NAME

       mdetect - mouse device autodetection tool

SYNOPSIS

       mdetect [option ...]

OPTIONS

       mdetect may be run without arguments.

       -h     display a help message and exit

       -n     do not search for PnP (Plug 'n' Play) mice

       -r     [not yet implemented]

       -v     be  verbose;  this  option may be specified multiple times for increasing levels of
              verbosity

       -o     produce output appropriate for XFree86 3.x configuration

       -x     produce output appropriate for XFree86 4.x configuration

DESCRIPTION

       mdetect is a tool  for  autoconfiguring  mice  and  compatible  pointing  devices;  it  is
       typically  used as the backend to some user-friendly frontend code that, for example, asks
       the user to move the mouse for a moment.  mdetect is then  run  while  user  is  producing
       input  on the mouse device.  While mouse motion during detection is sometimes unnecessary,
       it is seldom problematic.

       mdetect writes the autodetected mouse device and  protocol  to  standard  output.   Unless
       either  of  the  -o  or  -x  options  is  given,  mdetect  produces output appropriate for
       configuring the gpm(1) program.  Alternatively, output appropriate for an XFree86 X server
       configuration  file  is  produced.   If the -v option is given, some information about the
       program's status is also written to standard output, but this is largely unimplemented  at
       this writing.

       If mdetect is unable to find a mouse device, it exits after a few seconds of searching.

NOTES

       Detection  of  serial  and  PS/2  devices is often aided by moving the mouse while mdetect
       runs.

       Terminals connected to serial ports may display a small amount of garbage  to  the  screen
       while  mdetect  probes them, but this a harmless side-effect; the terminal's line settings
       are restored after the port has been probed.

DIAGNOSTICS

       mdetect's exit status is used to communicate information.

       0      mdetect found a mouse and exited normally.

       1      An error occurred while attempting to read from the mouse device.

       2      mdetect timed out and gave up searching for a mouse device; this  indicates  either
              that  no  mouse  device  is attached to the computer, or that a mouse device exists
              which mdetect knows nothing about.  This also happens if your only mouse  device(s)
              are already open and in use; for instance, by gpm or an X Window System server.

       3      An error occurred while trying to set up mdetect's signal handler.

BUGS

       Please  report  bugs  in mdetect to <submit@bugs.debian.org>.  The current bug list may be
       viewed at <http://bugs.debian.org/mdetect>.

AUTHORS

       mdetect is copyright 1999 Caldera Systems, Inc.  The actual authors are unknown.   Branden
       Robinson of Progeny Linux Systems, Inc. and the Debian Project added several enhancements,
       including the XFree86-aware code and this manual page.  Richard Hirst wrote code  to  save
       and restore serial port settings.

LICENSING

       The   mdetect   source   code   is   licensed  under  the  Q  Public  License  (QPL);  see
       <http://www.trolltech.com/products/download/freelicense/license.html>.

       This manual page is licensed under the GNU General Public License.

SEE ALSO

       gpm(1), XFree86(1)