Settings > Input devices > Touchpad/Mouse: No option to disable device.

[XV-02]

Neither the Touchpad nor Mouse settings seem to support the ability to turn the pointing device off.

Particularly on devices with multiple pointer inputs - such as laptops with both touchpads and pointing sticks - the ability to turn some or all of their pointing devices off can represent an important feature that should be included.

[WatchMkr]

If someone disables their touchpad or mouse, it can be very difficult to re-enable. Instead of disabling the device, what demonstrable problems occur because there are two devices? How can we solve for those problems?

[ragnarokxg]

Not the creator, but I use a hidden option to disable the touchpad when a mouse is connected in GNOME and was wondering if this could be added as a setting in cosmic.

[XV-02]

If someone disables their touchpad or mouse, it can be very difficult to re-enable. Instead of disabling the device, what demonstrable problems occur because there are two devices? How can we solve for those problems?

For me, I'm seeing issues with palm inputs on the touchpad while using a track-point. I also notice cursor judder/jump in Cosmic DE, that I do not see in Cosmic/Gnome due to being able to turnoff the touchpad. On the laptop in question, I actually have three cursor inputs: track point, touchpad, and touch screen. But it's only the touchpad/track point conflict that causes the cursor to jump.

I'm not sure what the best option for resolving that would be.

[WatchMkr]

Adding toggles is easy but clutters interfaces and requires user intervention. We can often solve problems like these without requiring the user to act resulting in a better out of box experience and product.

I'm seeing issues with palm inputs on the touchpad while using a track-point

For this case, we could disable touchpad input when the trackpoint is in use.

I also notice cursor judder/jump in Cosmic DE, that I do not see in Cosmic/Gnome

Under what circumstances? If this happens while typing, perhaps palm-detection needs improvement.

I use a hidden option to disable the touchpad when a mouse is connected in GNOME

Why?

[ragnarokxg]

I use a hidden option to disable the touchpad when a mouse is connected in GNOME

Why?

Because when using mouse and keyboard to play games touching the touchpad can often lead to unintentional movement. Additionally if I have a mouse plugged in why would I need use of the trackpad if I have a mouse connected to my laptop.

I use the setting under org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.touchpad send-events to set disabled-on-external-mouse.

This allows me to not have to worry about the touchpad when I have an external mouse plugged in.

[WatchMkr]

Because when using mouse and keyboard to play games touching the touchpad can often lead to unintentional movement. Additionally if I have a mouse plugged in why would I need use of the trackpad if I have a mouse connected to my laptop.

A better, albeit harder, solution would be to fix unintentional feedback from the touchpad during gameplay. Then no one has to worry about a settings toggle... it just works.

[Drakulix]

Because when using mouse and keyboard to play games touching the touchpad can often lead to unintentional movement. Additionally if I have a mouse plugged in why would I need use of the trackpad if I have a mouse connected to my laptop.

A better, albeit harder, solution would be to fix unintentional feedback from the touchpad during gameplay. Then no one has to worry about a settings toggle... it just works.

Some games are perfectly playable with a touchpad though. And games won't implement disabling the touchpad conditionally on linux. I don't think we can assume an automagic solution would always work sadly.