Guide: Advanced Controller Mappings

spud11

Hello

I'm new to this forum and was hoping please for some help in mapping a Zero delay USB Encoder Arcade joystick for the small arcade table I've built. I'm using the latest Raspberry Pi 3 and have RetroPie 4.0.2 installed. With the ordinary Xpad driver installed with RetroPie, I've got the joystick working in Emulationstation and Retroarch and in some of the libretro cores (but not all of these seem to work) and so was hoping to use some of the emulators instead of libretro cores. I was hoping the xboxdrv driver would mean less individual mapping for the emulators.

I've installed the xboxdrv driver and disabled it via RetroPie-Setup.

I've read through every post of this thread, and have some familiarity with Linux but am struggling with the mappings. I've got 6 buttons - those that should correspond to A, B, X and Y plus a Start and Select button. There is only 1 joystick, but I'm not sure if I should be mapping that to analog (left stick) or to the D-Pad please on the virtual XBox controller.

My apologies for the long post. I wasn't sure how to do "inline" comments (like Rion and mediamogul have done, for example).

Here is the output.

cat /proc/bus/input/devices:

I: Bus=0003 Vendor=0079 Product=0006 Version=0110
N: Name="DragonRise Inc.   Generic   USB  Joystick  "
P: Phys=usb-3f980000.usb-1.2/input0
S: Sysfs=/devices/platform/soc/3f980000.usb/usb1/1-1/1-1.2/1-1.2:1.0/0003:0079:0006.0001/input/input0
U: Uniq=
H: Handlers=js0 event0 
B: PROP=0
B: EV=1b
B: KEY=fff 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B: ABS=3001f
B: MSC=10

[Note: no other devices connected at the time.]

ls /dev/input/by-id/:

usb-DragonRise_Inc._Generic_USB_Joystick-event-joystick
usb-DragonRise_Inc._Generic_USB_Joystick-joystick

evtest /dev/input/event0

Input driver version is 1.0.1
Input device ID: bus 0x3 vendor 0x79 product 0x6 version 0x110
Input device name: "DragonRise Inc.  Generic  USB  Joystick  "
Supported events:
  Event type 0 (EV_SYN)
  Event type 1 (EV_KEY)
    Event code 288 (BTN_TRIGGER)
    Event code 289 (BTN_THUMB)
    Event code 290 (BTN_THUMB2)
    Event code 291 (BTN_TOP)
    Event code 292 (BTN_TOP2)
    Event code 293 (BTN_PINKIE)
    Event code 294 (BTN_BASE)
    Event code 295 (BTN_BASE2)
    Event code 296 (BTN_BASE3)
    Event code 297 (BTN_BASE4)
    Event code 298 (BTN_BASE5)
    Event code 299 (BTN_BASE6)
  Event type 3 (EV_ABS)
    Event code 0 (ABS_X)
      Value    127
      Min        0
      Max      255
      Flat      15
    Event code 1 (ABS_Y)
      Value    127
      Min        0
      Max      255
      Flat      15
    Event code 2 (ABS_Z)
      Value    130
      Min        0
      Max      255
      Flat      15
    Event code 3 (ABS_RX)
      Value    127
      Min        0
      Max      255
      Flat      15
    Event code 4 (ABS_RY)
      Value    127
      Min        0
      Max      255
      Flat      15
    Event code 16 (ABS_HAT0X)
      Value      0
      Min       -1
      Max        1
    Event code 17 (ABS_HAT0Y)
      Value      0
      Min       -1
      Max        1
  Event type 4 (EV_MSC)
    Event code 4 (MSC_SCAN)
Properties:
Testing ... (interrupt to exit)

I then tested the buttons and axes which produced the following:

Buttons:

(EV_KEY), code 288 (BTN_TRIGGER)
(EV_KEY), code 289 (BTN_THUMB)	 	
(EV_KEY), code 290 (BTN_THUMB2)	 	
(EV_KEY), code 291 (BTN_TOP)	 
(EV_KEY), code 298 (BTN_BASE5)
(EV_KEY), code 295 (BTN_BASE2)

I've tried to map the first 4 buttons above to A, B, X and Y, respectively, and the last 2 I've tried to map to Start and Select, respectively.

