Creating a JInput Gamepad/Joystick DB

Engines, Libraries and Tools JInput
#1

Hi there,
i’d like to gather information on currently used JInput Gamepads and Joysticks to better support them with my applications.
I’ve prepared a Webstart application which collects the required data and writes it to a XML file. This file can then be mailed to me at the mail address displayed in the user interface of the application.

Please try out the following JNLP file and mail me your results:
http://87.230.91.148/applications/testjinput/CollectControllers.jnlp

<edit 07.03.09>
I’ve tested it on Windows XP, Vista, Ubuntu 8.10 and Mac OS X 10.4.11 as i’m loading those JInput libraries as well.
Connect all Gamepads (Sticks) before running the software. Also, please test on all your OSes.

Required is a Java runtime v1.5+, especially for Mac OS X 10.4.x users.
</edit 07.03.09>

I’ll be presenting the results at my website later so that other developers can profit. The link will follow.
Cheers for any feedback!

#2

I dotn hav any gamepads on this computer. but besides detect it what else does it do? or is that it?

#3

Hi again,

the tool generates a XML file which i’d like you to mail to me so that I can include support for that Gamepad/Joystick in my software currently being developed. The email address to send it to is shown in the application when you start it.

It shows you what to do in the user interface when you start it but you need at least 1 Gamepad or Joystick connected to get results.

Greetings.

#4

ok I got a usb JS and plugged it in. I emailed you the results.

Hope I helped. tell em if I did something wrong.

#5

Thank you h3ckboy!
It worked fine and your results arrived well and were as required.

I’m trying to ease the access to games by keeping the installation and use simple, especially for users used to consoles. Getting a webstart application with support for lots of controllers is my first step there.

Regards.

#6

Hi again,

i’d like to encourage more feedback from the Mac OS users. Please send me more results. If you prefer not to give your email address, you could post the link or contents of your XML file, or any other comments, here in this topic.

I’ve gotten some results from Windows XP, Vista and Linux users, where the data looks great. Apart from the XBOX 360 Controller, the few reported Gamepads seem to report similar settings.

Regards.

#7

hehe someone has an XBOX 360 in their computer. nice…

#8

Hi h3ckboy,

the XBOX 360 Controller is a normal Windows controller which looks very similar to the one used on the XBOX 360 itself and can be connected to both a PC and an XBOX per USB cable.

It’s readily available and is supported through the Microsoft XInput API, as well as JInput.

#9

I’ve emailed you my results from Windows and Linux, using a Logitech Dual Action USB-gamepad. :slight_smile:

#10

Thanks to mh114 too!

It’s really interesting to see that the same devices are reporting different names using Windows or Linux. The button and analog/digital mapping seems constant though. The biggest problem so far is the right stick of some gamepads: Sometimes they’re showing their axes as rx/ry (XBox 360 controller), but mostly its z/rz (PS2 and others).

Secondly, the gamepads show different mappings and names if the default OS drivers (e.g. generic Windows USB drivers) are used in contrast to dedicated drivers provided with the devices, as they are not recognised correctly.

<edit 08.03.09>
I’m looking forward to more MacOSX information to see the effects for various versions of that OS.

Java runtime v1.5+ is required to run the JNLP application on Windows, Linux and Mac OS X 10.4+.
</edit 08.03.09>

#11

Yup, without a huge mapping layer for every device, we can’t do alot, we just serve up what the OS tells us. Feel free to write a layer over the top to do the mapping though :slight_smile:

Cheers

Endolf

#12

Hi all,

i’ve updated the controller information collection application to depend on Java runtimes from 1.5+ upwards to increase availability especially for users of the Mac OS X v10.4+.

I’ve tested the webstart application myself on a Mac Mini with Mac OS X 10.4.11 using Safari.

Cheers for everyone sending me data, the results will be presented soon.

#13

Thanks to everyone who sent me their data!

The CollectControllers application has been taken down, as i’ve gotten all the controller information I needed for the initial support in my applications.

Information about the applications and the specific controllers being supported will be available at http://www.zombieacademy.de/phpBB3/index.php.

Greetings.