Talk:ThinkLight

2014-07-07T14:36:06Z

Xtronics:

[code]
#!/usr/bin/perl

use strict;
use warnings;
# $count

my $count = $ARGV[0];

if ( ! defined($count) || $count < 1 )
{
$count = 1;
}
$|=1;

for(my $i=0;$i<$count;$i++)
{
open(LICHT,">/proc/acpi/ibm/light");
print LICHT "on\n";
close(LICHT);
select(undef,undef,undef,0.25);
open(LICHT,">/proc/acpi/ibm/light");
print LICHT "off\n";
close(LICHT);
select(undef,undef,undef,0.25);
}

[/code]
=== T530 with Debian ===
The ACPI hooks are there but not functional - likely needs a bit in
/etc/modprobe.d/
Similar to what one needs to enable fan control - but I can't find any documentation.

ThinkLight

2014-07-07T14:32:51Z

Xtronics: /* Linux Support */ key stroke

{| width="100%"
|style="vertical-align:top;padding-right:20px;width:10px;" | __NOTOC__
[[Image:Thinklight.jpg|ThinkLight]]
|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 ThinkLight is a little LED light integrated into the top edge of the display frame in the A, R, T, X, Z and i Series ThinkPad models. It illuminates the ThinkPad's keyboard so that one can type in the dark without using an external light source. The ThinkLight can be controlled via the {{key|Fn}}{{key|PageUp}} key combination or via ACPI on some of the newer models. The LED is amber on some models (e.g. X30s, X40s), and white on others (e.g. T40s).
Note that the ThinkLight is not available on the G series ThinkPads, nor on the X41 Tablet.
</div>
|}
==Linux Support==
Controlling the ThinkLight with the keyboard works on all systems since it relies on the BIOS exclusively. Just press {{key|Fn}}{{key|PageUp}} to toggle its state between on and off.

On the T530 (and likely other models) the keystroke is {{key|Fn}}{{key|Space}}. There are 4 states: off|dim keys|bright keys| bright-keys with ThinkLight.

===Software Control via thinkpad-acpi===
Support for controlling the light with ACPI is provided by [[thinkpad-acpi]]. After installing it, a simple
:{{cmdroot|echo 255 > /sys/class/leds/tpacpi\:\:thinklight/brightness}}
switches it on and a
:{{cmdroot|echo 0 > /sys/class/leds/tpacpi\:\:thinklight/brightness}}
switches it off again.

This allows one to control the light in scripts. Unfortunately, no known ThinkPad comes with a light sensor (yet). ;)

To use these controls in scripts without root permissions, you should run
:{{cmdroot|chmod 666 /sys/class/leds/tpacpi\:\:thinklight/brightness}}, which is probably best done using udev.

===Applications===
*'''led-notification''': Pidgin plugin to use any LED to indicate new messages. I've forked [http://github.com/Sitwon/led-notification led-notification] to support the ThinkLight via [[thinkpad-acpi]]. The plugins below either weren't compatible with the latest pidgin or didn't compile for me. The original author of led-notification seems MIA. Another fork [http://github.com/xmw/pidgin-led-notification pidgin-led-notification] to write user defined strings (added to Gentoo/Linux)
*'''gaim-thinklight''': If you are using [http://gaim.sf.net GAIM], the [http://www.joachim-breitner.de/blog/archives/38-Created-gaim-thinklight.html gaim-thinklight] plugin will enable you to use the ThinkLight as an indicator for new messages. This depends on [[thinkpad-acpi]].
*'''gaim-lighthink''': [http://www.chris-lamb.co.uk/code/gaim-lightthink/ gaim-lightthink] is an alternative to gaim-thinklight.
*'''pidgin-blinklight''':[http://packages.debian.org/unstable/net/pidgin-blinklight pidgin-blinklight] is a replacement for gaim-lighthink intended for use with [http://pidgin.im/ Pidgin].
*'''rocklight''': [http://hunz.org/ rocklight] is a xmms visualization plugin that makes the ThinkLight flash to the beat of your music. The package also includes a standalone stroboscope mode program.
*'''thinkblinkd''':[http://badcode.de/downloads/thinkblinkd-0.1.7.tar.gz] Thinkblinkd is a python daemon to control the thinklight (and possibly other lights on your Thinkpad) it comes with the daemon and a control script.
*The [[script for theft alarm using HDAPS]] optionally flashes the ThinkLight when the alarm is armed (disabled by default, to enable set <tt>$use_light=1</tt>).
*'''kopete-thinklight''':[http://kde-apps.org/content/show.php?content=47886] This plugin for kopete will enable the usage of the thinklight as notifiaction for new messages.
*'''stupid little hack to blink the ThinkLight''': [http://paste.lisp.org/display/37500] A little C program that may be set SUID so that you can use it from non-privileged programs that needs to do a little notification.
*'''thinkalert''': [http://www.mike.tl/view/Main/ThinkAlert] Another C program that may be set SUID to allow non-privileged programs to manipulate the ThinkLight. Adds some features over the "stupid little hack to blink the ThinkLight" program.
*'''thinklight-notification''': This [http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1017263 Evolution plugin] notifies the user with a blinking light whenever a new message has arrived.
*'''ThinkBlink''': [http://pikeypl.com/index.php?show=blink_en blink.sh] is an universal bash script making ThinkLight blink. It can be used with any application.

==Windows support==
Likewise, controlling the ThinkLight with the keyboard works without any additional software. The Hotkey Features software from IBM/Lenovo adds OSD icons that appear when the light is turned on/off.

===Software control via Hotkey Features===
The Hotkey Features software exposes an interface that allows (among other things) to control the ThinkLight. See [[Python script for Windows to control ThinkPad features]] for more information.

==Models featuring this Technology==
*ThinkPad {{i1400}}, {{I1460}}, {{I1480}}, {{I1482}}, {{I1483}}, {{I1492}}
*ThinkPad {{A Series}}
*ThinkPad {{R Series}}
*ThinkPad {{T Series}}
*ThinkPad {{W Series}}
*ThinkPad {{X20}}, {{X21}}, {{X22}}, {{X23}}, {{X24}}, {{X30}}, {{X31}}, {{X32}}, {{X40}}, {{X41}}, {{X60}}, {{X60s}}, {{X61}}, {{X61s}}, {{X200}}, {{X200s}}, {{X201}}, {{X201s}}, {{X220}}, {{X230}}, {{X300}}, {{X301}}
*ThinkPad {{Z60m}}, {{Z60t}}, {{Z61m}}
*ThinkPad {{S30}}, {{S31}}

[[Category:Glossary]]

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