Using Multitouch Utils with Windows 7 (x64) ?

[nomaded]

I'm wondering if anyone has had any luck in getting the Multitouch Utils to work with Windows 7, let alone the x64 version. There seems to be posts about getting it working with Vista, but they're not available at this time.

[dongadoy]

I'm wondering if anyone has had any luck in getting the Multitouch Utils to work with Windows 7, let alone the x64 version.

Here's the post I made about...

MultiTouch Utilities on Vista using Virtualization

Like many people in the last few years, I bought a new computer with Vista. My Fingerworks Touchstream LP keyboard works great on the new computer. Even XWinder works great. However, the actual MultiTouch Utilities (MyGesture Editor, Device Firmware Upgrade, Feature Selector, and System Diagnostics) do not recognize my attached Touchstream keyboard. I launch the utility and it says "No Fingerworks Devices Found". I am surprised that XWinder works fine but the MultiTouch Utilities do not work. I was not surprised that the MultiTouch Utilities do not work after reading the "XWinder on Vista" topic in this forum.

Virtualization saved the day. Sun VirtualBox is free software for creating a virtual computer within a running Windows installation. The virtual computer runs an operating system (OS) that supports the Fingerworks MultiTouch Utilities.

My Windows 95, 98, and 2000 OS's were all OEM versions that only work on the original computers. I bought a full version of Windows 2000 specifically for using the Fingerworks MultiTouch Utilities. Windows 2000 is relatively cheap nowadays on ebay and at other vendors. This copy of Windows 2000 was the only expense I incurred getting MultiTouch Utilities working again. If you're lucky enough to already have a full version of a supported OS, all the better for you!

Steps:

1. Install VirtualBox.
2. Create a virtual machine (VM). I went with all the defaults after entering a name for the VM and selecting the OS that it will contain.
3. Setup the VM to capture the USB TouchStream keyboard. Select the VM, click Settings, USB, Enable USB Controller, Add Filter From Device, "Fingerworks TouchStream ST/LP". I was unable to get the VM to recognize the Fingerworks USB device dynamically while the VM was running; but it worked if I declared the USB device before starting the VM.
4. Unplug the TouchStream keyboard and use a standard keyboard.
5. Start the VM and install the OS. You may want to install OS service packs.
6. Install Guest Additions using the VM's Device menu. Guest Additions is an option with VirtualBox that installs some software in the VM that adds some handy features. Guest Additions allows me to share folders betweeen the Vista host machine and the Wiwndow 2000 guest VM.
7. Setup a Shared Folder using VM's Device menu. Add a folder or folders that include access to the MultiTouch Utility Setup program, and your personal Fingerworks config.xml file.
8. Install MultiTouch Utilities.
9. Disable the Mouse Integration using the VM's Machine menu. Mouse Integration is another feature of Guest Additions, allowing the mouse and keyboard to work seamlessly between the host machine and the VM. However, the feature interferred with the VM seeing the real Fingerworks TouchStream keyboard. So you'll need to use the "host key", by default the right Ctrl button, switch between the VM and the host machine.
10. Click within the VM window so it gets mouse and keyboard input.
11. Plug in the TouchStream keyboard. The VM will detect the new device and Windows will install the device drivers.
12. Start the MultiTouch Utilities. They will find your TouchStream keyboard. Open your personal Fingerworks config.xml file in the Gesture Editor.
13. Close the VM. If you choose to save the machine state, the VM will restart very fast.

[My path to getting it all working was much more roundabout than the steps listed above. I can only hope that I'm not missing any steps. I did not want to recreate the VM because Windows 2000 takes quite a while to install. I'm hoping the next person will come back to this forum thread and correct my mistakes.]

I disabled network access in the VM. Without the network, there's no need to worry about viruses. So I don't need to install anti-virus, resulting in easier installation and a quicker startup of the VM.

VMWare is the other big name in virtualization. The main VMWare app is commercial and costs big bucks. However, all you need is a free VM from EasyVMX, and the free VMWare Player. I do not have a personal experience with VMWare but I'm sure it is very similar to VirtualBox.

