Red Hat Bugzilla – Bug 691570
Backlight brightness is not remembered when display dims/wakes
Last modified: 2012-08-16 11:17:22 EDT
Description of problem: Gnome-power-manager includes several power-saving backlight features. Specifically, there are options to (1) put the display to sleep after a set period of time, (2) reduce backlight brightness on battery, and (3) dim the display when idle. When option (1) and/or (3) is enabled, it is the expected behavior that after the g-p-m action is triggered (i.e. the display is set to sleep or the display is dimmed when idle), any action by the user will "wake" the display and return its brightness to its previous level. That previous level may be g-p-m's default level, e.g. 100% on a/c power or 60% on battery, but if the user had changed the brightness level manually, e.g. by using a laptop's brightness function keys, "waking" the display will return to whatever level it was previously set to by the user. At least that is the expected behavior. Instead, I am finding that g-p-m always returns a woken display to the default level, not to the level previously set by the user. It seems that user changes to the backlight brightness are not remembered by g-p-m. Another side-effect of this bug is that if the user dims the display to a very low level, when g-p-m "dims" the display when idle, that "dim" level may be brighter than the level just set by the user. I've marked the severity as low because this bug does not prevent the system from being usable. But it does make the backlight behavior extremely frustrating, and the only solution is to disable the above-mentioned power saving options (1) and (3). Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): gnome-power-manager-2.32.0-3.fc14 (i686) Linux kernel 2.6.38.1-0.fc14.i686 How reproducible: Every time. Steps to Reproduce: 1. Go to System > Preferences > Power Management and on battery power select the display options "Put display to sleep when inactive for: X minutes" and/or "Dim display when idle" 2. On battery power, manually change the backlight brightness from the default value using the laptop FN keys, then wait with the computer idle until the display is dimmed or put to sleep. 3. Press a key to wake the display. Actual results: The backlight brightness returns to the default value, not the previous (user-set) value. Expected results: The backlight brightness should return to the previous (user-set) value, not the default value. Additional info: This is on an Asus Eee PC 1005PE with working backlight FN keys.
Does this still happen in F15 or F16? Thanks.
yes, this is happening on F16 on my Dell laptop. Was working fine from F11-F15. This is a nuisance not just an inconvenience. Please fix. Thank you.
Hi, I'm having the same issue (on a sony vaio sa3). I hope this will get fixed. Thanks, Daniel
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