Guide: Advanced Controller Mappings

daanv98

I have an arcade cabinet with 2 zero-delay encoders, containing a total of 16 buttons and 2 joysticks, and I am trying to use dosbox without needing a keyboard nor a mouse. With the default dosbox-mapper, multiple buttons have been set up as standard keyboard buttons and there is a dedicated exit button. Also 1 joystick functions as the arrow keys. By using xboxdrv I am trying to let the second joystick function as a mouse and to let 2 buttons function as mouse presses. I did evtest to write down all the button events. I made a file in /opt/retropie/configs/all/ called runcommand-onstart.sh and started with

if [ "$1" = "dosbox" ]
then
sudo killall >> /dev/shm/runcommand.log 2>&1 xboxdrv
sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv >> /dev/shm/runcommand.log 2>&1 \
   --evdev /dev/input/event[1] \

However I am stuck after this part. Can anyone help me with setting up the mapping file further? If possible only mouse-movement and a left- and rightclick must be added, as the rest of the buttons is already mapped with the default dosbox mapper. Thank you in advance!

ExarKunIv

@daanv98

if you add this to what you have posted (of course change to match your system)

if [ "$3" = "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/pc/Shadow Warrior.sh" ]
then
sudo killall > /dev/null 2>&1 xboxdrv
sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv > /dev/null 2>&1 \
    --evdev /dev/input/event4 \
	--silent \
	--detach-kernel-driver \
	--force-feedback \
	--mimic-xpad \
	--dpad-as-button \
	--deadzone 4000 \
	--trigger-as-button \
	--evdev-no-grab \
	--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1,ABS_Z=x2,ABS_RZ=y2,ABS_HAT0X=dpad_x,ABS_HAT0Y=dpad_y \
	--evdev-keymap KEY_#304=a,KEY_#305=b,KEY_#307=x,KEY_#308=y,KEY_#312=lt,KEY_#313=rt,KEY_#310=lb,KEY_#311=rb,KEY_#317=tl,KEY_#318=tr,KEY_#314=back,KEY_#315=start \
	--axismap -Y1=Y1,-Y2=Y2 \
	--ui-axismap x2=REL_X:09,y2=REL_Y:09 \
	--ui-axismap x1=REL_X:07,y1=REL_Y:07 \
	--ui-buttonmap rt=BTN_LEFT,lt=BTN_RIGHT,start=KEY_ENTER,back=KEY_ESC,tl=KEY_SPACE,lb=KEY_E,a=KEY_SEMICOLON,b=KEY_APOSTROPHE,x=KEY_LEFTBRACE,y=KEY_RIGHTBRACE,tr=KEY_LEFTCTRL \
	--ui-buttonmap guide=void \
	--ui-axismap x1=KEY_A:KEY_D,Y1=KEY_W:KEY_S \
&
fi

and make sure you have a runcommand-onend.sh as the guide says. you should be good

daanv98

@ExarKunIv thank you! I assume this mapping file is written for a computer keyboard, so all I have to change is the event number and the button names? If I see correctly, the line starting with evdev-absmap assigns the mouse movement to button presses, but can you also tell me where the mouse clicks are assigned to a button?

ExarKunIv

@daanv98

these are from the controller.

--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1,ABS_Z=x2,ABS_RZ=y2,ABS_HAT0X=dpad_x,ABS_HAT0Y=dpad_y \
	--evdev-keymap KEY_#304=a,KEY_#305=b,KEY_#307=x,KEY_#308=y,KEY_#312=lt,KEY_#313=rt,KEY_#310=lb,KEY_#311=rb,KEY_#317=tl,KEY_#318=tr,KEY_#314=back,KEY_#315=start \
	--axismap -Y1=Y1,-Y2=Y2 \

these are what you want the button presses to do

--ui-axismap x2=REL_X:09,y2=REL_Y:09 \
	--ui-axismap x1=REL_X:07,y1=REL_Y:07 \
	--ui-buttonmap rt=BTN_LEFT,lt=BTN_RIGHT,start=KEY_ENTER,back=KEY_ESC,tl=KEY_SPACE,lb=KEY_E,a=KEY_SEMICOLON,b=KEY_APOSTROPHE,x=KEY_LEFTBRACE,y=KEY_RIGHTBRACE,tr=KEY_LEFTCTRL \
	--ui-buttonmap guide=void \
	--ui-axismap x1=KEY_A:KEY_D,Y1=KEY_W:KEY_S \

and these are your mouse buttons

--ui-buttonmap rt=BTN_LEFT,lt=BTN_RIGHT

i have gotten away from doing my mapping this way since is was confusing even for me
but if you only need it for one system it works great

daanv98

@ExarKunIv Ah I think I understand now! I will try it soon. One last question: if except for the mouse and its buttons all other buttons are already assigned via the dosbox mapper. Can I just leave those buttons away, or won't they work untill I add them to this mapping file?

