It should concern a few users but I decided to write down my method for handling my Alienware 17R4 lights on Solus.
I use this python software for that: Alienfx. The final result allow me to create and set color themes with full compatibility for the 17R4 and toggle the lights with a keystroke. You can check your Alienware compatibility here.
Dependencies
sudo eopkg it python-cairo libcairo-devel pip
sudo pip install setuptools pyusb future
Install
Download, extract, cd into folder then:
sudo python setup.py install
sudo python setup.py install_data
Alienfx should exist now in your apps menu. Themes are located in ~/.config/alienfx
Theming and keystroke
I created two themes, one for the active lights (as seen in previous screenshot, mainly white) and another for inactive status, I called them on and off. Since Alienfx is usable via command line I wrote a simple function in my ~/.bashrc to call with a keystroke:
function Alienlights() {
file="$HOME/.config/alienfx/.off"
if [ -f "$file" ]
then
rm "$file"
alienfx -t $HOME/.config/alienfx/on
echo "Alienfx is on"
else
touch "$file"
alienfx -t $HOME/.config/alienfx/off
echo "Alienfx is off"
fi
}
There is no way to get the active theme from the command line, so the script create/delete an empty file in the config folder and switch the theme if file exists or not.
After that I just assign a keystroke in my keyboard params to switch the lights, F12 in my case with the command Alienlights previously created.
This is the final result:
If anyone as a simpler method please improve my experience... 🙂
