ThinkWiki - User contributions [en]

ThinkPad Button

2009-01-18T23:31:07Z

Bwinter:

{| width="100%"
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|style="vertical-align:top" |
<div style="margin: 0; margin-right:10px; border: 1px solid #dfdfdf; padding: 0em 1em 1em 1em; background-color:#F8F8FF; align:right;">
The ThinkPad Button is a button situated in the upper left corner of the keyboard on modern ThinkPads. It is intended to be a means of quick access to help and support. Technically it is nothing else than a button that can be configured to launch a certain piece of software. While originally it was grey and labelled {{ibmkey|ThinkPad|#494949}}, IBM later made it blue and called it the {{ibmkey|Access IBM|#495988}} Button. Lenovo relabelled it as {{ibmkey|ThinkVantage|#495988}} after it took over the ThinkPad line from IBM.
</div>
|}
__NOTOC__
== System Boot ==
Pressing {{ibmkey|Access IBM|#495988}} or {{ibmkey|ThinkVantage|#495988}} at system boot can launch the [[Predesktop Area| Predesktop Area]]. This depends on a specific setting of the BIOS Setup Utility and on the availability of either a [[Hidden Protected Area|Hidden Protected Area]] or a [[Rescue and Recovery|Rescue and Recovery partition]]. See the linked pages for details.

== Linux support ==
===Using tpb===
Under Linux, the IBM ThinkPad(tm) special keys can be enabled using [[tpb]].

I.e., to make pressing the Access IBM Button launch ntpctl, add the following line {{path|/etc/tpbrc}} file:
THINKPAD /usr/bin/X11/xterm -T ntpctl -e ntpctl

To make pressing the Access IBM Button launch the ThinkWiki homepage in Firefox, add the following line:
<nowiki>THINKPAD /usr/bin/firefox http://www.thinkwiki.org</nowiki>

See the [[tpb]] page and the [[How to get special keys to work | ThinkPad special keys HOWTO]] for more information.

===Using KDE===

KDE supports assigning actions to (some) ThinkPad special keys, through the ThinkPad buttons [[KMilo]] plugin.

It can be activated and configured in the KDE Control Center (<tt>kcontrol</tt>), under <tt>System Administration --> IBM Thinkpad Laptop</tt>.

===Using xbindkeys on Ubuntu===

On Ubuntu (at least 7.04/Feisty) <code>tpb</code> is not really an option, because it conflicts with <code>hotkey-setup</code>, which is responsible for much things working out of the box.

An alternative is to use <code>xbindkeys</code>, which can easily be installed with <code>aptitude install xbindkeys</code> or via the Synaptic package manager. It can be used to assign arbitrary commands to certain keycodes. Therefore, we first have to find this keycode by running <code>xbindkeys --key</code> and pressing the ThinkPad Button. This should result in something like the following:
sean@amalthea ~ $ xbindkeys --key
Press combination of keys or/and click under the window.
You can use one of the two lines after "NoCommand"
in $HOME/.xbindkeysrc to bind a key.
"NoCommand"
m:0x0 + c:159
NoSymbol

Now we can construct a minimal configuration file in <code>~/.xbindkeysrc</code>:
"gnome-terminal"
m:0x0 + c:159
After starting <code>xbindkeys</code> without further options the ThinkPad Button should launch a new terminal.

To start the program automatically at login add it under "System -> Preferences -> Sessions -> Startup Programs" (assuming the Gnome Desktop is used, otherwise add it to your <code>~/.xinitrc</code>, <code>~/.xsession</code> or whatever is responsible for startup items in your setting).

===Using Gnome===

A simpler but less flexible possibility than <code>xbindkeys</code> is "System -> Preferences -> Keyboard Shortcuts". Just go to (for example) "Run a terminal" and press the ThinkPad Button, when asked for a "New accelerator...". This will only work under the Gnome Desktop and cannot execute arbitrary commands, as <code>xbindkeys</code> and <code>tpb</code> can.