ExarKunIv

@daanv98 i not sure if the dos box mapping will override xboxdrv or work with it.
from my understanding of it. ( which is not that much) i think xboxdrv will override everything.

now there might be a way for you to unbind the buttons that are mapped with dosbox, but i cant remember if i got that to work or not.

daanv98

@ExarKunIv I made a mapping file and tried it in dosbox, however it doesn't seem to do anything. Here is my mapping:

if [ "$1" = "dosbox" ]
then
sudo killall >> /dev/shm/runcommand.log 2>&1 xboxdrv
sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv >> /dev/shm/runcommand.log 2>&1 \
	--evdev /dev/input/event[4] \
	--silent \
	--detach-kernel-driver \
	--force-feedback \
	--mimic-xpad \
	--dpad-as-button \
	--deadzone 4000 \
	--trigger-as-button \
	--evdev-no-grab \
	--device-name "Player Red" \
	--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1 \
	--evdev-keymap BTN_TOP=a,BTN_PINKIE=b,BTN_THUMB2=x,BTN_TOP2=y,BTN_TRIGGER=lt,BTN_THUMB=rt,BT_BASE4=start,BTN_BASE3=back \
	--ui-axismap x1=REL_X:07,y1=REL_Y:-07 \
	--ui-buttonmap rt=BTN_LEFT,lt=BTN_RIGHT,start=KEY_ENTER,back=KEY_ESC,a=KEY_SEMICOLON,b=KEY_APOSTROPHE,x=KEY_LEFTBRACE,y=KEY_RIGHTBRACE \
	--ui-buttonmap guide=void \
&
fi

I opened the runcommand.log and there is a weird error:

/opt/retropie/configs/all/runcommand-onstart.sh: line 20: syntax error near unexpected token `&'
/opt/retropie/configs/all/runcommand-onstart.sh: line 20: `&'
Parameters: 
Executing: bash "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/pc/+Start DOSBox.sh"
Requested buffer size 32768, fragment size 8192
ALSA pcm 'default' set buffer size 32768, period size 8192 bytes
TiMidity starting in ALSA server mode
Opening sequencer port: 128:0 128:1 128:2 128:3
Requested buffer size 32768, fragment size 8192
ALSA pcm 'default' set buffer size 32768, period size 8192 bytes

Do you see what is wrong?

ExarKunIv

@daanv98 nothing is jumping out at me.

i need to look back at my old comments and see what you need to paste in the ssh once your game is going, when you do that, it helps find the error.

well it did for me

ExarKunIv

@daanv98 you should try running it from the command line. just to see if it works,
it would be (start the game first )

sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv
	--evdev /dev/input/event[4] \
	--silent \
	--detach-kernel-driver \
	--force-feedback \
	--mimic-xpad \
	--dpad-as-button \
	--deadzone 4000 \
	--trigger-as-button \
	--evdev-no-grab \
	--device-name "Player Red" \
	--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1 \
	--evdev-keymap BTN_TOP=a,BTN_PINKIE=b,BTN_THUMB2=x,BTN_TOP2=y,BTN_TRIGGER=lt,BTN_THUMB=rt,BT_BASE4=start,BTN_BASE3=back \
	--ui-axismap x1=REL_X:07,y1=REL_Y:-07 \
	--ui-buttonmap rt=BTN_LEFT,lt=BTN_RIGHT,start=KEY_ENTER,back=KEY_ESC,a=KEY_SEMICOLON,b=KEY_APOSTROPHE,x=KEY_LEFTBRACE,y=KEY_RIGHTBRACE \
	--ui-buttonmap guide=void \

if everything work it will work. if not then a error will pop up and you can go from there

daanv98

@ExarKunIv Apparently the weird error was because of some empty line I added in the mapping file accidentally. However the controls still don't work. By running

sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv

from the command line (in PuTTY), I get an error which says:
No Xbox or Xbox360 controller found

Did I forget to set anything up?

