syndaemon

syndaemon [-i idle-time] [-k] [-d] [-t] [-R] [-r]

-i <idle_time>
    Specifies the idle time in seconds after keyboard activity ceases before the touchpad is re-enabled. The default is 2.0 seconds.

-k
    Ignores modifier keys (Shift, Ctrl, Alt, etc.) when checking for keyboard activity. If only modifier keys are pressed, the touchpad is not disabled.

-d
    Starts syndaemon as a daemon, detaching it from the terminal and running in the background.

-t
    Disables tapping and scrolling only, leaving the pointer movement enabled. This allows for basic pointer control while still preventing accidental clicks or scrolls.

-R
    Uses the XRecord extension to detect keyboard activity. This is the recommended and more robust method for event monitoring compared to polling the root window.

-r
    Uses the root window to detect keyboard activity. This option is generally deprecated in favor of -R.

syndaemon is a utility designed to prevent accidental cursor movements when typing on a laptop. It achieves this by temporarily disabling the touchpad while keyboard input is detected. Once keyboard activity ceases for a specified idle period, the touchpad is automatically re-enabled. This daemon is particularly useful for users who find their palm or thumb accidentally brushing the touchpad, leading to unintended clicks or cursor jumps. It typically runs in the background, continuously monitoring input devices and toggling touchpad state as needed, enhancing the typing experience on portable devices. It runs as a background process, ensuring a smoother and more efficient typing experience by intelligently managing touchpad state based on user input.

syndaemon relies on the X Window System and the xf86-input-synaptics driver (or compatible) for touchpad control. It may not work with Wayland sessions or non-Synaptics touchpads without specific configurations. The -r option is deprecated; it's recommended to use -R for more reliable keyboard activity detection. Incorrect idle_time settings might lead to the touchpad being disabled for too long or re-enabling too quickly.

To ensure syndaemon runs automatically upon session startup, it can be added to your desktop environment's autostart applications, an ~/.xinitrc file, or a custom script in ~/.config/autostart/. A common invocation is syndaemon -i 2.0 -d -k -R.

The -R option requires the XRecord extension to be available and typically implies a dependency on xorg-xinput or similar packages on your system.

syndaemon emerged as part of the xf86-input-synaptics driver suite, addressing a common usability issue on laptops where accidental touchpad activation occurred during typing. Its initial versions often relied on polling the X root window for keyboard events. A significant development was the introduction of the -R option, leveraging the XRecord extension for more efficient and reliable keyboard event monitoring, reflecting an evolution in how input events are handled within the X environment. It remains a standard tool for managing touchpad behavior during typing on Linux.

synclient(1), xinput(1), xorg.conf(5)