One unusual point that I forgot to mention is that the Shared Folders that you add in step #7 are found in "My Network Places" on the VM, or type "\\VBOXSVR" in the Windows Explorer address box.

When you want to use the MultiTouch Utilities, you'll need a standard keyboard. Start the VM. Right click the Mouse Integration icon in the bottom right status bar of the VM and disable Mouse Integration. There's usually a some seconds before the USB TouchStream switches from the host machine to the VM. At that point, the TouchStream only works in the VM. You need the standard keyboard to work with the host machine and close the VM. After starting "Transfer to Device" in the MyGesture Editor, the TouchStream detaches but usually does not automatically reattach - it just waits. Right click the USB Devices icon in the bottom right status bar of the VM and select the TouchStream; that reattaches and usually gets the transfer started. Sometimes that does not work but unplugging and replugging works; other times rebooting the VM works. Close the VM for the TouchStream to switch from the VM back to the host machine.

[drew]

I have been able to get the Utilities installed on Win7 (x64). I did not have too much difficulty the installer needs to be run in compatibility mode and you need to in stall the first and then point the installer at the Java engine.

The issue I am having is that the utilities are not recognizing that a FingerWorks device is plugged in. The HIDs are present in the device manager but just as HID compliant devices. I seem to recall that under XP that at least one of the drivers was recognized as a Fingerworks driver. Unfortunately I do not have a way to check this out at this time and do not have any idea on how to correct the situation.

Anyone have any insight?

Thanks,
drew

[The00Dustin]

You are correct, there was a Multitouch USB Devices section added to Device Manager, and it had (in my case) a TouchStream ST/LP in it. Unfortunately, Win7 uses different drivers than XP even if it's 32-bit (WinXP is 5.1, Win 7 is 6.1, so completely different major version kernels). That said, I think you have detected the problem, and it might be possible to write a driver using the SDK, but I don't know if it has everything necessary for that or not, and even if it did, you would also have to be able to create a certificate to sign the driver with, and then you would have to use BCDEdit to run Windows in TestSigning mode to use the driver. It would be great if someone had the know-how and did this, but there are a lot of ifs there (for instance, would the device even be recognized by the utilities with that driver?).
Dustin

[drew]

Is it possible that the driver is still there and functioning but it is not being recognized by the utilities? Xwinder still works and there is not any loss of function with the keyboard that I am aware of...
I am not sure how this works but isn't the driver stored in the keyboard and installed when it is plugged in for the first time?

[The00Dustin]

No, if xWinder works (which is GREAT news to me), then it is because it uses an HID device, which doesn't require a driver. HID = Human Input Device, and they are standard, whereas the MultiTouch device is a proprietary communication device that requires a driver, which has to be compatible with the kernel. Presumably the missing driver is used only for testing and to reboot into update mode. On that note, there are actually at least TWO drivers necessary if anyone has the knowhow and information to create new versions... The first is the device I see now, the second(+) is the update mode device(s), because whenever the config or firmware is updated via the multitouch utilities, the product restarts in an update mode and appears as a different device that needs different driver.

[ShawnMcCool]

Are you saying that you have to use a virtual machine, install your apps to it, use your fingerworks touchstream lp with it. then close it when you're done? Or, are you saying that you use the virtual machine to configure your touchstream lp so that it'll work the way you want it to in windows 7?

[TorbenGB]

Shawn, it's the latter of your guesses: the virtual machine is used to run an older operating system on which the FW software still works, just to configure the device. Once the device is configured to your liking, it will work on ANY operating system -- also newer Windows versions.

[ShawnMcCool]

Is it possible that the driver is still there and functioning but it is not being recognized by the utilities? Xwinder still works and there is not any loss of function with the keyboard that I am aware of...
I am not sure how this works but isn't the driver stored in the keyboard and installed when it is plugged in for the first time?

what do you mean by xwinder still works? the app runs for me but doesn't seem to do anything. the last time that i used a touchstream was like 6 years ago so i admit to not knowing exactly how to test it on my current setup.

[dongadoy]

I was surprised when XWinder worked in my Vista. It must be using the standard HID USB interface to get that cool functionality. XWinder uses thumb-index-pinky gestures to move and resize windows.