Axes:

(EV_ABS), code 3 (ABS_RX)
(EV_ABS), code 3 (ABS_RX)
(EV_ABS), code 0 (ABS_X)
(EV_ABS), code 0 (ABS_X)

The ABS_RX axes correspond to the joystick moving up and down; the ABS_X axes correspond to the joystick moving left and right.

ABS_Y, ABS_Z, ABS_RY, ABS_HAT0X and ABS_HAT0Y are not mapped.
BTN_TOP2, BTN_PINKIE, BTN_BASE, BTN_BASE3, BTN_BASE4, BTN_BASE6 are not mapped.

In the etc/rc.local file, I mapped the Virtual Xbox 360 as follows:

sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv \
    --evdev /dev/input/by-id/usb-DragonRise_Inc._Generic_USB_Joystick-event-joystick \
	--silent \
	--detach-kernel-driver \
	--force-feedback \
	--deadzone-trigger 15% \
	--deadzone 4000 \
	--trigger-as-button \
	--mimic-xpad \
	--device-name "8-Way Arcade Joystick" \
	--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_RX=y1 \
	--evdev-keymap BTN_TRIGGER=a,BTN_THUMB=b,BTN_THUMB2=x,BTN_TOP=y,BTN_BASE2=back,BTN_BASE5=start \
	--ui-axismap 
	--ui-buttonmap lb=void,rb=void,tl=void,tr-void,guide=void,dpad_x=void,dpad_y=void,lt=void,rt=void \
	&

The above code produced no change at all. It reboots into EmulationStation and if I try to configure the joystick I get the usual DragonRise one - no virtual XBox Driver.

If I change the mapping to below, when I reboot I get the message during boot up that it has mapped to the virtual XBox controller (js1 and Event1, for example, assuming no keyboard is attached) and to press CTRL-C but unfortunately it's crashed without going any further - no error message and no Emulationstation. If I press any keys, it just produces symbols and I have to reboot again.

sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv \
	--evdev /dev/input/by-id/usb-DragonRise_Inc._Generic_USB_Joystick-event-joystick \ 
	--silent \
	--detach-kernel-driver \
	--force-feedback \
	--deadzone-trigger 15% \
	--deadzone 4000 \
	--device-name "8-Way Arcade Joystick"
	--mimic-xpad \
	--dpad-as-button \
	--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_RX=y1 \
	--evdev-keymap BTN_TRIGGER=a,BTN_THUMB=b,BTN_THUMB2=x,BTN_TOP=y,BTN_BASE2=back,BTN_BASE5=start \
	--dpad-only \
	--ui-axismap lt=void,rt=void
	--ui-buttonmap lb=void,rb=void,tl=void,tr-void,guide=void \
	&

Could I please ask for some help? Thanks.

mediamogul

@spud11 said in Guide: Advanced Controller Mappings:

I'm new to this forum

Welcome to the party.

I wasn't sure how to do "inline" comments

https://github.com/adam-p/markdown-here/wiki/Markdown-Cheatsheet#code

I'm not sure if I should be mapping that to analog (left stick) or to the D-Pad

In most cases, mapping to the left stick is the best option.

In the etc/rc.local file, I mapped the Virtual Xbox 360 as follows:

Each line except for the last should have a space and a backslash added so that it can be read as one single command, as follows:

sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv \
--evdev /dev/input/by-id/usb-DragonRise_Inc._Generic_USB_Joystick-event-joystick \
--silent \
--detach-kernel-driver \
--force-feedback \
--deadzone-trigger 15% \
--deadzone 4000 \
--trigger-as-button \
--mimic-xpad \
--device-name "8-Way Arcade Joystick" \
--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_RX=y1 \
--evdev-keymap BTN_TRIGGER=a,BTN_THUMB=b,BTN_THUMB2=x,BTN_TOP=y,BTN_BASE2=back,BTN_BASE5=start \
--ui-buttonmap lb=void,rb=void,tl=void,tr-void,guide=void,dpad_x=void,dpad_y=void,lt=void,rt=void \
&

That might be all that is needed to get you going. Everything else looks fine.

spud11

@mediamogul Thanks, mediamogul, for the code and the nice welcome! I'll have a go with that code once I get home, and will try the "blocks of code" with my next email too.

spud11

@mediamogul Hi. Thanks for your help. Unfortunately, the code did not work insofar as nothing changed. No errors or anything. Should I provide a log and, if so, which one please? Thanks again for your help.

