Configuring Wacom Tablet in Ubuntu 16.04 for Large Monitors

10:36 AM linux , ubuntu , wacom 0 Comments

This morning, I needed to sign a document for work. I hate the process of printing something out, signing it, scanning it, and mailing it back.

So I busted out my Wacom Tablet and plugged it into my Linux box and, lo, it recognized it!

The problem, though,  was that writing in my typical lettering (maybe about 1/4 inch height on paper) was coming out 4-5 times that size on the screen, making adding my signature to the form impractical.

Long story short, I wasn't able to find a setting to change the pen distance -> mouse distance ratio, but I did find that if I increased the available area that the pen was mapped to, then it did the trick.

So, here is what I did:

> xsetwacom --list devices

Wacom Bamboo Connect Pen stylus  id: 11 type: STYLUS
Wacom Bamboo Connect Pen eraser  id: 18 type: ERASER    
Wacom Bamboo Connect Pad pad     id: 20 type: PAD

> xsetwacom --get 11 Area

Option "Area" "0 0 14720 9200"

> xsetwacom --set 11 Area "0 0 73600 46000"

At that point, the text looked great!