77,79,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,8A,8B,8C,8E,90,96,98,9B,9C,9E,9F,A1,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,AB,AC,AD,AE,B0,B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6,B8,B9,BA,BB,BC,BD,BE,BF,C0,C1,C2,CE,CF,D0,D1,D2,D5,D9,DB,DF,E2,E7,E8,E9,EA,EB,F0,100,162,166,16A,16E,178,179,17A,17B,17C,17D,17F,180,181,182,185,18C,18D,192,193,195,1A0,1A1,1A2,1A3,1A4,1A5,1A6,1A7,1A8,1A9,1AA,1AB,1AC,1AD,1AE,1B0,1B1,1B7,r6,a20,m4,lsfw
udevadm_test: ACTION=remove
udevadm_test: SUBSYSTEM=input
udevadm_test: run: 'socket:@/org/freedesktop/hal/udev_event'
udevadm_test: run: '/usr/bin/numlockx off'

The problem is that when the keyboard is plugged in or unplugged, the NumLock status doesn't change. I have tried restarting the udev service, with no luck. Are my udev rules wrong? Am I going about this the wrong way?

+1  A: 

  1. I'm not very knowledgeable about this, but my guess would be that the keyboard state is managed by the X11 "plumbing", which sits at a higher level than udev, so whatever you're doing down there is getting overridden. You may find out more by digging through the configuration files in /etc/X11.

  2. You may get more relevant answers to this on superuser.com (link at very bottom of this page). I won't vote to close your question down here, but others might.

Carl Smotricz  2010-01-12 06:27:13
Thanks for the tip. Copied to SuperUser: http://superuser.com/questions/95187/script-in-udev-rule-doesnt-run
Eric Heikes  2010-01-25 17:58:33

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