ASUS Linux Driver Gets Patches For RGB Keyboard Controls

[phoronix]

Phoronix: ASUS WMI Linux Driver Gets Patches For RGB Keyboard Controls

For those with a newer ASUS gaming laptop boasting RGB lighting for the keyboard, that functionality could soon be working nicely thanks to work happening within the Linux kernel and the open-source Asusctl project...

https://www.phoronix.com/news/ASUS-WMI-Linux-RGB-Keyboard

[peterdk]

Nice to read that ASUS is at least a bit collaborating with these devs. I can understand not supporting it themselves, but good contact and info about the hardware go a long way.

[olielvewen]

That's a great new for the open source world and for me, I am a lot of Asus Product. But not a gamer laptop.

Michael I've got a question about Asus Wmi driver. Why this one and not the Asus ec sensors which is available since the kernel 5.17 (the both) and alone to the 5.18. Is it is successor or not ? Did the Asus Wmi and Asus ec Sensors drivers will live together or not ?

[Michael]

That's a great new for the open source world and for me, I am a lot of Asus Product. But not a gamer laptop.

Michael I've got a question about Asus Wmi driver. Why this one and not the Asus ec sensors which is available since the kernel 5.17 (the both) and alone to the 5.18. Is it is successor or not ? Did the Asus Wmi and Asus ec Sensors drivers will live together or not ?

asus-wmi is different from asus-wmi-sensors that was succeded by asus-ec-sensors. ASUS-WMI isn't just a sensors driver.

[olielvewen]

Michael

asus-wmi is different from asus-wmi-sensors that was succeded by asus-ec-sensors. ASUS-WMI isn't just a sensors driver.

Thanks a lot for this explanation. Indeed, I have mixed the two. Now it is clearest.

Excited like I was, I have take a deeper (but not really deep) look at their website (aka asus-linux).

This project is well advanced with a community who have help and even done third party applications. Initially oriented gnome, now it is for all desktops (a plasmoid is done and another one for others desktop). A guide is available here.

They have a discord server.

The bad side
Manjaro is not supported (an issue how they work) but Archlinux, endeavourOS, garuda are supported .
Ubuntu is not supported, kernel too old. You must had the 5.17 (normal)
The other big point is that only Nvidia users can used asusctl, supergfxctl, asusd (daemon).
You must desactivated prime before to install/use asusctl.

Argh I'm on Manjaro and I have a AMD GPU. Anyway, I will keep an eye on this really great project. Another GREAT project like are liquidctl and openRGB.

BTW and another subject : could you make a guide (2 ? one for nvidia and amd) about details which drivers (open or not, vulkan, opengl, ......) to install for archlinux, manjaro, ubuntu, dedora. It is not clear when you are testing this cards on this distributions. Thanks a lot by advance and great website that I follow since 17 years old.

[creative]

Nice!

Luckily I don't have to worry about RGB controls on a wired keyboard, all of that is built into the ic of the keyboard. I am amazed how how nice of a keyboard red dragon can get away with putting on market in compact low profile membrane form not even breaking $25. Having RGB in a keyboard is very nice and useful. I prefer a static color like indigo green.

[sammilucia]

The bad side
Manjaro is not supported (an issue how they work) but Archlinux, endeavourOS, garuda are supported .
Ubuntu is not supported, kernel too old. You must had the 5.17 (normal)

hey, it's sammilucia here from asus-linux.org.

thanks for the shout out Michael!

just correcting some information here:

Manjaro support is to do with the changes Manjaro make to Arch (Manjaro != Arch). we only have a small team, so we focus on Fedora and Arch (including Endeavour and some people are using Garuda and Nobara with success).

we also don't recommend Ubuntu or PopOS (because it's made for Ststem76 hardware). some stuff will work on these distros but it's a rabbit hole getting everything to work (and then any OS update can break things again).

The other big point is that only Nvidia users can used asusctl, supergfxctl, asusd (daemon).

not true. we support AMD including the new all-AMD notebooks 😊. if you've read otherwise somewhere please let me know so I can correct it.

i'd encourage anyone with an ASUS notebook to join the discord. there's almost 4,000 happy users in here, and we're here to help you get up and running 😊

[mazumoto]

This is great stuff. Thanks to all the devs! And it's wonderful to hear that they are in contact with Asus and get some support from them. Ideally Asus would write those software bits themselves for Linux of course, but at least this enables community devs to enable all those features.
My next hardware will very probably be from Asus just because of this. Currently I'm in Gigabyte land and ... it's very dark here

[olielvewen]

sammilucia

hey, it's sammilucia here from asus-linux.org.

Nice to meet you. You have started a great project. I predict a great future if you continue in your momentum. When was it started in 2021 or before I read the blog
And I'm happy than Asus is in contact with you for helping you in this task.

Manjaro support is to do with the changes Manjaro make to Arch (Manjaro != Arch). we only have a small team, so we focus on Fedora and Arch (including Endeavour and some people are using Garuda and Nobara with success).

A small team but very active.

I will wait for Manjaro. And I'm not sur that my laptop Asus will be able to run asusctl. Anyway, I'm blocked for the moment with Bitlocker activated by defalut. And since I've only had it for a month

we also don't recommend Ubuntu or PopOS (because it's made for Ststem76 hardware). some stuff will work on these distros but it's a rabbit hole getting everything to work (and then any OS update can break things again).

It will change soon and the tempest will come for you thanks a new kernel .

not true. we support AMD including the new all-AMD notebooks 😊. if you've read otherwise somewhere please let me know so I can correct it.

Ah I'm a bit surprised. Like I 've not checked all information that I've found on your website, I can't tell you where I've seen that. I will try to check that and see that on your discord if I found where I've read/see that.

On the other side, I'm very happy that AMD are supported.

i'd encourage anyone with an ASUS notebook to join the discord. there's almost 4,000 happy users in here, and we're here to help you get up and running 😊

That's done yesterday. . However, I have not had the time to check all the documentation I've found.
BTW: Your website is a paint for printing - i.e just the first page.

[Brook-trout]

To heck with colors. I would settle for functioning page up page down keys functioning on anASUS TUF 506U.