Guide: Advanced Controller Mappings

[mediamogul]

@spud11

You may just want to map those final two controllers for keyboard input. I have most of my controllers mapped like that anyway. RetroArch will still respect all the controller button mappings, but have a separate set for keyboard keys as well. An example of one and two player keyboard controls from my own retroarch.cfg is:

input_player1_a = "a"
input_player1_b = "b"
input_player1_y = "y"
input_player1_x = "x"
input_player1_start = "t"
input_player1_select = "e"
input_player1_l = "l"
input_player1_r = "r"
input_player1_left = "left"
input_player1_right = "right"
input_player1_up = "up"
input_player1_down = "down"
input_player1_l2 = "d"
input_player1_r2 = "f"
input_player1_l3 = "c"
input_player1_r3 = "v"

input_player2_a = "k"
input_player2_b = "m"
input_player2_y = "o"
input_player2_x = "n"
input_player2_start = "num9"
input_player2_select = "num0"
input_player2_l = "p"
input_player2_r = "q"
input_player2_left = "g"
input_player2_right = "h"
input_player2_up = "i"
input_player2_down = "j"
input_player2_l2 = "s"
input_player2_r2 = "u"
input_player2_l3 = "w"
input_player2_r3 = "z"

[dunnieboy]

So far I am mainly using this for dosbox to capture the mouse. Are there reason to use this as the main controller rather than the xpad default mapping ?

The systems I am suing are :
DosBOX
Vice (C64)
Amiberry (amiga)
Daphne (Dragon's Lair)
Mame 2003

I am currently initiating the xboxdrv in the .sh of each game for DosBOX.

Thanks

[spud11]

@mediamogul Hi. I had my input references slightly wrong ( input_player1_joypad_index = 4 ). I'm assuming the 4 corresponds to User 5's input in Retroarch (which in my case is now mapped to Player_3_-4-Way_Joystick_xboxdrv) and 5 corresponds to User 6's input in Retroarch (mapped to Player_4-_4-Way_Joystick_xboxdrv). So I have amended the input indexes below to reflect that.

Adapting your code, to change the settings for Amidar only at the moment, I would just change amidar.zip.cfg as follows:

# Settings made here will only override settings in the global retroarch.cfg if placed above the #include line

input_player1_joypad_index = 4
input_player1_a = "a"
input_player1_b = "b"
input_player1_y = "y"
input_player1_x = "x"
input_player1_start = "t"
input_player1_select = "e"
input_player1_left = "left"
input_player1_right = "right"
input_player1_up = "up"
input_player1_down = "down"

input_player2_joypad_index = 5
input_player2_a = "k"
input_player2_b = "m"
input_player2_y = "o"
input_player2_x = "n"
input_player2_start = "num9"
input_player2_select = "num0"
input_player2_left = "g"
input_player2_right = "h"
input_player2_up = "i"
input_player2_down = "j"

video_allow_rotate = "true" 
video_rotation = "3" 
aspect_ratio_index = "19" 
video_aspect_ratio_auto = "false" 
video_aspect_ratio = "1.75"

#include "/opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg"

After that, I would just remap the buttons in game with the TAB menu?

Thanks.

[mediamogul]

@spud11 said in Guide: Advanced Controller Mappings:

After that, I would just remap the buttons in game with the TAB menu?

After that, RetroArch just assumes the keyboard presses are coming from it's own "Retropad" controller as the proper button presses, so it'll work without any further remapping.

[spud11]

@mediamogul Thanks, mediamogul. Will try later in the day and let you know how I go.

[spud11]

@mediamogul Hi. I've now tried the approach of mapping the keys, but no luck. Nothing works automatically.

