Brightness Controller for Ubuntu 24 LTS

A simple app to fix brightness control when Ubuntu's default slider doesn't work

Perfect for laptops with Intel i5-12500H + RTX 3050 and similar configurations.

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🚀 Quick Start (For Beginners)

Step 1: Install the App

1. Open Terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T)
2. Navigate to the app folder:

   cd /home/apostrophe/Downloads/Owmegle-linux

3. Run the installation script:

   bash install.sh

4. Enter your password when asked (this is normal)

Step 2: Use the App

• Method 1: Search for "Brightness Controller" in Activities (Super key)
• Method 2: Double-click brightness_controller.py in file manager
• Method 3: Run in terminal: python3 brightness_controller.py

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💡 How It Works

This app tries multiple methods to control your screen brightness:

1. Hardware Control (Best) - Direct access to backlight hardware
2. Software Control (Backup) - Uses xrandr to adjust display output
3. BrightnessCtl (Alternative) - Uses system brightness utility

Why Your Default Slider Doesn't Work

Common reasons on laptops like yours:

• Intel/NVIDIA hybrid graphics confusion
• Missing graphics drivers
• Ubuntu not detecting the correct backlight device
• ACPI brightness control issues

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🛠️ Features

• Simple slider interface - Easy to use, just like Windows
• Preset buttons - Quick access to 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%
• Real-time control - Changes brightness immediately
• Multiple methods - Tries different ways to control brightness
• No root required - Works without administrator privileges
• Auto-detection - Finds the right brightness control for your laptop

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🔧 Troubleshooting

The app asks for my password

• This is normal for hardware brightness control
• The install script tries to reduce this by setting up permissions
• You may need to log out and back in after installation

Brightness resets when I reboot

• This happens with software brightness (xrandr method)
• Hardware brightness control remembers settings after reboot
• If you only have software brightness, run the app after each boot

No brightness change at all

1. Check what methods are available:

   python3 brightness_controller.py --check

2. Try manual brightness control:

   # List available backlight devices
   ls /sys/class/backlight/
   
   # Try brightnessctl (if installed)
   brightnessctl set 50%

App won't start

1. Install missing dependencies:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install python3-gi python3-gi-cairo gir1.2-gtk-3.0

2. Check for errors:

   python3 brightness_controller.py

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🖥️ Technical Details

Your Hardware (i5-12500H + RTX 3050)

• NVIDIA WMI EC backlight: Usually /sys/class/backlight/nvidia_wmi_ec_backlight (most common)
• Intel integrated graphics: Usually /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight
• NVIDIA discrete: Usually doesn't control laptop screen brightness
• Display output: Likely connected to Intel graphics or NVIDIA WMI

Brightness Control Methods Used

1. Direct file writing: /sys/class/backlight/*/brightness (prioritizes NVIDIA WMI EC)
2. xrandr: Software-based brightness adjustment
3. brightnessctl: System utility for backlight control

File Locations

• App: /home/apostrophe/Downloads/Owmegle-linux/brightness_controller.py
• Desktop entry: ~/.local/share/applications/brightness-controller.desktop
• Permissions rule: /etc/udev/rules.d/90-brightness.rules

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📝 Manual Installation (Alternative)

If the automatic installer doesn't work:

1. Install dependencies:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install python3-gi python3-gi-cairo gir1.2-gtk-3.0 brightnessctl

2. Make executable:

   chmod +x brightness_controller.py

3. Copy desktop entry:

   cp brightness-controller.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/
   update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications/

4. Set up permissions (optional):

   sudo usermod -a -G video $USER
   # Then log out and back in

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❓ FAQ

Q: Is this safe to use? A: Yes, it only controls brightness using standard Linux methods.

Q: Will this affect my NVIDIA graphics? A: No, this controls display brightness, not GPU performance.

Q: Can I uninstall it? A: Yes, just delete the files and remove the desktop entry:

rm ~/.local/share/applications/brightness-controller.desktop
rm -rf /home/apostrophe/Downloads/Owmegle-linux

Q: Why don't you just fix Ubuntu's brightness slider? A: Ubuntu's brightness issues often require driver updates or system changes. This app provides a working solution without modifying system files.

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🆘 Getting Help

If you need help:

1. Check system compatibility:

   python3 brightness_controller.py --check

2. View available brightness controls:

   ls -la /sys/class/backlight/

3. Test brightness manually:

   # Check current brightness
   cat /sys/class/backlight/*/brightness
   cat /sys/class/backlight/*/max_brightness

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Made for Ubuntu 24 LTS newcomers 🐧 Simple brightness control when the default doesn't work