== Windows support (2000 or XP) ==
If you want to customize the program that is launched when the {{ibmkey|ThinkPad|#494949}}, {{ibmkey|Access IBM|#495988}} or {{ibmkey|ThinkVantage|#495988}} button is pressed while
the machine is running {{Windows}} (2000 or XP) you can change the following registry entry:

<code>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\IBM\TPHOTKEY\8001</code>

Here are the default values for the original IBM version:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\IBM\TPHOTKEY\8001]
"File"="C:\\Program Files\\IBM\\Access IBM\\aibm.exe"
"DispName"="Access IBM"

And these are the default values for the Lenovo version:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\IBM\TPHOTKEY\8001]
"File"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\THINKV~1\\PrdCtr\\LPL1.exe"

To avoid conflicts, be sure to enter the file paths as DOS truncated (first six characters, then "~1")

== Related Links ==
*[[Python script for Windows to control ThinkPad features]] that also allows querying of the ThinkPad button
*[http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/think/thinkvantagetech/accessibm.html IBMs Access IBM ThinkVantage Technology page]
*[http://www-3.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/AIBM-TOOLS.html Access IBM - Customization Guide]

==Models featuring this Technology==
'''"ThinkPad" button'''
*ThinkPad {{A Series}}
*ThinkPad {{R30}}, {{R31}}, {{R32}}
*ThinkPad {{T20}}, {{T21}}, {{T22}}, {{T23}}, {{T30}}
*ThinkPad {{X20}}, {{X21}}, {{X22}}, {{X23}}, {{X24}}, {{X30}}
*ThinkPad {{TransNote}}
*ThinkPad {{S30}}, {{S31}}

'''"Access IBM" button'''
*ThinkPad {{G40}}, {{G41}}
*ThinkPad {{R40}}, {{R40e}}, {{R50}}, {{R50e}}, {{R50p}}, {{R51}}, {{R51e}}, {{R52}}
*ThinkPad {{T40}}, {{T40p}}, {{T41}}, {{T41p}}, {{T42}}, {{T42p}}, {{T43}}, {{T43p}}
*ThinkPad {{X31}}, {{X32}}, {{X40}}, {{X41}}, {{X41T}}

'''"ThinkVantage" button'''
*ThinkPad {{R60}}, {{R60e}}, {{R61}}
*ThinkPad {{T60}}, {{T60p}}, {{T61}}, {{T61p}}, {{T400}}, {{T500}}
*ThinkPad {{X60}}, {{X60s}}, {{X61}}, {{X61s}}, {{X61_Tablet}}, {{X300}}, {{X200}}
*ThinkPad {{Z Series}}

[[Category:Glossary]]

ThinkPad Button

2009-01-18T23:30:53Z

Bwinter:

{| width="100%"
|style="vertical-align:top;padding-right:20px;width:10px;" | [[Image:Accessibm.png]]
|style="vertical-align:top" |
<div style="margin: 0; margin-right:10px; border: 1px solid #dfdfdf; padding: 0em 1em 1em 1em; background-color:#F8F8FF; align:right;">
The ThinkPad Button is a button situated in the upper left corner of the keyboard on modern ThinkPads. It is intended to be a means of quick access to help and support. Technically it is nothing else than a button that can be configured to launch a certain piece of software. While originally it was grey and labelled {{ibmkey|ThinkPad|#494949}}, IBM later made it blue and called it the {{ibmkey|Access IBM|#495988}} Button. Lenovo relabelled it as {{ibmkey|ThinkVantage|#495988}} after it took over the ThinkPad line from IBM.
</div>
|}
__NOTOC__
== System Boot ==
Pressing {{ibmkey|Access IBM|#495988}} or {{ibmkey|ThinkVantage|#495988}} at system boot can launch the [[Predesktop Area| Predesktop Area]]. This depends on a specific setting of the BIOS Setup Utility and on the availability of either a [[Hidden Protected Area|Hidden Protected Area]] or a [[Rescue and Recovery|Rescue and Recovery partition]]. See the linked pages for details.

== Linux support ==
===Using tpb===
Under Linux, the IBM ThinkPad(tm) special keys can be enabled using [[tpb]].

I.e., to make pressing the Access IBM Button launch ntpctl, add the following line {{path|/etc/tpbrc}} file:
THINKPAD /usr/bin/X11/xterm -T ntpctl -e ntpctl

To make pressing the Access IBM Button launch the ThinkWiki homepage in Firefox, add the following line:
<nowiki>THINKPAD /usr/bin/firefox http://www.thinkwiki.org</nowiki>

See the [[tpb]] page and the [[How to get special keys to work | ThinkPad special keys HOWTO]] for more information.

===Using KDE===

KDE supports assigning actions to (some) ThinkPad special keys, through the ThinkPad buttons [[KMilo]] plugin.

It can be activated and configured in the KDE Control Center (<tt>kcontrol</tt>), under <tt>System Administration --> IBM Thinkpad Laptop</tt>.

