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Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by bayindirh on Wednesday December 18, 2024 @06:23PM (#42456629)
To be able to program all the configurable buttons, and upload the macros and settings to the profiles present on the mouse itself, so you can use all the features of your mouse, tailored to you, even if you don’t have the software on the target device you’re using your mouse.

Yes, Logitech’s high end mice store settings themselves. The app is just a programming interface. It sometimes does per program profile switch, too, IIRC.

Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by lsaferite on Wednesday December 18, 2024 @08:17PM (#42457334)
And yet, my keyboard can do almost (no per-program switching) all of the same FROM A WEB PAGE. WebHID should be all that's needed for advanced input devices. If you want some sort of per-program profile switching, sure, release a dedicated app that handles sending a special HID command sequence to trigger a profile switch.
Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by xboxnolifes on Wednesday December 18, 2024 @10:48PM (#42458252)
And if Logitech had a webpage to configure settings, HN would be up in arms about not being able to configure while offline.
Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by Fnoord on Thursday December 19, 2024 @02:38AM (#42459309)
Wooting has their utility offline and online. I guess it uses WebHID.
Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by lsaferite on Thursday December 19, 2024 @09:14AM (#42461549)
If the webpage was required to be connected back to Logitech to function, yeah, deservedly so. If, like Via, it can run fully offline then all you'd need is to save the page for offline use and that would be acceptable.
Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by Scion9066 on Sunday December 22, 2024 @12:35PM (#42487815)
They do have a web page to do pairing at least:

https://logiwebconnect.com/

Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by bayindirh on Thursday December 19, 2024 @04:19AM (#42459797)
WebHID would be sci-fi material in 2010. If you can reduce the power requirement for the hardware, there's no obstacle to embed it in a mouse.

Keyboard is infinitely more flexible since you can wire it without much obstruction.

Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by yndoendo on Wednesday December 18, 2024 @11:28PM (#42458439)
All programmable mice store their settings on the device itself, like Roccat and Razer. A true programmable mouse doesn't need software running in the background. A configuration application that needs to continue running is now just a background service running in user mode and not a true configuration application.

Roccat user because of the size of the mouse is bigger than others and all the buttons can be reprogrammed, along with the wheel. No background software needed and all configuration changes are OS independent.

Not a Logitech user because the wheel could not be programmed to control the sound volume. Last time I tried their products. Even contacted their support to verify the wheel, most useful for controlling audio, is fixed to page scrolling only.

Razer mice are too small for my hands and I feel like an Eagle clawing at a minnow. At least they allow for fully reprogramming all the buttons and wheel, unlike Logitech. And you don't need background software for the programming with it being OS independent after programming.

Only bad part is that Roccat is no longer Linux supported. The original developer that reverse engineered stop supporting the products. Roccat also is like most business and blows off 1st party support for Linux. Windows VM is needed just to program the mouse, which only done once.

Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by bayindirh on Thursday December 19, 2024 @04:18AM (#42459782)
> because the wheel could not be programmed to control the sound volume.

If that's your biggest gripe with Logitech, then I can say they're pretty successful. Personally, I'd not prefer to reach to my mouse just for volume, but everyone is to their own.

> A true programmable mouse doesn't need software running in the background.

Logitech Mice doesn't need the application to run in the background. I'm using my G700's profiles (which I set once under Windows) under Linux without any tools for (checks notes) 14 years at this point.

> Windows VM is needed just to program the mouse, which only done once.

How this is different from Logitech devices? It's exactly the same with Logitech.

Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by vladvasiliu on Thursday December 19, 2024 @05:25AM (#42460159)
Logitech G mice dont need the app, but regular ones do. My Mx master 3s and Mx ergo reset to the default sensitivity and button functions if I leave them alone for a while.
Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by bayindirh on Thursday December 19, 2024 @05:46AM (#42460259)
That's interesting, thanks for the information. I don't use any apps with my M705s (yes, I have a couple). The user I was replying to was giving examples of mice which are in the same class with Logitech G series, this is why I directly quoted my experience with G700.
Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by fuzzfactor on Thursday December 19, 2024 @08:10AM (#42461086)
>reset to the default sensitivity and button functions if I leave them alone for a while.

I need to try that. Mine is USB with no battery.

I've got one of the lesser G USB 6-button "gaming" RGBs that was unused for well over a year. Never did try any Logi Windows apps or do any gaming either. Used as a mild-mannered office mouse instead :)

A while back I started using it again, this time on a Linux PC and it still glowed with the default pattern which I had never changed. Fine by me.

Then started dual booting Windows 11 and all was well until I connected to the internet, the Logitech firmware on the mouse got autoupdated, and lights out :(

Still glows during POST but LEDs go out unless Windows kicks it back on in some way or another.

