The new Wacom Bamboo Pen (CTL-460) doesn't work in Ubuntu Lucid out-of-the-box. You need a newer kernel module than the one that comes with Lucid by default. It's pretty easy to get it working though, you just need to know how.
Update
It seems that since I published this post four months ago, it helped a lot of people. At that time I couldn't find a DKMS script that would automatically compile and install the newer module after every kernel upgrade. Also, I didn't have the time to do it myself. Well, things have changed. After Brett Alton posted his update to my post. Martin Owens replied to his post with a link to a PPA that contains the newer module with a DKMS script. So please, use this PPA and save yourself a lot of trouble! The instructions are really simple, just run this in a terminal:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:doctormo/wacom-plus
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install wacom-dkms
Don't forget to register your tablet at the Wacom website, because you can specify Linux as your operating system. We might get even better support if a lot of people do this.
Old post:
First, install some compiling tools and header files:
sudo apt-get install build-essential libx11-dev libxi-dev x11proto-input-dev xserver-xorg-dev tk8.4-dev tcl8.4-dev libncurses5-dev
Next, download the latest linuxwacom driver (0.8.6 at the moment of writing):
wget http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/linuxwacom/linuxwacom-0.8.6.tar.bz2
Now unpack, configure compile and install it:
tar -xf linuxwacom-0.8.6.tar.bz2
cd linuxwacom-0.8.6
./configure --enable-wacom
cd src/2.6.30/ # I know this is the wrong version, but it's the highest available and it works
make
sudo cp wacom.ko /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/input/tablet/
sudo rmmod wacom
sudo modprobe wacom
The tablet should work now. You can also add the module name to /etc/modules to automatically load it on boot. There still one issue left for me. In Mac OS X I can use the whole tablet, i.e. the right corner is the right screen corner. In Lucid however the grey lines indicate the screen borders, so the right corner of the gray lines is the right screen corner. This means part of the tablet is not used and this can be quite annoying if you're used to the previous behavior.
Don't forget to register your tablet at the Wacom website, because you can specify Linux as your operating system. We might get even better support if a lot of people do this.
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instead of:
cd linuxwacom-0.8.6.tar.bz2
it should be:
cd linuxwacom-0.8.6.tar
Otherwise, it works, whith two observations: no pessure with pen; low resolution with finger (move in increments of about 5 pixels)
Hi, thanks for your comment. I'll fix the original post.
My Wacom doesn't have touch, so I don't have that last issue. Furthermore, I'm only using the tablet as a mouse replacement, so I didn't notice the pressure difference.
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Ohh, when re-reading my last post, I got the feeling that it may have souded a bit rude.. Happens when writing in a language other than our native
Anyway, thanks for the guide. With some fixes here and there, we should end um with our tablets working 100% in ubuntu.
No problem. You need to enable extended input devices in The Gimp to get pressure sentivity. It works great!
http://linuxwacom.sourceforge.net/index.php/howto/gimp
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Hello,
(for newbies like me)
don't forget to this:
sudo aptitude install linux-headers-2.6.32-21-generic
before you start following the guidelines
@Frank - many thanks for this tutorial !
Thanks !
It works
It's added to : http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/wacom_bamboo_pen
Hi, thanks a lot for this!
I have just one doubt, is it possible to configure it for left-handed persons? I'm used to use with the cable in the right side, (180º rotated, my english is not pretty good, but I think you understand...)
Thanks once more!
i've this problem! How can i fix it?
massimo@massimo-desktop:~/linuxwacom-0.8.6/src/2.6.30$ sudo rmmod wacom
ERROR: Module wacom does not exist in /proc/modules
Thank you for this fantastic guide! My bamboo pen works without problem on my Ubuntu 10.04
Only one thing, i must to write this command every start up
sudo modprobe wacom
to make it works, there is a way i can do it automatically?
thanks, it works!
do you know how to set up the keys of the pen?
Thank you so much for this instruction !
I nearly gave up, but then I found this site!
Greetings, Flo
Excellent! Thanks
I also have the CTL-460 using Final Release of Lucid 10.04 (just installed it an hour ago).
I recommend everyone that needs a pressure sensitive drawint/paint/sketch program to install mypaint + mypaint-data. It's the best thing since sliced bread
Just downloaded the released Ubuntu 10.04 and followed the description - before my Bamboo Fun (CTH-461) didn't do anything, the descriptions allowed me to move the cursor around by touch but I'm still not able to perform a click by tabbing or double tabbing, if I push any of the HW buttons the cursor jumps to the top-left corner of the display and might open a (context)menu...