mediamogul

@spud11

There is no log to speak of. However, you can execute the command directly from a command prompt, minus the & at the end. There it should give some verbose feedback as to what is going on.

spud11

@mediamogul Hi. Thanks for that. I ran the code in Putty. (I used "exit" rather than the "&" at the end of the code.) It produced the following error:

--  [ ERROR ] --------------------------------------------------------------
error: invalid argument  '--ui-buttonmap lb=void,rb-void,tl=void,tr-void,guide=void,dpad_x=void,dpad_y=void,lt=void,rt=void'
      string2btn(): couldn't convert string "tr-void" to XboxButton

I then changed the "tr-void" to "tr=void" and it produced a similar error as above but the string2btn() line changed to the following:

string2btn(): couldn't convert string "dpad_x" to XboxButton

Thanks for your help.

mediamogul

@spud11 said in Guide: Advanced Controller Mappings:

it produced a similar error as above but the string2btn() line changed to the following:

I've never tried to void the dpad, but I do know thatdpad_x=void and dpad_y=void aren't valid entries for --ui-buttonmap. However, I believe you might be able to void them under --ui-axismap such as:

--ui-axismap dpad_x=void,dpad_y=void

If that doesn't work, you might try omitting them from the configuration altogether.

spud11

@mediamogul Thanks. I'll try both options when I'm home and let you know how I go.

spud11

@mediamogul Hi. Thanks so much. The code without the --ui-axismap did the trick. I've set it out below for anyone who has a Zero Delay Arcade Encoder. For sake of completeness, I've attached an image of the encoder too.

sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv \
--evdev /dev/input/by-id/usb-DragonRise_Inc._Generic_USB_Joystick-event-joystick \
--silent \
--detach-kernel-driver \
--force-feedback \
--deadzone-trigger 15% \
--deadzone 4000 \
--trigger-as-button \
--mimic-xpad \
--device-name "8-Way Arcade Joystick" \
--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_RX=y1 \
--evdev-keymap BTN_TRIGGER=a,BTN_THUMB=b,BTN_THUMB2=x,BTN_TOP=y,BTN_BASE2=back,BTN_BASE5=start \
--ui-buttonmap lb=void,rb=void,tl=void,tr=void,guide=void,lt=void,rt=void \
&

Again, thanks so much, mediamogul. I couldn't have done it without your help. I'm now in the process of trying to change the arcade joystick to port 0 (rather than it defaulting to the DragonRise). .

weirdocollector

Hi again.

I'm finally back to my RetroPie, ands I'm still struggling with the xboxdrv drive configuration, that continues to refuse to work as expected.

I've applied all the suggested syntax modifications to my /opt/retropie/configs/all/runcommand-onstart.sh, which is the now the following:

#!/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 Configurations - Standard controller mappings
XboxOne="/opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv \
    --evdev /dev/input/by-id/usb-Microsoft_Controller_7EED8E7D89A9-event-joystick \
    --silent \
    --detach-kernel-driver \
    --force-feedback \
    --deadzone-trigger 15% \
    --deadzone 4000 \
    --mimic-xpad \
    --trigger-as-button \
    --evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1,ABS_RX=x2,ABS_RY=y2,ABS_HAT0X=dpad_x,ABS_HAT0Y=dpad_y \
    --evdev-keymap ABS_HAT0X-=du,ABS_HAT0X+=dd,ABS_HAT0Y-=dl,ABS_HAT0Y+=dr \	
    --evdev-keymap BTN_SOUTH=a,BTN_EAST=b,BTN_NORTH=x,BTN_WEST=y,BTN_TL=lb,BTN_TR=rb,BTN_TL2=lt,BTN_TR2=rt,BTN_THUMBL=tl,BTN_THUMBR=tr,BTN_MODE=guide,BTN_SELECT=back,BTN_START=start"

