xsetwacom

List all the available Wacom devices. The device name is in the first column

$ xsetwacom list

$ xsetwacom set "[device_name]" MapToOutput [screen]

$ xsetwacom set "[device_name]" Mode "[Relative|Absolute]"

$ xsetwacom set "[device_name]" Rotate [none|half|cw|ccw]

$ xsetwacom set "[device_name]" TabletPCButton "on"

xsetwacom [options] [command [arguments]]

Common usage patterns:
xsetwacom --list devices
xsetwacom --list parameters <device_name_or_id>
xsetwacom set <device_name_or_id> <parameter_name> <value>
xsetwacom get <device_name_or_id> <parameter_name>

--list devices
    Lists all detected Wacom devices with their types and IDs. Useful for identifying target devices.

--list parameters
    Lists all configurable parameters and their current values for a specified device.

--list options
    Lists global `xsetwacom` options that can be applied to the command itself.

set Area
    Defines the usable tablet area in tablet coordinates (e.g., 0 0 20000 15000).

set Button
    Assigns an action (e.g., mouse button click, key press, or a command) to a tablet or stylus button.

set MapToOutput
    Maps the tablet's input area to a specific monitor or a specified screen resolution (e.g., 'HDMI-1', '1920x1080+0+0').

set PressureCurve
    Sets the pressure response curve, represented by a Bezier curve defined by four control points (0-100 range).

set Mode Absolute|Relative
    Sets the input mode for the device: 'Absolute' for direct screen mapping, 'Relative' for mouse-like movement.

set Rotate none|half|cw|ccw
    Rotates the tablet input coordinate system by 0, 180, 90 (clockwise), or -90 (counter-clockwise) degrees.

set Threshold
    Sets the pressure threshold for a tap to be registered as a click.

set TapTime
    Sets the maximum time duration for a tap to register as a single click.

set EnableTouch on|off
    Enables or disables touch input functionality for devices that support it.

xsetwacom is a command-line utility used to configure Wacom pen tablets and other Wacom devices within the X Window System environment. It allows users to dynamically adjust various properties of their Wacom devices, such as mapping the tablet area to a screen, setting pressure sensitivity curves, configuring button actions, adjusting scroll and pan settings, and enabling/disabling touch input or gestures. This tool is particularly useful for fine-tuning tablet behavior beyond graphical settings tools, for scripting custom configurations, or for troubleshooting. It interacts directly with the `xf86-input-wacom` X.Org driver, providing detailed control over individual input devices (stylus, eraser, touch, pad). Settings made with xsetwacom are typically session-specific and will revert upon logout or system reboot unless saved and reloaded through startup scripts or X.Org configuration files.

Settings made with xsetwacom are session-specific and are generally not persistent across system reboots or user logouts. To make settings permanent, they typically need to be added to a startup script (e.g., in a desktop environment's autostart options), a display manager's configuration, or an X.Org configuration file (e.g., /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/).

This command operates within the X Window System and relies on the `xf86-input-wacom` X.Org driver. It is not directly applicable in Wayland environments, where tablet configuration is handled differently (e.g., through compositor-specific tools or `libinput` directly).

To use xsetwacom effectively, you first need to identify your specific Wacom devices. This can be done using xsetwacom --list devices. This command will output a list of detected Wacom devices, typically including a stylus, eraser, cursor, touch input, and pad (buttons/rings). Each device will have a name (e.g., "Wacom Intuos S Pen stylus") and an ID. You can use either the full name (quoted if it contains spaces) or the ID to target a device with set or get commands. For example:
xsetwacom set "Wacom Intuos S Pen stylus" PressureCurve 0 20 80 100
or
xsetwacom set 12 PressureCurve 0 20 80 100 (if 12 is the ID for the stylus).

xsetwacom has been a fundamental utility for configuring Wacom tablets on Linux systems using the X Window System for many years. It was developed as part of the `xf86-input-wacom` driver project to provide a command-line interface for adjusting device properties, reflecting the flexibility and configurability inherent in X.Org's input architecture. While newer display servers like Wayland are emerging, xsetwacom remains essential for users on X.Org-based desktops who require fine-grained control over their Wacom devices. Its development has closely paralleled that of the Wacom Linux driver, adapting to new tablet features and X.Org input paradigms over time.

wacom(4), xinput(1), xorg.conf(5)