If I use it with the stylus, it accepts clicks as my sapphire tablet also does - but it has the same problem as the sapphire in my dual screen setup - it only works on the left half of the left screen and the right half of the screen to the right - any ideas as to what I did wrong???
^__^
MikeK.dk
(A happy Wacom user for 10+ years)
Thank-you! I have my tablet working thanks to your advice!
I have registered my tablet. The Wacom form did not give me the option to indicate Linux as an OS.
I sent them an email with the following message. I'm including it in case anyone needs ideas on how to make them aware that we are a growing customer base that will eventually translate to a lot of $$$!!!!
I noticed when I registered my tablet that you did not List Linux as an OS option. I had no choice but to select Other. How are you to keep track of what your customers are using?? How are you going to know that more people are slowly migrating to Ubuntu or other Linux Distributions???
The only reason I'm registering my table is to make you aware that I'm using your product with Ubuntu 10.04.
I'm just informing you that I have my tablet is working with Ubuntu 10.04 by following the advice of this website. http://frankgroeneveld.nl/2010/04/11/get-wacom-bamboo-fun-pen-working-in-ubuntu-lucid/
It would be nice to see Wacom give more support for Linux. You have great products, it is a shame that you are not seeing the bigger picture. I have 4 computers at home, all of them are now running Ubuntu. I'm informing more and more people about a better alternative, and I would like to recommend your products.
Sincerely,
My Name
Network Administrator
Computer Instructor
Thank you but not working for me in lucid...
Get this error message :
~$ sudo rmmod wacom
ERROR: Module wacom does not exist in /proc/modules
...any idea ?
Thanks
Hello,
your tutorial is very good and my bamboo works yupi
but i have a problem when i boot my system can you post the right /etc/modules information
thank you
PS: SORRY my english is not good
I got my pen and touch work with this tutorial... kinda. Touch doesn't work for me but that's ok.
Pen works other than that cursor have problem to update it's position after i lift the pen from the tablet. Cursor freezes every time i lift the pen. It starts moving again when the tip touches the tablet, but only it it's touching. If i take pen out of the detection range and take it back, this behaviour will be reset. Any ideas how to fix it?
hi,
Thanks so much for the info... i was so happy when finally my pen worked on Lucid. I have 1 problem tho,i'm new to ubuntu, and new to terminal especially... i'm just wondering how to add module name to /etc/modules. Every time i restarted my computer, i can't get my pen to work. Thanks so much...
Thank you, sir, for this guide! After many long days trying to get my tablet working using other methods--all to no avail--this one worked great.
Hi,
I read this useful post cause I also have the wacom bamboo CTL-460.
I started the configuration as wrote above downloading from sourceforge the linuxwacom
driver and unpacked it and started to configure until I got stuck when It was time to compile
with :
sudo cp wacom.ko /lib/modules/2.6.32-21/kernel/drivers/input/tablet/the terminal gave me this answer:
cp: impossibile fare stat di `wacom.ko': Nessun file o directory
(translating because it's in italian
) >impossible make stat of 'wakom.ko': no such file or
directory< and sincerely I don't understand what this means but I can't go on with the
configuration and the tablet doesn't start working
I would be thankful if you could help me with this...
Regards and thanks a lot
I was completed all steps, but my tablet doesn't work. Wacom Bamboo Pen (CTL-460-RU)
ckazochnik@ckazochnik-desktop:~/Загрузки/linuxwacom-0.8.6-1/src/2.6.30$ sudo rmmod wacom
ERROR: Module wacom does not exist in /proc/modules
After "sudo modprobe wacom" rmmod was sucsesfully passed, but tablet doesn't work.
Also
ckazochnik@ckazochnik-desktop:~/Загрузки/linuxwacom-0.8.6-1/src/2.6.30$ lsusb
Bus 003 Device 005: ID 056a:00d4 Wacom Co., Ltd
But I can't see my Wacom in list of devices in GIMP.
Please, reply to my E-mail.
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Thanks for your post, I finally got my Bamboo P&T tablet working under Lucid after numerous unsuccessful attempts. The only problem now is I don't know how to get the tools to configure my tablets, it was disabled in Lucid, will appreciate your help.
