README.md

Keyboard backlight service

This repo provides an application and a systemd service which controls the backlight of a keyboard. It's only tested for thinkpads but may work on other devices as well

Installation

Arch Linux

The package is in the AUR and called tp-kb-backlight-git

Build from source

Requirements to build the software from source are:

• Compiler with C++17 suppport
• CMake

To build the binary run:

mkdir build
cd build
cmake ../
make

Use make install to install the application and make service to install the service and enable the systemd service.

Make sure to run make install BEFORE make service

Binary (not recommended)

Download the latest package from github. Extract it an run the following commands.

sudo cp keyboard_backlight /usr/bin
sudo cp keyboard_backlight.service /etc/systemd/sytem
sudo systemctl enable --now keyboard_backlight.service

Uninstall

For automated removal run the command below in the cmake folder

make uninstall

To manually delete the files

sudo systemctl disable --now keyboard_backlight.service
sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/keyboard_backlight.service
sudo rm /usr/bin/keyboard_backlight

Configuration

keyboard_backlight 1.4.0 
    -h show this help
    -i ignore an input device
       This device does not re enable keyboard backlight.
       Separate multiple device by space.
       Default: use all mice and keyboard.
    -t configure timeout in seconds after which the backlight will be turned off
       Defaults to 30s 
    -m configure mouse mode (0..2)
       0 use all mice (default)
       1 use all internal mice only
       2 ignore mice
    -b set keyboard backlight device path
       defaults to /sys/class/leds/tpacpi::kbd_backlight/brightness
    -f stay in foreground and do not start daemon
    -s Set a brightness value and exit
    -k (key code) Ignore key code
       You can get the values using -d option.
       Separate multiple values by comma, e.g. '10,20,30'.
    -d Show pressed key codes