Document "Devices" in Settings popup

[pieero]

The pen eraser is not switching the application to eraser mode.
I saw in shortcut editor, that tip and eraser are both seen as button 1.
eraser is working fine in Wacom control panel, GIMP and photoshop.
How can I help trouble shooting this ?

I'm using a Wacom graphire 2 usb on Windows 7

[achadwick]

What version of MyPaint are you using please? Also, what version of the Wacom drivers (you can find it in the about box in the driver's configuration tool)?

[achadwick]

(If you can, please report the full version from the MyPaint about box - it's longer, and more informative. Thanks!)

[zb13y]

If i understood you right, in mypaint eraser on tablet don't use eraser mode. It uses brushes, you need to choose your favourite eraser from brush list. And eraser mode binded to keyboard.

I don't remember, mypaint have default eraser brush for erasers on pen or not? If not, maybe mypaint must set default eraser brush to eraser on pen, however i don't know is it possible.

[achadwick]

@zb13y If the (software)device's name contains the pattern \<eraser\>, or GDK has assigned it GDK_SOURCE_ERASER, MyPaint will assign it the first eraser in the default brush group. Here's the logic that the recent betas are using:

mypaint/gui/device.py

Line 373 in 5cc2da4

else:

.

The "eraser end" of a (physical)pen should normally present as a different (software)device from its "normal end". I know this works on both Windows and Linux, with correctly configured proprietary drivers / up-to-date kernel and open source Xorg drivers.

It doesn't work entirely reliably for every (physical)device on the market, because not every (physical)device's firmware provides a useful name, and also because GDK often gets its guess wrong. There are a lot of different tablet devices out there!

(Wacom tablets should be fairly well-named and well-known though.)

@pieero are you able to open a brush group in the sidebar, and then pick an eraser-brush with it? That should persist after you close the program.

[pieero]

My Paint : 1.2.0-beta.1+gitexport.a7012b4
Wacom Driver version : 6.08-4
Wacom Tablet info : Graphire2 4x5 version 2.03

I've been to the diagnosis panel of wacom control panel, and get the same result about button association, I mean both tip and eraser are shown as button 1. I don't know how photoshop or gimp make the difference.

Gimp has detected two input devices : Wacom Tablet Eraser, and Wacom Tablet Pressure Stylus

[achadwick]

@pieero

• Please update to driver version 6.1.1-5 http://us.wacom.com/en/support/legacy-drivers/ unless you have a reason to be using the earlier version.
• It is normal for both pen and eraser to present as button 1.
• Eraser is one "device" in MyPaint, and pen-nib is a completely separate "device". They have different identities. That is how MyPaint makes the distinction, and it is how GIMP will make the distinction. I cannot speak for Photoshop.

MyPaint allows you to have different brushes for different device identities. Please try this:

1. With the normal stylus nib, paint something.
2. Press the B key to pop up a brush selection panel.
3. Choose a normal-looking brush with your normal stylus nib, then paint with it using the stylus nib.
   • Q1: do you get the brush you selected every time you do steps 1. to 3.?
4. With the eraser end of your stylus, paint something.
5. Press the B key again, enough times to show a set with an eraser brush (there is one in Set #1)
6. Choose the eraser brush with the eraser end of the stylus, then paint with it using the eraser end
   • Q2: does it erase now?
   • Q3: can you now flip between the two brushes by turning your stylus over and painting?

[pieero]

@achadwick
thank you
I've got it working.
I must pick a brush "eraser-ink" with the physical pen eraser,
and pick a brush "pencil" with physical pen tip. I didn't get it.

Still I manage to lose the association, when I switch from tip to eraser again and again.
I still didn't found the reproduction route. I'll keep aware on that.

Anyway this bug is invalid,
sorry for bothering you.
Thank you for this great software.

[achadwick]

No problem, really. We should probably make a FAQ entry about it at least, and document the feature! Flagging as needing docs writing.

• FAQ: https://github.com/mypaint/mypaint/wiki/FAQ
• In-progress user manual: https://github.com/mypaint/mypaint/wiki/v1.2-User-Manual (I suppose it'd go best in a general painting guide, or with the docs for the brush lists feature)

Anyone can edit either ☺

[eduncan911]

Made a comment in #484 that the pattern matching for \<eraser\> may not be ignoring-case, and thus not capturing the eraser style forcing you to pick an eraser (which btw, that works, but you can't adjust any of the eraser properties as the brush style flips back and forth only when it is touching the canvas).

The Surface 3/Pro 4 Wintab drivers show up as an "Eraser" instead of an "eraser" like my Thinkpad Helix does.

[achadwick]

@pieero @eduncan911

MyPaint v1.2.1 is now out, and the Windows build contains several fixes for tablet recognition. It also contains a bundled GTK3-Demo program, configured to open on the tablet tester page. Can you get me the name of your devices/pen ends as GTK sees them?