X-Box Controller using the xpad

the_enigma · Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2004 12:49 am Post subject:

D-Pad works for me. Are you getting anything at all from the joystick with jstest and/or jscalibrator?

flazz · Guru Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 496 Location: Florida

yep, but i cant use them in a game or zsnes

the_enigma · Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 12:02 am Post subject:

How did you set zsnes to use the D-Pad? I found that if I define 'Up' as 'left analogue stick up', then D-Pad up worked as Up as well, if that makes sense. So try setting the games up with the analogue stick, and then use the D-Pad anyway, that might work. Apart from that, we'll need to hack the module code, because the D-Pad isn't the first set of axes (axis?), the left analogue is.

bungernut · Apprentice Joined: 24 Jan 2004 Posts: 173

someone plaease post a link to a forum on how to patch manually, i dont know how and could not find one in the fourms. Thanks
_________________
Two idiots make a wrong

flazz · Guru Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 496 Location: Florida

when i set up zsnes to use the stick the dpad does nothing whatsoever.

btw i think we need to set up some sort of xpad community, its too good of a pad not to

the_enigma · Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 6:47 am Post subject:

flazz: If jstest and/or jscalibrator find all the correct buttons/axis but some programs won't, I think it's more likely an issue with that program. I'm using zsnes v1.36 here and it seems to work fine however. Are you using an official MS controller, an S-type controller, or some 3rd party? I've got an S-type personally.

bungernut: See http://www.linuxhq.com/patch-howto.html
If any issues arise, contact me.

flazz · Guru Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 496 Location: Florida

i have the s-controller and zsnes 1.36; i have never gotten the dpad to work. but it comes up as axi 6 and 7, should the patch fix this?

the_enigma · Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 12:44 pm Post subject:

Well I had it working both with and without the patch. I clicked on Up or whatever, and then moved the analogue stick up, or pressed up on the D-Pad. They seem to be synonymous in zsnes at least.

I've got the dpad coming up as axis 4 & 5. Actually, try the patch out, if you feel like it. Without the patch, L+R triggers are treated as two axis, which is why your dpad is at 6/7. Maybe zsnes only supports 5 axis, I dunno.
Also, just check in jstest that the values in axes 6/7 go from -32767(left) to 32767(right), and the same values for up/down. With the patch, up is -32767. I didn't change anything with the D-Pad, but check to see if you get the same results.

flazz · Guru Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 496 Location: Florida

first where did you get jtest?, i dont have it.

(and now the dumb questions)
second i used to be able to modprobe xpad and the permission on /dev/input/js0 was readable to all, now i have to change the permission of it. why would i ahve to change the permission?

thrid how can i have the xpad module loaded when i boot?

flazz · Guru Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 496 Location: Florida

i patched it and got L & R to work, but i still cant get the D-pad to work at all. it comes up fine as axi 4 & 5 in js calibrator.

anyone have any ideas?

the_enigma · Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 8:50 am Post subject:

Well the big issue is that it shows up in jstest/jscalibrator. If it shows up there, then the module is loading it fine. I don't know how or why, but I'd be guessing at userland-software issues. Have you tried any other programs, like some other emulator, mame maybe?

Edit: Gah, what am I thinking, hardware error? userland-software's what I meant.

the_enigma · Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 9:00 am Post subject:

Anyway, as to autoloading, it should autoload when you plug it in.. actually, yeah it might not do that either.
There's a text file /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6 which lists all the modules you want loaded. Try that to autoload on bootup.

Also can you do the following for me
Unplug the xpad device.

Xylene · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 01 Sep 2003 Posts: 111

Has the axises on the joystick thing on the pad ever been fixed?

the_enigma · Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:38 pm Post subject:

As in up being down, and down being up? If so, download and apply my patch, I've had a few reported successess, and no bad reports yet.

Xylene · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 01 Sep 2003 Posts: 111

fldc · n00b Joined: 23 Feb 2004 Posts: 17 Location: Sweden

Anyone with a working copy of the patch, host seems down?

woodwizzle · Apprentice Joined: 30 Nov 2003 Posts: 225

Host seems to be back up. At least for me. This patch is a clear improvement over the default patch. I don't know if the_enigma still plans on maintaining it, but what can we do to at least get this one revision into the official linux kernel?

fldc · n00b Joined: 23 Feb 2004 Posts: 17 Location: Sweden

You're right, only my host is unable to reach it for some reason.
The controller is behaving a bit better now. Works fine in some programs, but for most of the programs/emulators i've tested with the controller goes wild when trying to use the analogue stick to configure the controls, and i'm still not able to use the d-pad.
Well it's a start anyway

the_enigma · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 2:02 am Post subject:

Hmm, I'm not getting emails when people respond here again ...
Yes, the file did go missing for a few days when I cleaned out my website, but it's back up.
fldc, does the joystick work well with jscalibrator and/or jstest?
Check the dpad with those as well, and I'll see what I can do.

fldc · n00b Joined: 23 Feb 2004 Posts: 17 Location: Sweden

the_enigma · Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2004 9:55 pm Post subject:

darklegion · Guru Joined: 14 Nov 2004 Posts: 468

Here is a patch that was designed for DDR games that sets the d-pad directions as buttons rather than axes.It may help with the inverting problems also: http://einsteinsbreakfast.com/demos/xpad.c

the_enigma · Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 7:58 am Post subject:

I just checked that patch. It doesn't invert the axes. Mine does. This doesn't mean that the patch is broken. I don't know exactly why, but it might only be sometimes that the axes are inverted. Anyway, I like his idea of using parameters to decide which 'mode' to use. Might fiddle with that some day, so you can choose to invert/noninvert the axes, and use the Triggers as axes or buttons etc.

the_enigma · Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2005 3:46 am Post subject:

Finally

Patch is updated now. It now allows you to choose via module options whether to invert the axes. It also allows you to choose to use DDR mode (dpad as buttons) and to set the triggers as buttons as opposed to axes.
The options are passed as number, but really each bit represents an option.
Lowest to highest bits:
Bit 1: Invert left y axis
Bit 2: Invert right y axis
Bit 3: Use DDR mode
Bit 4: Use triggers as buttons
For example, to just invert both axes you'll want 0011, or 3
modprobe xpad options=3
To use DDR mode, you want 0100, or 4
modprobe xpad options=4
And so forth

http://www.strudel-hound.com/xpad-0.0.7.patch

It should patch cleanly against any kernel pretty much. I've tested with 2.6.7, 2.6.8 and 2.6.10

jesse_kahtava

Does anybody know how to use the xpad as an X pointer? i've heard it can be done, but i've tried many a time with no avail...