# Settings made here will only override settings in the global retroarch.cfg if placed above the #include line

input_player1_joypad_index = 4
input_player1_a = "a"
input_player1_b = "b"
input_player1_y = "y"
input_player1_x = "x"
input_player1_start = "t"
input_player1_select = "e"
input_player1_left = "left"
input_player1_right = "right"
input_player1_up = "up"
input_player1_down = "down"

input_player2_joypad_index = 5
input_player2_a = "k"
input_player2_b = "m"
input_player2_y = "o"
input_player2_x = "n"
input_player2_start = "num9"
input_player2_select = "num0"
input_player2_left = "g"
input_player2_right = "h"
input_player2_up = "i"
input_player2_down = "j"

video_allow_rotate = "true" 
video_rotation = "3" 
aspect_ratio_index = "19" 
video_aspect_ratio_auto = "false" 
video_aspect_ratio = "1.75"

#include "/opt/retropie/configs/all/retroarch.cfg"

The joypad index numbers are correct - 4 and 5 - reflect the 2 4-way xboxdrv scripts.

I also inserted the same values (as above) in the main retroarch.cfg file. They worked in the Retroarch menu in emulationstation, as the "x" and "y" keys had become "a" and "b", as per the script.

I'm clearly missing something along the line somewhere, but just not sure what. Now that I've mapped the keys in Retroarch, should I also be changing the xboxdrv scripts in some way too?

[mediamogul]

@spud11

Now that I've mapped the keys in Retroarch, should I also be changing the xboxdrv scripts in some way too?

You'll need to make sure the intended controllers are mapped to the corresponding keyboard keys that match your new RetroArch entries.

[spud11]

@mediamogul Hi. Thanks for your patience.

If that means going into the Retroarch menu, going to user 5 (being the 1st of the 4-way joysticks) and mapping those keys to that joystick's buttons, I did that, but unfortunately it had no result either.

I've also tried the non-libretro advmame emulator. As an experiment, in the runcommand-onstart.sh, I switched from "mame-libretro" to "mame-advmame", mapped the joystick buttons using the TAB menu in game which did work, but once I exited the game and re-started it again, the joysticks were assigned new js numbers which weren't the same as before and so the controls were messed up.

I'm already using the joystick-selection tool which maps the 4 DragonRise xpad drivers to Players 1-4, so they don't change each time. The result is that I can't "fix" the xboxdrv joysticks to players 1 to 4.

Just trying to think of alternatives. What if, in the advmame TAB menu, I changed the keys to UP, DOWN etc to keyboard controls, then in the runcommand_onstart.sh, remapped the joystick buttons to the keyboard inputs?

[mediamogul]

@spud11 said in

If that means going into the Retroarch menu, going to user 5 (being the 1st of the 4-way joysticks) and mapping those keys to that joystick's buttons

That's the first part of it. Then you need to use xboxdrv to map those controllers to send out the corresponding keyboard keys when each button is pressed.

What if, in the advmame TAB menu, I changed the keys to UP, DOWN etc to keyboard controls, then in the runcommand_onstart.sh, remapped the joystick buttons to the keyboard inputs?

That's the same idea as the method above, but it would be limited to only working in Advance MAME.

[spud11]

@mediamogul Hi mediamogul.

I'll try using Advmame rather than Retroarch to begin with, so will map advmame to the keys using the TAB menu.

I'm not near my Pi at the moment, but I was just wondering if you could please look at the syntax to see if anything stands out as being obviously wrong please as I haven't used the ui settings in this way before:

sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv \
--silent \
--detach-kernel-driver \
--deadzone=4000 \
--deadzone-trigger 15% \
--force-feedback \
--mimic-xpad \
--trigger-as-button \
--ui-buttonmap lb=void,rb=void,tl=void,tr=void,guide=void,lt=void,rt=void \
--evdev /dev/input/by-path/platform-3f980000.usb-usb-0:1.3.2:1.0-event-joystick \
--device-name "Player_3_-_4-Way_Joystick_xboxdrv" \
--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1 \
--four-way-restrictor \
--evdev-keymap BTN_TRIGGER=y,BTN_THUMB=a,BTN_THUMB2=back,BTN_PINKIE=x,BTN_TOP=b,BTN_TOP2=start \
--ui-axismap X1=KEY_LEFT:KEY_RIGHT,Y1=KEY_UP:KEY_DOWN \
--ui-buttonmap a=KEY_A,b=KEY_B,x=KEY_X,y=KEY_Y,back=KEY_E,start=KEY_T \
&

The last 2 lines are the added lines. I'm assuming that I still need the --evdev-absmap line to map the axes, but that the --ui-axismap is sort of superimposed on top of it, so that the axes are mapped to the up, down, left, right keys on the keyboard.