### Extended Configurations
### Specific emulator configuration or any other parameters you will need only for some emulators
atari800="--axismap -Y1=Y1,-Y2=Y2 \
	--dpad-as-button \
    --evdev-keymap ABS_HAT0X-=du,ABS_HAT0X+=dd,ABS_HAT0Y-=dl,ABS_HAT0Y+=dr \
	--ui-axismap X1=KEY_KP4:KEY_KP6,Y1=KEY_KP8:KEY_KP5 \
	--ui-axismap X2=KEY_1:KEY_2,Y2=KEY_3:KEY_4,lt+X2=KEY_5:KEY_6,lt+Y2=KEY_7:KEY_8,rt+X2=KEY_9:KEY_0,rt+Y2=KEY_KPASTERISK:KEY_EQUAL \
	--ui-buttonmap a=KEY_RIGHTCTRL,b=KEY_F2,x=KEY_EQUAL,y=KEY_KPASTERISK,lb=KEY_F9,rb=KEY_F5,du=KEY_KP8,dd=KEY_KP5,dl=KEY_KP4,dr=KEY_KP6,start=KEY_F4,back=KEY_F3,lt=KEY_HOME,rt=KEY_HOME,tl=KEY_HOME,tr=KEY_HOME \
	--ui-buttonmap lt+a=KEY_ENTER,lt+b=KEY_ESC,lt+du=KEY_UP,lt+dd=KEY_DOWN,lt+dl=KEY_LEFT,lt+dr=KEY_RIGHT,lt+start=KEY_F1 \
	--ui-axismap lt+X1=KEY_LEFT:KEY_RIGHT,lt+Y1=KEY_UP:KEY_DOWN \
	--ui-buttonmap guide=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

	atari800)
        $xboxkill
        joycommand="$XboxOne $atari800 &"
        eval $joycommand
    ;;
esac

As you may have noticed, I've uncommented some of the lines at the start of the script, in order to get the runcommand.log file, and getting some hints about what's wrong with it.

I've rebooted my Pi, but I got no runcommand.log file into the /dev/shm/ directory; I've also tried to run directly the script with ./runcommand-onstart.sh, and I got an empty runcommand.log file.

What am I doing wrong ?

Thanks for any help.

weirdocollector

Hi again!

I've made some progress.

Launching the script ./runcommand-onstart.sh atari800, I get the following error message:

-- [ ERROR ] ------------------------------------------------------ error: invalid argument '--evdev-absmap ABS_HAT0X-=du,ABS_HAT0X+=dd,ABS_HAT0Y-=dl,ABS_HAT0Y+=dr' string2axis(): couldn't convert string "du" to XboxAxis

The problem seems to be that I do not know how to map the Xbox One controller hat (that is considered an analog input), to the du, dd, dl, dr keys.

Do someone know how the correct mapping can be done ?

I've looked at the xboxdrv documentation, but I couldn't extrapolate anything useful.

mediamogul

@weirdocollector

The error is from du, dd, dl, dr being used in --evdev-absmap. du, dd, dl, dr can only be used with --ui-buttonmap alongside --dpad-as-button.

Pyjamarama

@mediamogul You do a terrific job. I have gone through your guide many times but without success.

I think I mess up in the rc.local

The evtest displays lots of entries when a press a button and lots lots lots :) when I move a stick or analog trigger.

So I think my problem lies in how to populate the rc.local from the results of evtest

Can you post me your rc.local ?

I think I can get an idea reading yours and evtesting my retropie.

Thank you!

weirdocollector

@mediamogul

Hi,

I've tried the following:

--ui-buttonmap du=ABS_HAT0X-, dd=ABS_HAT0X+, dl= ABS_HAT0Y-, dr=ABS_HAT0Y+

preceded by alongside --dpad-as-button, but it still get an error.

How can I map the hat (seen as an analog input) to the dd, du, dl, dr keys ?

Thanks for any help.

mediamogul

@Pyjamarama said in Guide: Advanced Controller Mappings:

The evtest displays lots of entries when a press a button and lots lots lots

This also happens with one of my controllers. In my case it meant that the axis input was so sensitive that it was being activated whenever any button was pressed. To prevent this from carrying over to the virtual controller, I had to add the --deadzone 4000. However, you'll still need a way to discern the actual button information from all the extra information you're given in evtest. This takes a bit of work, as you'll have to barely tap each button and then scroll up to the very top of the resulting input and see what the first listing was before all the garbage.

mediamogul

@weirdocollector said in Guide: Advanced Controller Mappings:

How can I map the hat

Mapping the dpad hatswitch from a physical controller to the xboxdrv virtual controller is done as follows:

--evdev-absmap ABS_HAT0X=dpad_x,ABS_HAT0Y=dpad_y

From there you would normally map keys to it like any other axis:

--ui-axismap dpad_x=KEY_LEFT:KEY_RIGHT,dpad_y=KEY_UP:KEY_DOWN

However, if you want to the dpad to be seen as button presses rather than an axis with the new virtual controller, you would add:

--dpad-as-button

Once this has been added you can now key-map the dpad with --ui-buttonmap such as:

--ui-buttonmap du=KEY_UP,dd=KEY_DOWN,dl=KEY_LEFT,dr=KEY_RIGHT

weirdocollector

@mediamogul

Thanks mediamomogul!

