From: jack@handsome.com   
      
   On Mon, 22 Dec 2025 02:56:16 -0500, Paul wrote:   
      
   > On Mon, 12/22/2025 1:37 AM, Handsome Jack wrote:   
   >> I was recently given a Surface Pro notebook, on which I have installed   
   >> Linux Mint with XFCE. The touch screen didn't work at first (it had   
   >> worked on Windows 10 and Zorin) and I had to install some extra stuff   
   >> to get it working, as described at   
   >> https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/wiki/Installation-and-   
   >> Setup#Debian--Ubuntu   
   >>   
   >> However I still can't get the soft keypad to pop up on the screen.   
   >> Anyone know how?   
   >>   
   >>   
   > # **Recommended Setup for Surface Pro + XFCE**   
   >   
   > ### Install Onboard ```bash sudo apt install onboard ```   
   > ### Enable AT-SPI accessibility (needed for auto‑show)   
   > In Mint XFCE:   
   > **Settings -> Accessibility -> Enable assistive technologies**   
   >   
   > ### Add Onboard to autostart **Settings -> Session and Startup ->   
   > Application Autostart -> Add -> `onboard`**   
   >   
   > ### Optional: Auto‑show on text fields Run:   
   > ```bash onboard-settings ```   
   > Enable:   
   > - *“Show when editing text”*   
   > - *“Auto-hide when not needed”*   
   >   
      
      
   Excellent. It worked. Simple, too; I was just missing the 'onboard' app,   
   but of course I couldn't know that without knowing it.   
      
   The OSK behaviour is a bit erratic but it works well enough. Also it's   
   awkward if you are booting the machine without the physicial keyboard; the   
   OSK doesn't appear until after Linux has started, so you can't start if   
   Linux insists on asking for the login password. I haven't worked out how   
   to get round that; the "Don't ask for a password on login" in "users and   
   groups" doesn't work.   
      
   Thanks again.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)