Thanks.

[mediamogul]

@spud11

if you could please look at the syntax to see if anything stands out as being obviously wrong

Everything looks good.

I'm assuming that I still need the --evdev-absmap line to map the axes, but that the --ui-axismap is sort of superimposed on top of it

That's correct.

[Hubz]

Is there any place where we're keeping mappings for systems and various controllers? I've got a Wii U Pro Controller I've been setting all mine up as and would be happy to share. I just spent a few hours figuring out mapping it for VICE which was a pain in the ass and I'd like to share to save someone else the trouble :P

[mediamogul]

@Hubz

It's not a bad idea, but there are so many physical button variations in all the controllers out there and so many personal preferences as to how the end result should be that any collection would really only serve as a list of examples to start from. I've always encouraged people to post their finished examples here, but I'll be the first to admit that it's far from organized.

[ExarKunIv]

@Hubz

i second your thought.
i have a 8bitdo NES30 pro

and i would love you share my mappings too help people

[Hubz]

Here's my xboxdrv config for the Wii U Pro Controller -

basicWiiUPro="sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv
--evdev /dev/input/event0
--silent
--detach-kernel-driver
--force-feedback
--deadzone-trigger 15%
--deadzone 4000
--device-name "WiiUProXboxDrv1"
--calibration x1=-32767:0:32767,y1=-32767:0:32767,x2=-32767:0:32767,y2=-32767:0:32767
--trigger-as-button
--mimic-xpad
--dpad-as-button
--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1,ABS_RX=x2,ABS_RY=y2
--evdev-keymap BTN_EAST=a,BTN_SOUTH=b,BTN_NORTH=x,BTN_WEST=y,BTN_TL=lb,BTN_TR=rb,BTN_THUMBL=tl,BTN_THUMBR=tr,BTN_SELECT=back,BTN_START=start,BTN_DPAD_UP=du,BTN_DPAD_DOWN=dd,BTN_DPAD_LEFT=dl,BTN_DPAD_RIGHT=dr,BTN_TL2=lt,BTN_TR2=rt"

[Hubz]

I prefer using Y and B instead of B and A on my controllers so these are mapped for that. At least these could be used as a starting point for others.

scummVM="--axismap -Y1=Y1,-Y2=Y2
--ui-axismap x1=REL_X:10,y1=REL_Y:10
--ui-buttonmap b=BTN_LEFT,y=BTN_RIGHT,back=KEY_LEFTCTRL+KEY_Q,start=KEY_F5
--ui-buttonmap guide=void,x=KEY_ENTER,a=KEY_1,lb=void,rb=void,tl=void,tr=void,lt=void,rt=void,back=void
--ui-axismap x2=void"

amstradcpc="--axismap -Y1=Y1,-Y2=Y2
--ui-buttonmap a=KEY_UNKNOWN,b=KEY_UNKNOWN,start=KEY_1,back=KEY_2,x=KEY_UNKNOWN,y=KEY_SPACE,lt=KEY_UNKNOWN,rt=KEY_UNKNOWN,lb=KEY_UNKNOWN,rb=KEY_UNKNOWN,tl=KEY_UNKNOWN,tr=KEY_UNKNOWN
--ui-axismap x2=KEY_1:KEY_2,Y2=KEY_3:KEY_4"

amiga="--axismap -Y1=Y1,-Y2=Y2
--ui-axismap x2=REL_X:10,y2=REL_Y:10
--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_F12,back=KEY_F11,y=KEY_SPACE,a=KEY_LEFTCTRL,b=KEY_LEFTALT,x=KEY_LEFTSHIFT
--ui-buttonmap guide=void,tl=void,tr=void
--ui-axismap x2=void"

