Keyboard stops working after running `pkexec swhkd`

[saurabhsharan]

Version Information:

• Distribution Information: Linux ss-archlinux 6.6.3-arch1-1 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Wed, 29 Nov 2023 00:37:40 +0000 x86_64 GNU/Linux
• swhkd version: swhkd 1.3.0-dev

Describe the bug: I am following the instructions to install and run swhkd. After I run pkexec swhkd, my keyboard becomes unresponsive and I have to reboot my machine to restore the keyboard.

Expected behavior: Keyboard should continue working after running pkexec swhkd.

Actual behavior: Keyboard stops working after running pkexec swhkd.

To Reproduce: Following instructions from README, run swhks & followed by pkexec swhkd.

Additional information: Anything else you'd like us to know ?

In case it's useful information: I installed swhkd using yay -S swhkd-git.

[Shinyzenith]

Can we get some logs?

[Shinyzenith]

I presume the kernel grab failed on your machine and the syscall logs would help, try strace and the swhkd logs too

[drkknigt]

I am facing the same issue .

• Distro : Linux realme-5 6.6.7-x64v3-xanmod1 #0~20231213.g90d9158 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Wed Dec 13 22:16:19 UTC x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
• swhkd version : 1.3.0-dev Following is the log output of pkexec swhkd -d

  2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Logger initialized.
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Invoking UID: 1000
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Setting process umask.
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z ERROR swhkd] XDG_RUNTIME_DIR has not been set.
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Reading /run/swhkd/swhkd_1000.pid file and checking for running instances.
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z DEBUG swhkd] Previous PID: 53076
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z WARN  swhkd] Running swhkd as root!
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z DEBUG swhkd::perms] Setting initgroups...
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z DEBUG swhkd::perms] Setting EGID...
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z DEBUG swhkd::perms] Setting EUID...
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z ERROR swhkd] XDG_CONFIG_HOME has not been set.
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z DEBUG swhkd] Using config file path: "/etc/swhkd/swhkdrc"
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z DEBUG swhkd::perms] Setting EGID...
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z DEBUG swhkd::perms] Setting EUID...
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z DEBUG swhkd::perms] Setting initgroups...
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Attempting to find all keyboard file descriptors.
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Other: Power Button
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Other: Lid Switch
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z DEBUG swhkd] Keyboard: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Other: Video Bus
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z DEBUG swhkd] Keyboard: Logitech Wireless Keyboard PID:4023
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Other: Logitech Wireless Mouse
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Other: Wireless hotkeys
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Other: HP WMI hotkeys
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Other: HD-Audio Generic HDMI/DP,pcm=3
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Other: ELAN071A:00 04F3:30FD Mouse
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Other: ELAN071A:00 04F3:30FD Touchpad
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z DEBUG swhkd] Keyboard: keyd virtual keyboard
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Other: keyd virtual pointer
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Other: HD-Audio Generic Mic
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Other: HD-Audio Generic Headphone
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z DEBUG swhkd] 3 Keyboard device(s) detected.
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z ERROR swhkd] XDG_RUNTIME_DIR has not been set.
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z ERROR swhkd] Could not open evdev device at /dev/input/mouse4: Inappropriate ioctl for device (os error 25)
  [2023-12-17T11:05:40Z TRACE swhkd] Other: swhkd switches virtual output

[Shinyzenith]

The logs seem fine, this slightly worries me ( did upstream linux break userspace? ) I have not updated any deps since last release I believe. If it's not too much of a hassle, could you guys try the latest LTS kernel once?

[drkknigt]

ok i found the culprit . It looks like keyd daemon is somehow interfering with swhkd. I disabled the daemon via systemd and now everything is working fine. is keyd not compatible with swhkd ?

[Shinyzenith]

ok i found the culprit . It looks like keyd daemon is somehow interfering with swhkd. I disabled the daemon via systemd and now everything is working fine. is keyd not compatible with swhkd ?

This is interesting, we have had systemd users who also use swhkd but this situation never arrived.

Does this fix work for you? @saurabhsharan

I wonder if this is a regression of systemd or the kernel itself. Any runit users around who can test this hypothesis?