[SOLVED]How to Change Keyboard Backlight Timeout Value
[SOLVED]How to Change Keyboard Backlight Timeout Value
I have been digging around, trying to figure out how to change my keyboard's backlight timeout value and I have gotten as far as dumping a csv of all tokens from the smbios-utils. I was able to locate the associated keyboard information, but the associated token id doesn't look like a token; it's simply a number of 451.
1. How would I be able to verify this is actually a token?
2. How would I be able to read/set the value for the associated token?
I am running ArchMerge 6.3.1 on a Sony Vaio VPCF115FM laptop

1. How would I be able to verify this is actually a token?
2. How would I be able to read/set the value for the associated token?
I am running ArchMerge 6.3.1 on a Sony Vaio VPCF115FM laptop

















Last edited by UOOP on Thu Mar 22, 2018 12:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Linux4life
- erikdubois
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Re: How to Change Keyboard Backlight Timeout Value?
Thanks for writing the post here... now we need the time to investigate.
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Re: How to Change Keyboard Backlight Timeout Value?
If you would like to see the available tokens on your system make sure you have libsmbios installed then, use this command:
if you would like to see the list of available token options to change the backlight, would be this command:
so for example on my system, the available options are:
Token: 0x01e1 - Keyboard Illumination (Off)
Token: 0x01e2 - Keyboard Illumination (On)
Token: 0x01e3 - Keyboard Illumination (Auto)
so lets say I wanted to set the backlight permanently on, would be like this:
If you can't set your backlight value like this, because not all laptop manufacturers support this you could try reading this:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Keyboard_backlight
Code: Select all
sudo smbios-token-ctl -d
Code: Select all
sudo smbios-token-ctl | grep Keyboard
Token: 0x01e1 - Keyboard Illumination (Off)
Token: 0x01e2 - Keyboard Illumination (On)
Token: 0x01e3 - Keyboard Illumination (Auto)
so lets say I wanted to set the backlight permanently on, would be like this:
Code: Select all
sudo smbios-token-ctl -i 0x01e2 --set-string true
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Keyboard_backlight
Re: How to Change Keyboard Backlight Timeout Value?
Thanks for the reply. I will try this as soon as I can 

Linux4life
Re: How to Change Keyboard Backlight Timeout Value?
OK I followed the steps listed above, found the token list and identified the 3 tokens controlling illumination which were the same as listed above. I used the command smbios-toke-ctl -i 0x01e2 --set-string true and got a return of "token 0x01e2 not found". Anyone run into this issue? Why does the illumination carry the token in the list, but yet it cannot be found?nickpetrov wrote: ↑Wed Mar 14, 2018 1:16 pmIf you would like to see the available tokens on your system make sure you have libsmbios installed then, use this command:
if you would like to see the list of available token options to change the backlight, would be this command:Code: Select all
sudo smbios-token-ctl -d
so for example on my system, the available options are:Code: Select all
sudo smbios-token-ctl | grep Keyboard
Token: 0x01e1 - Keyboard Illumination (Off)
Token: 0x01e2 - Keyboard Illumination (On)
Token: 0x01e3 - Keyboard Illumination (Auto)
so lets say I wanted to set the backlight permanently on, would be like this:
If you can't set your backlight value like this, because not all laptop manufacturers support this you could try reading this:Code: Select all
sudo smbios-token-ctl -i 0x01e2 --set-string true
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Keyboard_backlight
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Re: How to Change Keyboard Backlight Timeout Value?
Did you run the last command as sudo?
you might want to try with the linux-lts kernel, as kernel 4.15 changed the way it makes calls to the bios. could have broken it.
This is hard to figure out, since it's hardware specific, and I don't have the same hardware.
you might want to try with the linux-lts kernel, as kernel 4.15 changed the way it makes calls to the bios. could have broken it.
This is hard to figure out, since it's hardware specific, and I don't have the same hardware.
Re: How to Change Keyboard Backlight Timeout Value?
Yes, I ran the command as sudo.nickpetrov wrote: ↑Fri Mar 16, 2018 11:05 amDid you run the last command as sudo?
you might want to try with the linux-lts kernel, as kernel 4.15 changed the way it makes calls to the bios. could have broken it.
This is hard to figure out, since it's hardware specific, and I don't have the same hardware.
I will have to try the lts kernel and see if that works for me. I will report back once i get it switched and let you know what I find. Thanks for your help

Linux4life
Re: How to Change Keyboard Backlight Timeout Value?
Hours were spent trying to figure this out and today I stumbled across the solution; simplest little fixes are the best 
1.
2.
3. inside sony-laptop.conf
4. No timeout
You could change the value from 0 - 3
You can also turn your backlight off/auto/on as well (0/1/2):
commands will need to be ran each time after startup because they won't stick.

1.
Code: Select all
cd /etc/modprobe.d/
Code: Select all
nano sony-laptop.conf
Code: Select all
options sony laptop kbd_backlight=2
Code: Select all
echo 3 > /sys/devices/platform/sony-laptop/kbd_backlight_timeout
You can also turn your backlight off/auto/on as well (0/1/2):
Code: Select all
echo # > /sys/devices/platform/sony-laptop/kbd_backlight
Linux4life
- erikdubois
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Re: [SOLVED]How to Change Keyboard Backlight Timeout Value
Congrats and thanks for sharing. 

Learn, have fun and enjoy.
But first use the power of the Arch Wiki
use the tutorials on https://www.youtube.com/erikdubois
then use the power of google
then use the power of our moderators.
But first use the power of the Arch Wiki
use the tutorials on https://www.youtube.com/erikdubois
then use the power of google
then use the power of our moderators.