c64="--ui-axismap x2=void
--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=KEY_C,rt=void,start+back=KEY_Q,start=KEY_F12,back=KEY_ESC,y=KEY_V,a=KEY_BACK,b=KEY_ENTER,x=KEY_W
--ui-buttonmap lb=KEY_Z,rb=KEY_X,guide=void,tl=KEY_C,tr=void"

apple2="--ui-buttonmap du=KEY_UP,dd=KEY_DOWN,dl=KEY_LEFT,dr=KEY_RIGHT
--ui-buttonmap lt=KEY_Y,rt=KEY_N,lb=KEY_F3,rb=KEY_ESC,start=KEY_1,back=KEY_2,y=void,a=KEY_ENTER,b=void,x=KEY_SPACE
--ui-buttonmap guide=void,tl=void,tr=void
--ui-axismap x2=void"

intellivision="--ui-axismap X1=KEY_S:KEY_D,Y1=KEY_X:KEY_E,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_MINUS:KEY_EQUAL
--ui-buttonmap a=KEY_LEFTSHIFT,b=KEY_HOME,x=KEY_LEFTCTRL,y=KEY_LEFTALT,lb=KEY_F1,rb=KEY_F12,lt=KEY_HOME,rt=KEY_HOME,tl=KEY_HOME,tr=KEY_HOME,du=KEY_E,dd=KEY_X,dl=KEY_S,dr=KEY_D,start=KEY_KPENTER
--ui-buttonmap back=cycle-key:KEY_F6:KEY_F5
--ui-buttonmap guide=void"

atari800="--buttonmap tl^toggle=tl
--buttonmap tr^toggle=tr
--ui-axismap X1=KEY_KP4:KEY_KP6,Y1=KEY_KP5:KEY_KP8
--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 y=KEY_RIGHTCTRL,b=KEY_F2,x=KEY_EQUAL,a=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-axismap tl+x1=REL_X:10,tl+y1=REL_Y:10
--ui-buttonmap tr+b=BTN_LEFT,tr+a=BTN_RIGHT
--ui-buttonmap guide=void"

atari5200="--buttonmap tl^toggle=tl
--buttonmap tr^toggle=tr
--ui-axismap X1=KEY_KP4:KEY_KP6,Y1=KEY_KP5:KEY_KP8
--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 y=KEY_RIGHTCTRL,b=KEY_F2,x=KEY_EQUAL,a=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-axismap tl+x1=REL_X:10,tl+y1=REL_Y:10
--ui-buttonmap tr+b=BTN_LEFT,tr+a=BTN_RIGHT
--ui-buttonmap guide=void"

videopac="--axismap -Y1=Y1,-Y2=Y2
--ui-buttonmap a=KEY_UNKNOWN,b=KEY_UNKNOWN,start=KEY_1,back=KEY_2,x=KEY_UNKNOWN,y=KEY_UNKNOWN,lt=KEY_UNKNOWN,rt=KEY_UNKNOWN,lb=KEY_UNKNOWN,rb=KEY_UNKNOWN,tl=KEY_UNKNOWN,tr=KEY_UNKNOWN
--ui-axismap x2=KEY_1:KEY_2,Y2=KEY_3:KEY_4"

[spud11]

@mediamogul Hi. I've now got it partially working:

With advmame, configuring the buttons to keys in TAB, the following configuration does work in game:

sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv \
--silent \
--detach-kernel-driver \
--deadzone=4000 \
--deadzone-trigger 15% \
--force-feedback \
--mimic-xpad \
--trigger-as-button \
--ui-buttonmap lb=void,rb=void,tl=void,tr=void,guide=void,lt=void,rt=void \
--evdev /dev/input/by-path/platform-3f980000.usb-usb-0:1.3.2:1.0-event-joystick \
--device-name "Player_3_-_4-Way_Joystick_xboxdrv" \
--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1 \
--four-way-restrictor \
--evdev-keymap BTN_TRIGGER=y,BTN_THUMB=a,BTN_THUMB2=back,BTN_PINKIE=x,BTN_TOP=b,BTN_TOP2=start \
--ui-axismap X1=KEY_LEFT:KEY_RIGHT,Y1=KEY_UP:KEY_DOWN \
--ui-buttonmap a=KEY_A,b=KEY_B,x=KEY_X,y=KEY_Y,back=KEY_E,start=KEY_T \
&

