Listed as supported on fprntd page 04f3:0c28 Elan Fingerprint reader is not recognised by python-validity.

[amikot]

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Hi, I'm trying to get this thing working, but having trouble with it. Device is listed on fprintd devices list, but is not working with python-validity?

Is there anything I'm doing wrong or it's a bug or my device is really not supported even if it's listed as supported?

I'm sure that device itself is Okay, because just tested it on Windows10.

lsusb
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 05c8:0374 Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co., Ltd (Foxlink) HP EliteBook integrated HD Webcam
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 007: ID 04f3:0c28 Elan Microelectronics Corp. fingerprint sensor [FeinTech FPS00200]
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 3938:1047 MOSART Semi. 2.4G Wireless Mouse
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

fprintd-enroll
list_devices failed: 

sudo systemctl status python3-validity
× python3-validity.service - python-validity driver dbus service
     Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/python3-validity.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
     Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Tue 2022-07-26 10:04:19 BST; 17s ago
    Process: 6199 ExecStart=/usr/lib/python-validity/dbus-service --debug (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
   Main PID: 6199 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
        CPU: 587ms

Jul 26 10:04:19 a-laptop dbus-service[6199]:     init.open()
Jul 26 10:04:19 a-laptop dbus-service[6199]:   File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/validitysensor/init.py", line 47, in open
Jul 26 10:04:19 a-laptop dbus-service[6199]:     usb.open()
Jul 26 10:04:19 a-laptop dbus-service[6199]:   File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/validitysensor/usb.py", line 50, in open
Jul 26 10:04:19 a-laptop dbus-service[6199]:     self.open_dev(dev)
Jul 26 10:04:19 a-laptop dbus-service[6199]:   File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/validitysensor/usb.py", line 62, in open_dev
Jul 26 10:04:19 a-laptop dbus-service[6199]:     raise Exception('No matching devices found')
Jul 26 10:04:19 a-laptop dbus-service[6199]: Exception: No matching devices found
Jul 26 10:04:19 a-laptop systemd[1]: python3-validity.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Jul 26 10:04:19 a-laptop systemd[1]: python3-validity.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.

Tried to start the service that was showing errors: sudo systemctl start python3-validity

But it didn't help.

Then tried to perform factory reset of the device:

sudo systemctl stop python3-validity
sudo validity-sensors-firmware
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/validity-sensors-firmware", line 92, in <module>
    raise Exception('No supported validity device found')
Exception: No supported validity device found
Error in sys.excepthook:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport_python_hook.py", line 153, in apport_excepthook
    with os.fdopen(os.open(pr_filename,
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/var/crash/_usr_bin_validity-sensors-firmware.0.crash'

Original exception was:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/validity-sensors-firmware", line 92, in <module>
    raise Exception('No supported validity device found')
Exception: No supported validity device found

sudo python3 /usr/share/python-validity/playground/factory-reset.py
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/python-validity/playground/factory-reset.py", line 5, in <module>
    usb.open()
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/validitysensor/usb.py", line 50, in open
    self.open_dev(dev)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/validitysensor/usb.py", line 62, in open_dev
    raise Exception('No matching devices found')
Exception: No matching devices found

Restarted the service but still not working.

sudo systemctl start python3-validity
fprintd-enroll
list_devices failed: 

[uunicorn]

Hi @amikot ,

python-validity is not a generic/universal driver. It is only intended to support some subset of Synaptic (used to be called Validity) sensors which share the same low-level protocol.

You also mentioned fprintd device list. But python-validity is not supposed to work with fprintd. In fact python-validity + open-fprintd packages are mutually exclusive with libfprint + fprintd. If your sensor is listed as supported by fprintd, I suggest you completely remove python-validity and open-fprintd and install libfprint and fprintd instead.

I hope it makes sense.

[amikot]

Hi @uunicorn ,

Okay, now I understand - has been confused by video-tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rWYXc4F-jU

Which tells people to check compatibility of the sensor with fprintd on their page and if it's listed there, then install python-validity with open-fprintd. I think the causes of that incorrect assumption are 1. similar name fprintd and open-fprintd and 2. lack of compatibility list dedicated for python-validity.

It's too bad that so nice solution as python-validity is not taught as universal/generic solution, but have to accept that - what else I can do ?

Anyway - thanks for answer and have nice day :)

[uunicorn]

Which tells people to check compatibility of the sensor with fprintd on their page and if it's listed there, then install python-validity with open-fprintd.

It is actually the opposite. In his video he said that you should try to install python-validity if it's not supported by the fprintd project. In his case he had 06cb:009a Synaptics (Validity) sensor, which was not on the supported list of fprintd. This is why he installed python-validity.

similar name fprintd and open-fprintd

Yeah, I can see how this could be confusing. open-fprintd mimics fprintd in a sense that it implements the same fprint DBus interface, so that clients (like Gnome, or PAM modules) can talk to either of them.

lack of compatibility list dedicated for python-validity

Yep, I agree. Would be nice to have a section in README with a list of supported devices. Here is what python-validity sort of supports: https://github.com/uunicorn/python-validity/blob/master/validitysensor/usb.py#L16