===Using xbindkeys on Ubuntu===

On Ubuntu (at least 7.04/Feisty) <code>tpb</code> is not really an option, because it conflicts with <code>hotkey-setup</code>, which is responsible for much things working out of the box.

An alternative is to use <code>xbindkeys</code>, which can easily be installed with <code>aptitude install xbindkeys</code> or via the Synaptic package manager. It can be used to assign arbitrary commands to certain keycodes. Therefore, we first have to find this keycode by running <code>xbindkeys --key</code> and pressing the ThinkPad Button. This should result in something like the following:
sean@amalthea ~ $ xbindkeys --key
Press combination of keys or/and click under the window.
You can use one of the two lines after "NoCommand"
in $HOME/.xbindkeysrc to bind a key.
"NoCommand"
m:0x0 + c:159
NoSymbol

Now we can construct a minimal configuration file in <code>~/.xbindkeysrc</code>:
"gnome-terminal"
m:0x0 + c:159
After starting <code>xbindkeys</code> without further options the ThinkPad Button should launch a new terminal.

To start the program automatically at login add it under "System -> Preferences -> Sessions -> Startup Programs" (assuming the Gnome Desktop is used, otherwise add it to your <code>~/.xinitrc</code>, <code>~/.xsession</code> or whatever is responsible for startup items in your setting).

===Using Gnome===

A simpler but less flexible possibility than <code>xbindkeys</code> is "System -> Preferences -> Keyboard Shortcuts". Just go to (for example) "Run a terminal" and press the ThinkPad Button, when asked for a "New accelerator...". This will only work under the Gnome Desktop and cannot execute arbitrary commands, as <code>xbindkeys</code> and <code>tpb</code> can.

== Windows support (2000 or XP) ==
If you want to customize the program that is launched when the {{ibmkey|ThinkPad|#494949}}, {{ibmkey|Access IBM|#495988}} or {{ibmkey|ThinkVantage|#495988}} button is pressed while
the machine is running {{Windows}} (2000 or XP) you can change the following registry entry:

<code>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\IBM\TPHOTKEY\8001</code>

Here are the default values for the original IBM version:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\IBM\TPHOTKEY\8001]
"File"="C:\\Program Files\\IBM\\Access IBM\\aibm.exe"
"DispName"="Access IBM"

And these are the default values for the Lenovo version:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\IBM\TPHOTKEY\8001]
"File"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\THINKV~1\\PrdCtr\\LPL1.exe"

To avoid conflicts, be sure to enter the file paths as DOS truncated (first six characters, then "~1)

== Related Links ==
*[[Python script for Windows to control ThinkPad features]] that also allows querying of the ThinkPad button
*[http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/think/thinkvantagetech/accessibm.html IBMs Access IBM ThinkVantage Technology page]
*[http://www-3.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/AIBM-TOOLS.html Access IBM - Customization Guide]

==Models featuring this Technology==
'''"ThinkPad" button'''
*ThinkPad {{A Series}}
*ThinkPad {{R30}}, {{R31}}, {{R32}}
*ThinkPad {{T20}}, {{T21}}, {{T22}}, {{T23}}, {{T30}}
*ThinkPad {{X20}}, {{X21}}, {{X22}}, {{X23}}, {{X24}}, {{X30}}
*ThinkPad {{TransNote}}
*ThinkPad {{S30}}, {{S31}}

'''"Access IBM" button'''
*ThinkPad {{G40}}, {{G41}}
*ThinkPad {{R40}}, {{R40e}}, {{R50}}, {{R50e}}, {{R50p}}, {{R51}}, {{R51e}}, {{R52}}
*ThinkPad {{T40}}, {{T40p}}, {{T41}}, {{T41p}}, {{T42}}, {{T42p}}, {{T43}}, {{T43p}}
*ThinkPad {{X31}}, {{X32}}, {{X40}}, {{X41}}, {{X41T}}

'''"ThinkVantage" button'''
*ThinkPad {{R60}}, {{R60e}}, {{R61}}
*ThinkPad {{T60}}, {{T60p}}, {{T61}}, {{T61p}}, {{T400}}, {{T500}}
*ThinkPad {{X60}}, {{X60s}}, {{X61}}, {{X61s}}, {{X61_Tablet}}, {{X300}}, {{X200}}
*ThinkPad {{Z Series}}

[[Category:Glossary]]