Now the script works, but I have another problem.

If I enter the Atari5200 emulator, the controller commands doesn't work, but if I go to my SSH console and I type (in the /opt/retropie/configs/all directory) ./runcommand-onstart.sh atari800 + Return, while the emulator is running, the controller starts working as expected (yay!).

It seems that the script is finally correct, but it doesn't seem to start when the atari emulator il launched.

Am I forgetting something ?

mediamogul

@weirdocollector

I'm afraid I'll have to defer this question to @MadHorse, who has a better understanding of this area. In the mean time, go ahead and post the full contents of your runcommand-onstart.sh file and I'll see if anything jumps out.

weirdocollector

@mediamogul

Thanks !

Here is my runcommand-onstart.sh script:

#!/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 Configurations - Standard controller mappings
XboxOne="/opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv \
    --evdev /dev/input/by-id/usb-Microsoft_Controller_7EED8E7D89A9-event-joystick \
    --silent \
    --detach-kernel-driver \
    --force-feedback \
    --deadzone-trigger 15% \
    --deadzone 4000 \
    --mimic-xpad \
    --trigger-as-button \
    --evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1,ABS_RX=x2,ABS_RY=y2,ABS_HAT0X=dpad_x,ABS_HAT0Y=dpad_y \
    --evdev-keymap BTN_SOUTH=a,BTN_EAST=b,BTN_NORTH=x,BTN_WEST=y,BTN_TL=lb,BTN_TR=rb,BTN_TL2=lt,BTN_TR2=rt,BTN_THUMBL=tl,BTN_THUMBR=tr,BTN_MODE=guide,BTN_SELECT=back,BTN_START=start"
	
### Extended Configurations
### Specific emulator configuration or any other parameters you will need only for some emulators
atari800="--axismap -Y1=Y1,-Y2=Y2 \
	--dpad-as-button \
	--ui-axismap X1=KEY_KP4:KEY_KP6,Y1=KEY_KP8:KEY_KP5 \
	--ui-axismap X2=KEY_1:KEY_2,Y2=KEY_3:KEY_4,lt+X2=KEY_5:KEY_6,lt+Y2=KEY_7:KEY_8,rt+X2=KEY_9:KEY_0,rt+Y2=KEY_KPASTERISK:KEY_EQUAL \
	--ui-buttonmap a=KEY_RIGHTCTRL,b=KEY_F2,x=KEY_EQUAL,y=KEY_KPASTERISK,lb=KEY_F9,rb=KEY_F5,du=KEY_KP8,dd=KEY_KP5,dl=KEY_KP4,dr=KEY_KP6,start=KEY_F4,back=KEY_F3,lt=KEY_HOME,rt=KEY_HOME,tl=KEY_HOME,tr=KEY_HOME \
	--ui-buttonmap lt+a=KEY_ENTER,lt+b=KEY_ESC,lt+du=KEY_UP,lt+dd=KEY_DOWN,lt+dl=KEY_LEFT,lt+dr=KEY_RIGHT,lt+start=KEY_F1 \
	--ui-axismap lt+X1=KEY_LEFT:KEY_RIGHT,lt+Y1=KEY_UP:KEY_DOWN \
	--ui-buttonmap guide=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

	atari800)
        $xboxkill
        joycommand="$XboxOne $atari800 &"
        eval $joycommand
    ;;

esac

Thanks for any help !

weirdocollector

Ok, I've found the problem...

The runcommand-onstart.sh script passes as first parameters ($1) the string atari5200, and not the string atari800, making the case into the script to skip the execution of the driver.

In my script I've changed all the occurrances of atari800 into atari5200and it now works !!

Thanks to everybody for all the help !