However, I need to rotate the screen to a vertical/cocktail orientation and it looks like the individual game .cfg files I use to achieve that only work with lr-mame and not Advmame. I understand that with Advmame I'd need to change Advmame's .rc file to rotate each individual game ( https://retropie.org.uk/docs/MAME/ ). I'd like to try to avoid that by using lr-mame2003 with my already established individual rom configs. (As well, the screen resolution for some reason appears a lot better in lr-mame2003 than it does in Advmame despite Advmame being built for vertically-oriented screens).

With lr-mame2003, I've tested the code above on the commandline. It states the controller should be working. Entering cat/proc/bus/input/devices on the commandline produces:

I: Bus=0003 Vendor=045e Product=028e Version=0110
N: Name="Player_3_-_4-Way_Joystick_xboxdrv"
P: Phys=
S: Sysfs=/devices/virtual/input/input10
U: Uniq=
H: Handlers=kbd event10 
B: PROP=0
B: EV=20000b
B: KEY=73c00000 0 0 0 0 0 1680 0 12000 40340000
B: ABS=30018
B: FF=1 3f870000 0 0

It all appears fine. However, with those 2 extra lines of --ui code at the bottom, the joystick does not appear in Retroarch (even though I've already mapped the joystick to User 5 previously) and does not appear when I start lr-mame2003. Without those 2 lines of code, the joystick does appear in Retroarch. Really not sure why.

[mediamogul]

@spud11

By adding those two extra lines, you've told xboxdrv to also create a virtual keyboard and every time you press one of your mapped buttons, the system will think that it's coming from that new keyboard. As long as the xboxdrv mapped buttons correspond to the keyboard settings in RetroArch, you won't need to worry about the controller showing up or not.

[spud11]

@mediamogul Thanks. I think I'm getting there. Okay, so it's now a virtual keyboard and so Player_3_-_4-Way_Joystick_xboxdrv won't appear in Retroarch.

I've actually mapped the keys in Retroarch on my "normal" keyboard, but do I need to do this now and, if so, to which controller (eg I'm assuming to the underlying DragonRise controller that corresponds to Player_3_-_4-Way_Joystick_xboxdrv?)

Is the new virtual keyboard effectively the same as my normal keyboard? That is, if I designate keys "a", "b" etc on my "normal" keyboard in Retroarch to the joystick's buttons, is that the same as designating the keys on the virtual keyboard?

Do I need to have anything in the amidar.zip.cfg? I'm just checking that I don't need to specify a particular joystick to Player 1 (for example). I wouldn't have thought so as the joystick is now effectively a virtual keyboard. So I'm assuming none of the lines below are necessary:

input_player1_joypad_index = 2
input_player1_a = "a"
input_player1_b = "b"
input_player1_y = "y"
input_player1_x = "x"
input_player1_start = "t"
input_player1_select = "e"
input_player1_left = "left"
input_player1_right = "right"
input_player1_up = "up"
input_player1_down = "down"

Do I need to do anything in the TAB menu in game eg assign the virtual (or "normal") keyboard's keys to particular actions (eg press left arrow on normal keyboard means player 1 moves left)?

Sorry about the sheer number of questions. It's just that I've tested once again and there's no movement with the joystick. I know that I'm gradually getting there but there's obviously a combination of things that I've done, and I'd say one of those is probably interfering with achieving the end result.

[mediamogul]

@spud11

Is the new virtual keyboard effectively the same as my normal keyboard?

Yes indeedy.

Do I need to have anything in the amidar.zip.cfg?

No, just the RetroArch settings.

Do I need to do anything in the TAB menu

Not if it's already set in RetroArch.

Sorry about the sheer number of questions.

Questions are like keys that unlock doors in our lives and work. The challenge is finding the right key to unlock the right door.

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