Sixad How to obtain an event by-id as a Dualshock 3 controller is connected via bluetooth?

[Trillien]

Hello,

I run RetroPie 4.2 on a Raspberry Pi3.
I use a Dualshock 3 controller configured thanks to Sixad bluetooth driver. For some emulators as ScummVM and ResidualVM I had a need to configure a virtual mouse based on the Dualshock 3 joypads with xboxdrv. The steps are described on the webpage https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Universal-Controller-Calibration-&-Mapping-Using-xboxdrv

My issue is xboxdrv recognizes the controller by its event number:
ls /dev/input
So each time the controller is reconnected, there is a chance its event number changes. And xboxdrv can't match anymore the input controller to the virtual mouse.

I understand xboxdrv can recognize an input thanks to its event ID ls /dev/input/by-id
This won't change even in case of disconnect/reconnect. But Sixad doesn't provide any name (or ID) for my Dualshock 3.

Do you know how to configure Sixad so it can register an ID as a new Dualshock 3 controller is connected by Bluetooth?

Trillien

[Trillien]

I looked for some help and I've implemented the solution below:
Edit a new udev rule and create a dualshock3 device pointed to the /dev/event*:

sudo nano /etc/udev/rules.d/85-dualshock3.rules

ATTRS{name}=="PLAYSTATION*", ENV{DEVNAME}=="/dev/input/event*", ENV{ID_MODEL}="PS3Controller", SYMLINK+="input/dualshock3"

This looks for a device with the name PLAYSTATION and a device name /dev/input/event*. Then it creates a symbolic link named /dev/input/dualshock3.
In case of multiple controllers, the symbolic link will point to the latest event created.

Then to adapt the script detailed in https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Universal-Controller-Calibration-&-Mapping-Using-xboxdrv by replacing /dev/input/event* by /dev/input/dualshock3:

nano /opt/retropie/configs/all/runcommand-onstart.sh

#!/bin/sh
## Uncomment one or all of the following if you need to find some information about the emulator or roms
## Name of the emulator
#echo $1 >> /dev/shm/runcommand.log

## Name of the software used for running the emulation
#echo $2 >> /dev/shm/runcommand.log

## Name of the rom
#echo $3 >> /dev/shm/runcommand.log

##Executed command line
#echo $4 >> /dev/shm/runcommand.log


### The FUN begins
#Get ROM name striping full path
rom="${3##*/}"

### Set variables for your joypad and emulator
### Basic Configuraions - Standard controller mappings
basicPS3="sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv >/dev/null \
        --evdev /dev/input/dualshock3 \
        --silent \
        --detach-kernel-driver \
        --force-feedback \
        --mimic-xpad \
        --dpad-as-button \
        --trigger-as-button \
        --evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1,ABS_Z=x2,ABS_RX=y2 \
        --evdev-keymap KEY_#302=a,KEY_#301=b,KEY_#303=x,KEY_#300=y,BTN_THUMB=tl,BTN_THUMB2=tr,BTN_BASE5=lb,BTN_BASE6=rb,BTN_BASE3=lt,BTN_BASE4=rt,BTN_TRIGGER=back,BTN_TOP=start,BTN_SOUTH=guide,BTN_TOP2=du,BTN_PINKIE=dr,BTN_BASE=dd,BTN_BASE2=dl
        --calibration x1=-32767:0:32767,y1=-32767:0:32767,x2=-32767:0:32767,y2=-32767:0:32767"


### Extended Configurations
### Specific emulator configuration or any other parameters you will need only for some emulators
scummVM="--axismap -Y1=Y1,-Y2=Y2 \
        --ui-axismap x1=REL_X:10,y1=REL_Y:10 \
        --ui-buttonmap a=BTN_LEFT,b=BTN_RIGHT,start=KEY_F5,back=KEY_ESC \
        --ui-buttonmap guide=void,x=void,y=void,lb=void,rb=void,tl=void,tr=void,lt=void,rt=void,back=void \
        --ui-axismap x2=void"

residualVM="--axismap -Y1=Y1,-Y2=Y2 \
        --ui-axismap x1=REL_X:10,y1=REL_Y:10 \
        --ui-buttonmap a=BTN_LEFT,b=BTN_RIGHT,start=KEY_F5,back=KEY_ESC \
        --ui-buttonmap guide=void,x=void,y=void,lb=void,rb=void,tl=void,tr=void,lt=void,rt=void,back=void \
        --ui-axismap x2=void"

amiga="--axismap -Y1=Y1,-Y2=Y2 \
        --ui-axismap x2=REL_X:1,y2=REL_Y:1 \
        --ui-axismap x1=KEY_LEFT:KEY_RIGHT,y1=KEY_DOWN:KEY_UP \
        --ui-buttonmap du=KEY_UP,dd=KEY_DOWN,dl=KEY_LEFT,dr=KEY_RIGHT \
        --ui-buttonmap lt=BTN_LEFT,rt=BTN_RIGHT,start=KEY_ESC,back=KEY_LEFTCTRL,y=KEY_SPACE,a=KEY_LEFTCTRL,b=KEY_LEFTALT,x=KEY_LEFTSHIFT \
        --ui-buttonmap guide=void,tl=void,lt=void,rt=void,back=void \
        --ui-axismap x2=void"

fourway="--four-way-restrictor"

invert="--ui-buttonmap du=KEY_DOWN,dd=KEY_UP"

### Kill Command
xboxkill="sudo killall >/dev/null xboxdrv"

### Execute the driver with the configuration you need
# $1 is the name of the emulation, not the name of the software used
# it is intellivision not jzintv
case $1 in

        mame-libretro)
        ;;

        fba)
                case $rom in
                        "amidar.zip"|"atetris.zip"|"puckman.zip") # Configuration used only for these ROMs
                                $xboxkill
                                joycommand="$basicPS3 $fourway &"
                                eval $joycommand
                        ;;
                        *) # Configuration for every other ROMs on this emulator
                                $xboxkill
                                joycommand="$basicPS3 &"
                                eval $joycommand
                        ;;
                esac
        ;;

        daphne)
        ;;

        scummvm)
                $xboxkill
                joycommand="$basicPS3 $scummVM &"
                eval $joycommand
        ;;

        residualvm)
                $xboxkill
                joycommand="$basicPS3 $residualVM &"
                eval $joycommand
        ;;

        amiga)
                $xboxkill
                joycommand="$basicPS3 $amiga &"
                eval $joycommand
        ;;

        intellivision)
        ;;
esac

[mediamogul]

@Trillien

Very creative! I've had people ask me how to overcome this situation before and not having any Bluetooth controllers myself to test with, I'm always stuck for a solution. It's worth incorporating into the guide, but the information there already has been noted as being overwhelming to most. I might at least point a link back here. Thanks for this.

[mediamogul]

@Trillien

I expanded your technique to include any Bluetooth controller and added it to the xboxdrv guide as succinctly as possible. Thanks again for this.