ExarKunIv

@daanv98 you need to put everything that is in the box i posted

daanv98

@ExarKunIv I did, but after the first line it gives the error.

daanv98

@ExarKunIv I added \n after the first line and then it works. There was an error which told me that BT_BASE4 doesn't exist. I fixed that to BTN_BASE4. Now its says this:

ExarKunIv

@daanv98

 /dev/input/js2
 /dev/input/event5

means that the mapping it working

your error is something with the game and/or it working with xboxdrv

sadly i dont have any dosgames on my system. i messed it up while messing with compiling other ports. so i cant help much.
and i have gotten away from using that mapping style.

# DOS configuration of Abuse for 8bitDo
# ==================================================
#
# This configuration file is for use with Abuse, a DOS game.

[xboxdrv]
silent = true
detach-kernel-driver = true
deadzone-trigger = 15%
deadzone = 4000
mimic-xpad = true
dpad-as-button = true
trigger-as-button = true

[evdev-absmap]
ABS_X=x1
ABS_Y=y1
ABS_Z=x2
ABS_RZ=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_TL2=lt
BTN_TR=rb
BTN_TR2=rt
BTN_SELECT=back
BTN_START=start
BTN_THUMBL=tl
BTN_THUMBR=tr

[calibration]
x1 = -32767:0:32767
y1 = -32767:0:32767
x2 = -32767:0:32767
y2 = 32767:0:-32767

[ui-axismap]
x1=KEY_LEFT:KEY_RIGHT
y1=KEY_DOWN:KEY_UP
x2=REL_X:13
y2=REL_Y:13

[ui-buttonmap]
rt=BTN_LEFT
b=BTN_RIGHT
x=KEY_ENTER
back=KEY_F5
start=KEY_ESC
lt=KEY_LEFTCTRL

# EC #

ExarKunIv

this way just seemed easyer for me and it was easy to get it to launch with the games

#!/bin/bash

sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv >> /dev/shm/runcommand.log 2>&1 --evdev /dev/input/event0 --config /opt/retropie/configs/all//xdrive/abuse.cfg &

"/opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh" 0 _PORT_ "abuse" ""

daanv98

@ExarKunIv I finally got it to work!! First i tried this in the command line:

sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv \--evdev /dev/input/event4 \--silent \--detach-kernel-driver \--force-feedback \--mimic-xpad \--dpad-as-button \--deadzone 4000 \--trigger-as-button \--evdev-no-grab \--device-name "Player Red" \--evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1 \--evdev-keymap BTN_TOP=a,BTN_PINKIE=b,BTN_THUMB2=x,BTN_TOP2=y,BTN_TRIGGER=lt,BTN_THUMB=rt,BTN_BASE4=start,BTN_BASE3=back \--ui-axismap x1=REL_X:-3,y1=REL_Y:3 \--ui-buttonmap rt=BTN_LEFT,lt=BTN_RIGHT,start=KEY_ENTER,back=KEY_ESC,a=KEY_SEMICOLON,b=KEY_APOSTROPHE,x=KEY_LEFTBRACE,y=KEY_RIGHTBRACE \--ui-buttonmap guide=void \

Notice that there are no spaces between \ and --. This worked right away!

Then I started looking at the runcommand-onstart file. I noticed that the first line referred to 'dosbox'. I changed it to 'pc'. And it works now! My file now looks like this:

if [ "$1" = "pc" ]
then
sudo killall >> /dev/shm/runcommand.log 2>&1 xboxdrv
sudo /opt/retropie/supplementary/xboxdrv/bin/xboxdrv >> /dev/shm/runcommand.log 2>&1 \
  --evdev /dev/input/event4 \
  --silent \
  --detach-kernel-driver \
  --force-feedback \
  --mimic-xpad \
  --dpad-as-button \
  --deadzone 4000 \
  --trigger-as-button \
  --evdev-no-grab \
  --device-name "Player Red" \
  --evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1 \
  --evdev-keymap BTN_TOP=a,BTN_PINKIE=b,BTN_THUMB2=x,BTN_TOP2=y,BTN_TRIGGER=lt,BTN_THUMB=rt,BTN_BASE4=start,BTN_BASE3=back \
  --ui-axismap x1=REL_X:-07,y1=REL_Y:07 \
  --ui-buttonmap rt=BTN_LEFT,lt=BTN_RIGHT,start=KEY_ENTER,back=KEY_ESC,a=KEY_SEMICOLON,b=KEY_APOSTROPHE,x=KEY_LEFTBRACE,y=KEY_RIGHTBRACE \
  --ui-buttonmap guide=void \
&
fi

Huge thanks for your time! I appreciate it.

ExarKunIv

@daanv98 glad you got it working, happy i could help out

jaamulberry

Is there an updated link as the github link ends up at a dead page?

ExarKunIv

@jaamulberry here it was moved to the main Docs page