Hi, since yesterday my optical sensor doesn't work anymore. All I know is that it shut itself off and then I restarted it and I didn't pay attention(not unusual for this to happen) to it and the it shut itself off again.

<skip>
I noticed lots of camera-ui instances working in the background some hours before it happened, because I like to put all the hildon things to priority level -20 (I could try to do it via script upon start but whatevs), but I thought it was somewhat normal.

As it was the third time, I payed attention and then took a look at everything. Well, the flashlight_gtk didn't show up after opening lens cover.
</skip>

After some digging, noticed that nobody anymore is detecting the lens cover open. It stays shut forever. The "dmesg | grep cam" shows
cam_shutter (gpio 100) is now closed
cam_launch (gpio 69) is now inactive
cam_focus (gpio 68) is now inactive

Yes I tried the search, but it is overcrowded with fcam related problems, I couldn't find anything of value for this problem.

So, I believe I could live without the detector If I could manage to change the gpio value manually. Is it possible?

Thanks.

I just tried:

$root
#
#cat /sys/devices/platform/gpio-switch/cam_shutter/state
#closed
#
#echo open > /sys/devices/platform/gpio-switch/cam_shutter/state
#sh: Write error: Operation not permitted
#

What now?

Now I tried:

#chmod a+rwx /sys/devices/platform/gpio-switch/cam_shutter/state
#ls -l /sys/devices/platform/gpio-switch/cam_shutter/state
# -rwxrwxrwx 1 root root /sys/devices/platform/gpio-switch/cam_shutter/state
#
#echo open > /sys/devices/platform/gpio-switch/cam_shutter/state
#sh: Write error: Operation not permitted
#

What now?

That interface is read only, by reading it you are calling rx51_show_shutter() which reads the gpio.
Look at the file arch/arm/mach-omap2/rx51_camera_btn.c
You'll need to modify rx51_show_shutter() and if you want a writable interface you need to add a function to write it.

I'm not sure I understand your problem. Is it that the camera app won't start? That happened to me once after I colored black the little white stripe on the inside of the back cover of the phone. A piece of white tape fixed the problem.

No, the problem is that the optical sensor (hardware) looks like is broke. The back cover is fine, I even tried with other back cover that I have spare here and nothing happened.

Oh no, that was my main fear... so I should rewrite some of the code, and then I need to recompile and learn how to synchronize with the kernel... oh my... I'll loose all the rest of my leisure time on this... OR I could try to replace the optical sensor for an equivalent one. Thank you for the answer, sorry if I'm not happy for it

do you think this has anything to do with this topic? http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=67968

Actually it is kernel code what I'm talking about. Don't worry, if you are able to do some basic C coding it is not hard at all. You can just make it return always 1 and use the camera button to open the camera application, or if you want something configurable you can modify the read function to use a static variable and add a write function to change its value.

Sorry maacruz, but after repetitive failures on installing scratchbox and make it start, I decided to try another route, that is, to fake the dbus-signal if anything.

This is the progress I have made so far:

Up to this moment, by reading a lot, I got this, that at least lets me use the camera and flashlight app:
I'm still looking for the real dbus signal for the state change in order to fake one. Again, at least this will let me use the camera. If I had that I'd use shortcutd in order to launch a script that would read the fake state:
and then if true change to false and send a fake signal (was opened);
Then, after using flashlight or camera app, I'd have to manually hit a shortcut on my desktop to undo all I did, by:

and sending a fake dbus call that the shutter has closed for all the apps that see it (like Lens Cover Reminder).

SO: Does anyone know what would look like a dbus signal for both shutter opened and closed?

Thanks.