Can you by any chance upload linuxwacom-0.8.6.tar.bz2 because linuxwacom-0.8.6-1.tar.bz2 has nasty errors, i cant even install it and the terminal locks down with errors :/ ill owe you a pint
Hi, thanks for the post, I followed your instructions and was able to get my wacom working... until I rebooted. Now I have to do these steps every time I login in order to get the wacom working. Is there a way to make the changes 'stick' ?
BIG Thanks! It worked great with a Bamboo pen&touch.
I only want to say thank you. It perfectly works. ^_^
Hello Frank,
following your instructions, I could get my Wacom tablet working. But I have to reload the wacom-module with "sudo modprobe wacom" after each restart of my computer. Do you know what I can do to avoid this?
Best regards
Wolfgang
Cheers for this... unfortuately, it doesn't seem to be working with my PenPartner
I know this is a really early tablet, and in 9.10 it worked out of the box - but no joy today...
Any further ideas?
Hi, thanks for the description.
It basically works for me except of two-finger-scrolling, any hints ?
How i can disable the touchpad of my Wacom Pen&Touch.
Thanks so much for this concise and effective post - it's helped me and mine enormously.
/p
get unrecognised option when trying
./configure --enable-wacom
Hi,
many thanks you for your instructions. Following them I have installed Bamboo Pen Fun and I can make the tablet work (Ubuntu 10.04). But, when I restart the computer after shutting it down, the program does not work any more. If I reinstall the program it works again, of course, but up to the shut down of the computer
I suppose the tablet's program that is installed has to be restarted again by every new restart of the computer. But I do not know how to do it, nor which program I would have to run (neither where it is). I copied the directory linuxwacom-0.8.7 (which had been created during the installation) to the directory /etc/ but this did not resolve anything.
Could you please help me to set things right? Thanks a lot.
Merci !
Grâce à TOI , je peux enfin me servir de ma tablette !
*******************************************************************
Thank you!
Thanks to YOU, I can finally use my tablet !
Is there a workaround for the low resolution problem with finger? I would like to get more precision with the touchpad. Thanks.
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For everbody with problems about the tablet not working after a reboot (needing to reload the module using modprobe): read the last few lines of my post. You have to add the module name to /etc/modules to autoload it.
Also, the error some people get when running rmmod wacom is not a real problem, it's just to make sure the old version is not loaded.
I love the volunteers who have spent so much time making Linux support happen (whether it's hacked together or not) ..but this is absurd. Every time a new kind of tablet comes out it's back to square one for Linux. It's hogwash how they continue to use OS emblems on their packaging to indicate compatibility.. why is it Windows, OSX and.. Universal? C'mon. Everyone KNOWS they're talking about Linux.
I hate to sound like a bad conspiracy theory nutcase.. but it seems like they just flat out refuse to support or even so much as acknowledge Linux as a compatible and popular platform, because they're totally in bed with Microsoft and Apple.
Seriously.. Someone should have the balls to find out and publish how much MONEY Wacom wants, so that Linux can have some form out "out-of-the-box" support.. fund-raisers happen all the time, but you have to know how much cash you're shooting for, to get em going..
Also (sorry to double post) where is Canonical on this one? They should be beating other Linuxes on the head by making typically difficult things (like this) easy. Again.. fund raiser. I no programming skills, but I have money.
Many thanks Frank for your instructions.
After the last instruction (sudo modprobe wacom), I edited the file modules (sudo gedit /etc/modules) by adding a line to it (wacom). The tablet is now working OK.
Hello,
My Bamboo Tablet (cth-661) still dont work with ubuntu 10.4. I follow all the manipulations and when I do "make" I have this message:
~/linuxwacom-0.8.7-2/src/2.6.30$ make
Building linuxwacom drivers for 2.6 kernel.
***Note: Drivers not enabled as modules in your kernel config but requested through configure are NOT built
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.32-22-generic/build M=/home/csz/linuxwacom-0.8.7-2/src/2.6.30
make[1]: entrant dans le répertoire « /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.32-22-generic »
Building modules, stage 2.
MODPOST 1 modules
make[1]: quittant le répertoire « /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.32-22-generic »
________
I work with Ubuntu still only 1 year.
Where am I doing wrong ?
Hi everybody,
after dramatical days of trying to get my bamboo working, i found your site and enjoyed one glorious week with my tablet - until i updated the kernel. now i have done the whole job again, and it works fine. the latest driver is actually linuxwacom 0.8.8 and the whole tablet field can be used but still not the gestures of the touch-feature.
thank you for helping other people with your knowledge!!