You want it to do what it once was doing without an app? Your Windows 11 may already be updated far enough itself to give RGB control now.

Otherwise you can use the Logitech app.

Which doesn't have a Linux version.

Looks like mine needs a background app of some kind now if I want glowing again. Oh well.

Still looking forward to trying Solaar when I get back to that particular desktop :)

Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by hnuser123456 on Thursday December 19, 2024 @11:49AM (#42463269)
Some of the mice have a toggleable on-board memory mode, where you can configure profiles that are saved on the mouse. You may be able to change the default lighting pattern back.
Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by fuzzfactor on Friday December 20, 2024 @07:50AM (#42470678)
Gonna have to update the apps on both Linux and Windows and give it a try :)
Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by seritools on Thursday December 19, 2024 @08:58AM (#42461415)
for Logitech G there is the Onboard Memory Manager, a portable tool to just set up the onboard profiles. Since they released it I've not had to use their normal software anymore: https://support.logi.com/hc/en-ca/articles/360059641133-Onbo...
Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by vladvasiliu on Thursday December 19, 2024 @03:43PM (#42465525)
Sure, Logitech "G" series mice are supposed to be "gaming", but for a very long time I used them exclusively for office work.

My first one was a g9x, followed by a g700s. Those may look a bit "gamery", but I later had a g703 which was as sober as they come.

And, even though it's not as critical for office use, I found it very pleasant to have next to no lag on a wireless mouse. I now have a mx master 3s, which has "ok" wireless performance and is surprisingly nimble for its size and weight. I can't complain about it while I use it, but I immediately feel the difference when I switch to a Logitech G Lightspeed or a friend's Razer with whatever their equivalent technology is called.

And since these aren't that expensive (the MX is actually the most expensive mouse I've ever had), this tends to reinforce my considering them as full competitors to logi's "office" line.

Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by yndoendo on Friday December 20, 2024 @01:34PM (#42473530)
My hand is on my mouse so often that is quicker to use the wheel as volume control, with a meta mouse button to switch between page scrolling and volume scrolling.

This is not only useful in games to increase or decrease the sound in real-time while to shunt loud sounds and to improve hearing the environment you are in. It is also useful in business. Quickly controlling the volume when a person interrupts.

*Note that the scroll wheel secondary meta key is used as volume control. Primary function without active meta is page scrolling.

User experience scenario. Click on a link that starts playing a video or audio source. The source is too loud with the same volume setting that worked with the previous video. It is faster to press the meta button on the mouse and scroll the wheel or press the middle button to mute then actually moving to a physical speaker, volume control on the OS, or keyboard, which often needs a meta key too.

Volume control is more natural with the wheel because it is no different the the rotational volume control on speaker versus continual button press to decrement or increment the numeric setting.

Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by ajolly on Friday December 27, 2024 @04:42PM (#42526306)
Logitech has an on board memory manager app, it's a single executable portable no install needed that changes the settings directly on your mouse and then terminates.
Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by fransje26 on Thursday December 19, 2024 @04:59AM (#42460036)
> To be able to program all the configurable buttons, and upload the macros and settings to the profiles present on the mouse itself, so you can use all the features of your mouse, tailored to you

Yep. Definitely sounds like something requiring a 150 Mb program to manage the complexity..

Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by miki123211 on Thursday December 19, 2024 @06:39AM (#42460510)
Some high-end mice and keyboard combos also support features like fast computer switching, clipboard sync etc.

Imagine you have both a desktop and a laptop, with your laptop screen positioned below the display connected to the desktop. You can make your Logitech mouse act as if they were one device; if you slide past the top edge of your laptop screen, both the mouse and the keyboard switch over to the desktop.

You can even press ctrl+c on one device, move your mouse to the other and press ctrl+v (with the same keyboard of course), and it's going to do the right thing. I think even drag and drop across computers works, at least in some circumstances.

Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by MoreMoore on Thursday December 19, 2024 @07:09AM (#42460675)
That's pretty cool. Now I just wish they'd release a wireless G600 with this capability. Best thing I ever bought was an MMO mouse. It's incredibly useful for a lot of use cases outside of MMOs.
Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by bayindirh on Saturday December 21, 2024 @03:56AM (#42478351)
Just use Synergy, the OG "soft KVM": https://symless.com/synergy
Re:Solaar is a Linux manager for many Logitech keyboards, mi... by ho_schi on Thursday December 19, 2024 @07:49AM (#42460941)
USB-HID cares about that and the rest shall be done by generic APIs through the operating-system.

I avoid therefore any peripheral devices which need additional software.

Ducky provides DIP-Switches and keyboard shortcuts. Perfect :)

And I didn’t bricked it with a firmware update, which I did with the K850. Because Logitech suffered so many security issues.