FW 12 Cyberdeck Mode

Framework Laptop 12 Linux
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I want to use my FW 12 sometimes with the screen folded all the way back, but, instead of tablet mode, flipped over with the keyboard on and display off. I have XReal AR glasses to provide a virtual display that stays fixed above they laptop.

I saw @nrp mention a “cyberdeck mode” option in bios, but it’s not clear if that disables the screen. Also would prefer to switch modes without rebooting.

I looks like framework_tools has a method to force laptop mode, keeping the keyboard on when rotated. So perhaps I could combine that in a bash script with something at the OS level to toggle the built-in display.

Anyone else working on this?

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Planning on running kubuntu, so this might be the ticket for screen on/off: kscreen-doctor man | Linux Command Library

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(post deleted by author)

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I’m also interested in this. I, too have XReal glasses that I’m going to use with the Framework 12 once I have it. Is there a way to completely turn off the laptop’s display (including backlight)?

Mirko

(sorry for the deleted post, for some weird reason I have two accounts in this forum and I will now only use this one…)

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Nice to meet another Console Cowboy!

I don’t have mine yet (Batch 0 Sage), but I’ll report back what I find

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How are those glasses?

I looked at some listings on Amazon, but came away with the impression of “Oh, you’re farsighted? Get bent.”

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The XReals don’t have diopter adjustment. But you can order prescription inserts from a third party company for $50.

They are a cool gadget but it seems that the experience is very individual. Some people use them for work. For me, they are mainly for video and gaming. After an hour or so, I usually get some eye strain and need a pause.

I do like that they act just like monitors and there is no “ecosystem” of software and content you have to invest in.

Mirko

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Love them. No longer feels like I have to trade off productivity in order to take my laptop to a cafe or something because I’ve got a second monitor anywhere now.

The optics in the glasses focus the light from the screens as if they were about 2m distant, so most farsighted people can use them without any correction (whereas nearsighted like me need a prescription insert).

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The FW12 automatically turns off keyboard and touchpad when it is “fully” opened, i.e. flipped over. This is managed by the laptop’s EFI ec.
The “cyberdeck mode” in the EFI settings is to turn this behaviour off, so that keyboard and touchpad stay on while flipped over. I am not so sure if calling this setting cyberdeck mode" was the best idea. I only know this because Nirav metioned it in a video for example…

So the two things, “cyberdeck mode” and the framework_tools method to “force laptop mode”, you are mentioning are one and the same thing.
I am sorry if this is disappointing to you. On the bright side: if you are on Linux (and regarding your comment about bash scripts, it seems you are) you can just hack the Laptop to do nearly anything you want! Hack away!

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You sure it isn’t the ec doing that? Seems like more in the ec’s ballpark than the efi tbh.

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You are absolutely right! I wrote my post in hurry and my mind might have slipped.

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@MHfromB
Update: I still don’t have my FW12, but I was getting my Kubuntu install media ready so I decided to test my plan on the live usb version. Confirmed I can fully turn off the built in display on my XP 13 2-in-1 while using the XREAL display with this command:

kscreen-doctor output.eDP-1.disable

So combined with framework-tools, the script to enable cyberdeck mode should be

framework-tools --tablet-mode laptop
kscreen-doctor output.eDP-1.disable

and to return to normal operation

framework-tools --tablet-mode auto
kscreen-doctor output.eDP-1.enable

Will update again when I can test with the real thing. (note that kscreen-doctor is for KDE Plasma desktop only. Would need something different for default Ubunutu Gnome)

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Thanks for the update! I haven’t found a solution for Gnome on Wayland yet. But then, I don’t anything about compositors and all that. Is there a more low-level way of doing this (like the equivalent of what the laptop does when the lid is closed)?

Mirko

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I found this for gnome: doc/man/gdctl.rst · main · GNOME / mutter · GitLab

I was also curious about lower level control. Started poking around the source for framework-tools to look for hints of additional EC commands that might help, but no luck yet

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I received my FW12 and now I have cyberdeck mode working! One thing I didn’t anticipate was you need to disable the touchscreen in addition to the display, or else it will register touch inputs that are mapped to the external display (maybe some interesting possibilities there…)

So my final scripts are as follows.

Enable cyberdeck mode:

  kscreen-doctor output.eDP-1.disable;
  sudo framework_tool --tablet-mode laptop;
  sudo framework_tool --touchscreen-enable false;

Return to normal

  kscreen-doctor output.eDP-1.enable;
  sudo framework_tool --tablet-mode auto;
  sudo framework_tool --touchscreen-enable true;

I have a bash script that wraps these up in on/off/toggle commands and setup instructions available at GitHub - wmurphyrd/framework-12-cyberdeck-mode: Tools for using the Framework 12 2-in-1 laptop with AR glasses instead of the built-in display

RE doing this all via EC, I did find a command in Frameworks EC repo that looks like it would toggle the display, but it doesn’t appear to be mapped in framework_tool. So I guess the next step is developing a rust app to send the EC commands for tablet mode, touchscreen, and lcd directly. Then it should work cross-platform (even Windows).

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Someone is sharing the following photo of the cyberdeck mode on the Framework Laptop 12 with a smart glass XREAL One Pro on Reddit. It’s so cool!

https://www.reddit.com/r/framework/comments/1ma3eow/framework_12_cyberdeck_mode_activated_w_xreal_one/

Edit: Wait, the OP on the Reddit is you, @William_Murphy? Because the Laptop 12 in the photo is the same color (sage + purple touchpad) as your laptop.

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Yep that’s me :slight_smile:

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Cool! Thanks for sharing it!

I think the Framework Laptop 12, with cyberdeck mode and smart glasses, offers an appealing solution for people worried about its smaller display size.