Generating extra output using the built-in debug flags

If for whatever reason your device isn't working, try running with the -v/--verbose or the -vv/--very-verbose options to see extra output from relabsd.

• -v makes relabsd dump the events it receives and sends to the console. Looking at the received events is useful to see if relabsd is receving events from the device in the way you are expecting them to come in. Looking at the generated is useful for debugging the way relabsd reacts to certain events. If e.g. the motion of the virtual device were not what you expect, this would show you the events generated for a given input. It is also useful for seeing the effects of configuration changes made.

• -vv makes relabsd also display configuration events and program flow. This is useful to see what goes on inside relabsd.

Troubleshooting Tips and Tricks

• If you do not see any events coming in, another process might be hogging your input device. One notable example is spacenavd, which will block relabsd from "seeing" any events from the space mouse if it is running. Note that running spnavd_ctl x11 stop is not enough to get the device back, you have to shutdown the service completely using systemctl.
• The best way to find out what an event device is doing is the evtest utility. Run as root, even if the device is currently grabbed, it will at least tell you so.
• If two processes compete for the same device, it's likely neither will work. Running fuser -v /device as root will tell you which processes are trying to claim it.
• To open the device without resorting to running relabsd as root, check the ownership of the entries in /dev/input. Many distributions have a special group for input devices. Assign yourself that group and it should work in user mode