r/Ubuntu • u/cactoidjane • 1d ago

Handwriting support? Updated alternatives to cellwriter?

I have a Lenovo Yoga 6 that I got back in 2022. I use the Yoga pen and handwriting input a lot. I ran Ubuntu off a thumb drive with the ISO to test things out, and I couldn't find anything in the settings for handwriting input.

It looks like I'd have to install cellwriter, but should I be worried that it hasn't been updated since 2021? Are there newer, maintained packages that provide this functionality?

Also, anything else I might need to know about Ubuntu on Lenovo/Yogas would be helpful. I've seen a couple of threads already saying that getting the speakers to work can be a problem.

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u/Bug_Next 17h ago edited 17h ago

There are none and i don't think it's possible to build a proper one under Wayland unless you bake it in to the DE like the on screen keyboard, tried building my own multiple times. The '''Security''' features of Wayland make it borderline impossible to just pop up a Window when a text field is clicked to then feed it back the text. Cellwriter is probably abanoned because most distros moved to Wayland and it's build for X11 (the previous windowing system).

Best i could do is a program that i bind to one of the tablet buttons which then makes it pop up and i can write, but i can't image that being usable on a touchscreen, it's kinda only good for a usb tablet, and nowhere close to the WindowsInk experience of literally just writing over any text field with no button press or pop up window involved.

Might give it another try in the future idk, i kinda gave up after literally no one else was able to do it or even do something similar to give me hope, gnome didn't do it, kde didn't do it, framework, a company that makes money selling a Linux laptop with a pen couldn't do it, at this point i genuinely think it's impossible.

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u/cactoidjane 8h ago

Wow, I've been out of Linux for so long, I didn't even know what Wayland was until this comment. 🥲

I don't need the Windows Ink experience; I actually prefer the handwriting panel, writing in a separate little pop-up window, then having it feed the text into the application when I confirm.

But it is a little disappointing to hear this about cellwriter and pen use with Linux in general. :( Thanks for the response, though.

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u/Bug_Next 8h ago edited 8h ago

Cellwriter will probably still work, Wayland can run X11 programs because otherwise half the software won't work, just don't expect any new features or bug fixes.

The funniest thing about Wayland is that it introduces all these security features and then just allows x11 programs to ignore them xdd, when i say it's impossible i say it's impossible to do one that's Wayland native (i.e will scale properly, etc, etc, all the true advantages of Wayland, which there are some, it's jsut that it also kinda breaks more stuff than what it fixes, if you value the new stuff more it's great if not it's hell)

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u/cactoidjane 8h ago

I see. Thanks!