Ubuntu 20.04 EmulationStation crash after turning off DS4/PS4 controller

depawlur

I found similar thread from 2019, but it doesn't help me with the same problem

My rig is Ubuntu 20.04

Start machine
Turn on DualShock 4 controller and let it connect
Start a game through RetroArch or any other emulator (Redream for instance)
Exit game
Turn off controller (10 sec press on the PS button)

This only occurs after running a game.
If I start the machine, turn controller on and turn it off (without starting a game) there is no crash.
Of course I've ran the ResetRomDirs command and also changed back to the Carbon theme.

Setup:
Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS (5.12.0-051200rc2-generic)
RetroPie v4.7.9 commit: e54b8fa
Machine: Lenovo Tiny
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6500
Ram: 8GB
GFX: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640
Controller: 2x official Playstation DualShock 4 connected through Bluetooth

for reference:
Re: [SOLVED] EmulationStation crash after turning off DS4/PS4 controller

mitu

Run EmulationStation with the --debug parameter from a terminal, reproduce the issue and then upload the log file ($HOME/.emulationstation/es_log.txt) to pastebin.com to take a look.

depawlur

Hey @mitu,

apologies for the delay, here's the pasebin: https://pastebin.com/mhsvTcNu

so, interestingly if I launch the game, then exit, then go and re-configure ps4 controller, then poiwer it off, I get:
Mar 13 01:34:00 lvl1: ...launch terminated with nonzero exit code 256!

Let me know if you want me to get that debug log as well.

I tested similar behavior with other controller (some chinese knock off that emulates xbox360 controller) and it didn't crash.

Thank you

mitu

This looks similar to this issue, which is triggered by libSDL sending the some extra centering events after the disconnect. The bug was reported upstream here, and looks like it was solved on 04.2020, which makes me think the libSDL version in Ubuntu 20.04 doesn't have this fix.
On a Raspberry Pi, RetroPie uses a libSDL version which contains a fix for this issue (and a few others), but on Ubuntu it uses the system's package. You may try to install a newer libSDL version (2.0.14) separately and test EmulationStation with that version if you can, to see if you can still reproduce the problem.

depawlur

@mitu
How do I properly install it?

also what package is that?
libSDL or libSDL-dev?

also is it libSDL or libsdl2?

sorry, appreciate your help.

I followed instructions here, tried to install from ubuntu repo as well as compiled it, but same effect for me.

Thanks!

mitu

@depawlur said in Ubuntu 20.04 EmulationStation crash after turning off DS4/PS4 controller:

How do I properly install it?
also what package is that?
libSDL or libSDL-dev?
also is it libSDL or libsdl2?

The package in the Ubuntu version you're using does not have the bug fixed. I see that Ubuntu 21.04 (the upcoming version) will have a newer version with the fix I was mentioning before.
You can install it from source, but if it's not something you've done before, I'd say wait for the new Ubuntu version. libsdl2 uses the traditional ./configure; make; make install installation process, common for many open source projects.

You should look into why your controller disconnects - maybe there's an issue with it or the connection to your system.

I followed instructions here, tried to install from ubuntu repo as well as compiled it, but same effect for me.

We don't have instructions for building SDL, if you're referring to the RetroPie install instructions, then I don't think it's any difference how you make the installatio - on a PC the RetroPie packages are always installed from source.