On 27 Dec, 2005, at 23:16, Yasir Malik wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> When I have my laptop plugged in and the screen grays out, I am able 
> to use my MS Basic Optical Mouse to re-enable the screen.  However, 
> when I am running on my battery and the screen turns off, I cannot use 
> the mouse to re-enable the screen.  I can use the keyboard, however.  
> Also, using the mouse does not effect whether the screen turns off.  I 
> am running apmd(8). Please note that when I am running on battery, the 
> screen never grays out. How can I have the mouse re-enable the screen? 
>  I am still running NetBSD 2.0_BETA.
>
> I have tried running screenblank(1), but this does not do anything; 
> maybe it's because I don't have the correct frame buffer device, but I 
> can't find any frame buffer device in dmesg.  I am not sure if 
> "disabling" the framebuffer is the same as turning off the screen, and 
> if isn't, I don't think screenblank(1) would work anyway.
>
> I asked this question before as part of other mouse related questions, 
> and I was told by someone to add the mouse to the BIOS.  I did not 
> know how to do this, and out of embarrassment, I didn't ask how.  Back 
> then the screen turning off wasn't so much of a problem, but now since 
> I working on a curses program now, it is.  I guess the thing to do 
> would be to add the mouse as one of the devices for apmd to monitor, 
> but I can't find any documentation on this.
>
> Thanks,
> Yasir
>
>

As far as screenblank(1) is concerned, don't hold your breath. I've 
also been asking about the non-functional screen blanker for years -- 
to no avail. For some reason -- which escapes me -- having a screen 
blanker that actually works properly appears to be one of the lowest 
priorities. To my mind, it's one of those basic entry-level functions 
-- something that other operating systems, BTW,  are able to do 
routinely and as a matter of course. Why not NetBSD?
It's like, Hey, look at our great OS that can run on anything and 
everything! But guess what? -- it can't blank the screen properly...

(Apologies in advance for the rant -- no offence intended.)

-dvdg
________
"Those who do not understand Unix are condemned to reinvent it, poorly."
                     --Henry Spencer (Usenet signature, November 1987)