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Go to SolutionConfigure Keyboard Backlight Timeout
Hello, I want to configure Keyboard Backlight Timeout on Dell Latitude E6440. I'm using preinstalled Linux OS Dell Ubuntu 12.04.2.
I found this post http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/enterprise-client/f/4448/p/19415396/19975858.aspx#19975858 from Warren Byle.
He wrote how to change Keyboard Backlight illumination level with tool CCTK. I downloaded CCTK for Red Hat Linux and looks like it working fine on Ubuntu too. With that --token commands I'm able to change Keyboard Backlight level which is good.
But I still do not know how to change Keyboard Backlight Timeout. Backlight is still turned off after 10 seconds. Is there some special --token for configuring this timeout?
According to other posts it looks like configring timeout to 5 minutes could be possible, because there are Windows applications which could do that (e.g Dell System Manager Application under Control Point)
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19524424.aspx
http://www.shadowsplace.net/376/hardware/dell-laptop-keyboard-backlighting-timeout/
http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-latitude-vostro-precision/739154-e6440-owners-thread-5.html#post9698302
I know this is an old post but I found a way in Mint 18+ to set this to 15min max is all I could go but it works.
/sys/module/dell_laptop/drivers/platform:dell-laptop/dell-laptop/leds/dell::kbd_backlight/stop_timeout
elevated privileges edit stop_timeout and set to 15m. This seems to be the max and much better than the 30seconds it was at.
DELL-Warren B
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Posted July 1st, 2014 07:00
Correct, CCTK does not currently support the backlit timeout value. The Control Point tools are not supported anymore, so I can't comment on their capabilities.
Shrinidhi Katte
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Posted July 9th, 2014 01:00
Hi Pali,
There is no way at this point to configure timeout through CCTK.
However, we will consider this feedback for the future products.
Warren, you wrote that "The Control Point tools are not supported anymore" and this post http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19524424.aspx says "Control Point has been superceded by Feature Enhancement Pack (FEP)". And FEP has support for configuring keyboard backlight timeout. See picture:
So can you comment this? Is FEP still supported?
DELL-Warren B
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Posted July 9th, 2014 09:00
The Feature Enhancement Pack is still available, but is EOL and is no longer supported.
Hello,
So does this work? Either control point or FEP? I too am going crazy trying to find a way to get my keyboard to stay lit! This is such a basic need for people who want/need a backlit keyboard. I bought this latitude 5500 a month ago, and one of the main reasons was because I need the backlit keyboard. If DELL overlooked that fact that many people want the keyboard to stay on all the time, then they need to fix it. Low vision is my issue, along with simply loving to use my laptop late at night for very extended periods. This 10 second thing is completely unacceptable! DELL< PLEASE HELP!!!
DELL-Warren B
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Posted September 11th, 2014 09:00
DFEP is available for the E5500. the 64-bit download is here -> http://downloads.dell.com/FOLDER01410839M/1/System-Utilities_Application_MHVWP_WN_2.2.1_A00.EXE
32-bit download is here -> http://downloads.dell.com/FOLDER01410824M/1/System-Utilities_Application_DV6XM_WN_2.2.1_A00.EXE
--Pali--
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Posted September 11th, 2014 07:00
Hello,
Dell now released tool called smbios-keyboard-ctl [1] for configurting keyboard backlight (both timeout and trigger). It is in libsmbios repository [2]. I have tried it and it working fine.
So this problem is solved now. Thanks!
[1] - http://linux.dell.com/cgi-bin/cgit.cgi/libsmbios.git/tree/src/bin/smbios-keyboard-ctl
[2] - http://linux.dell.com/cgi-bin/cgit.cgi/libsmbios.git/