Joystick-key mapping improvements

[Minuous]

Customizable joystick-key mapping, as is found in almost every other emulator. Ie. instead of forcing the user to pick one of three poorly-considered keysets (A, B or C), allow the user to choose what keys emulate which joystick movements.

T, F, H, B, Alt, etc., who thought these combinations up?? must have been Brian King to get it so wrong. At least an inverted-T layout please, if users won't be allowed to choose their own layouts?

Whilst on the same subject, allowing diagonal movement using eg. the 7, 9, 1 and 3 keys on the numeric keypad would be useful too; most emulators do this.

[Npl]

Ever wondered why there is a Input-Branch in the GUI? Apparently not, since youre asking that question

[Minuous]

Of course I know about it, but it doesn't really solve the problem, because you can only remap the keys globally, ie. one would not be able to type properly because the keys will have been messed up.

[Toni Wilen]

:confused

[Minuous]

For example, if I redefine the "G" key to send a "B", so that I could use an inverted-T layout with keyset C, I would presumably have trouble typing any word that had a "G" in it (or "T", or "F", or "B", or "H").

[bippym]

I know what he means.. When playing a game G would == Up yet if he needed to write txt it would type "G" :)

[Toni Wilen]

Ok, but how? Automatic switching is impossible.

[Jim]

Some sort of hotkey to turn on/off joystick emulation on the keyboard would do the trick. But anyone who is seriously playing games with WinUAE can surely invest a few bucks in a gamepad ?

[bippym]

Or a cable and PPJoy then use a Zipstick or Comp Pro :D

[Minuous]

I generally use an X-Arcade joystick, which is actually a keyboard in disguise, like all the best retro-joysticks.

I really think that the best way to fix the problem is to allow the joystick-keys to be changed, like all other emulators I can think of already allow...

Not trying to be negative, UAE is very good, but this would be an easy change that would improve it considerably, IMHO.

[Toni Wilen]

Now I am really confused...

[Npl]

I generally use an X-Arcade joystick, which is actually a keyboard in disguise, like all the best retro-joysticks.

I really think that the best way to fix the problem is to allow the joystick-keys to be changed, like all other emulators I can think of already allow...

Not trying to be negative, UAE is very good, but this would be an easy change that would improve it considerably, IMHO.

Input Tab?
And why wont you be able to type propably if you change the assignments of your Joystick?

[andreas]

"Assignments", exactly that explains it all.
Assign your Port 2 to REAL joystick, and you will be able to use the WHOLE keyboard, as you won't block any key that way.
Guaranteed. :)

[LocalH]

Yeah, but if he's using an X-Arcade, then it works like a keyboard (you plug the cable for the X-Arcade in, then plug your keyboard into it). Thus he can't assign it to 'real' joystick because there actually is no joystick that Windows sees.

[Jim]

Simple solution: Don't use X-Arcade, or don't use WinUAE :p

OK, OK. Now I see the problem. But how many other X-Arcade/WinUAE users are there as selfishly I'd rather see Tony work on other things for WinUAE before he gets to this.

[Minuous]

But surely it is not much fun to play Amiga games with those squishy horrid flightstick-things that pass as joysticks these days? :-)

X-Arcade is actually one of the most popular sticks for MAME...but the issues described are relevant even if you are just using a normal keyboard to play.

[RCK]

I'm also using X-Arcade, and I have manage to use it with WinUAE.

Example for IK+:
- configure your game
- go into INPUT tab and switch to "Configuration1"
- select "keyboard" in to right
- note here: you can desactivate "mice" but unchecking his select box if you don't want mouse to interfere with X-arcade
- Find your current X-arcade joy1 keyboard button (default are numeric 8/2/4/6 + Left Ctrl)
- Choose 'numeric 8' in WinUAE / Input, and map it to 'Joy2 Up'
- Choose 'numeric 2' in WinUAE / Input, and map it to 'Joy2 Down'
- Choose 'numeric 4' in WinUAE / Input, and map it to 'Joy2 Left'
- Choose 'numeric 6' in WinUAE / Input, and map it to 'Joy2 Right'
- Choose 'CTRL' in WinUAE / Input, and map it to 'Joy2 Fire'
etc...


Now I have a request for Toni: It would be nice to be able to add custom key in the INPUT field.
For example, some button of X-Arcade are mapped to " and ', and those key are not available for mapping in WinUAE.
One little interface "Press the key you wanna map" -> "choose the action of WinUAE" would be great :cool

[Minuous]

OK, thanks for that RCK. Keep up the good work Toni.

[Toni Wilen]

Now I have a request for Toni: It would be nice to be able to add custom key in the INPUT field.
For example, some button of X-Arcade are mapped to " and ', and those key are not available for mapping in WinUAE.


Hmm.. WinUAE uses keys supported by DirectInput. No idea why some are missing..

Could you use attached DX-utility to list missing keycodes? (DI sends keycodes, not ascii chars you see on screen)


One little interface "Press the key you wanna map" -> "choose the action of WinUAE" would be great :cool

It isn't that simple. Don't forget joystick buttons, axis, mouse buttons etc.. Everything is processed by input subsystem, you can't add "Press key"-system just for keys and ignore everything else.

[RCK]

Hi toni, thanks for the zip !
I understand that the interface "press the key" -> "choose the action" may be hard to implement :)

Anyway, here are the keycodes of the X-Arcade!
What about making a new input option? with the preset for X-Arcade ? :D

pinball left button: 0x04 -> mapped to left Amiga ctrl
pinball right button: 0x05 -> mapped to right Amiga ctrl
pinball tilt (aka Joy2 button8): 0x07 -> mapped to Amiga space

Joy1 up: 0x48 -> mapped to Amiga Joy2 up
Joy1 down: 0x50 -> mapped to Amiga Joy2 down
Joy1 left: 0x4b -> mapped to Amiga Joy2 left
Joy1 right: 0x4d -> mapped to Amiga Joy2 right
Joy1 button1: 0x1d -> mapped to Amiga Joy2 button1
Joy1 button2: 0x38 -> mapped to Amiga Joy2 button2
Joy1 button3: 0x39 -> mapped to Amiga Joy2 button3

If mice emulation disabled:

Joy2 up: 0x13 -> mapped to Amiga Joy1 up
Joy2 down: 0x21 -> mapped to Amiga Joy1 down
Joy2 left: 0x20 -> mapped to Amiga Joy1 left
Joy2 right: 0x22 -> mapped to Amiga Joy1 right
Joy2 button1: 0x1e -> mapped to Amiga Joy1 button1
Joy2 button2: 0x1f -> mapped to Amiga Joy1 button2
Joy2 button3: 0x10 -> mapped to Amiga Joy1 button3

[robotriot]

Reviving this old topic because I have a similar problem now.

I've got an X-Arcade too but I would like to use its keys as a CD32 gamepad. I believe I configured everything correctly in the input tab (mapped the default X-Arcade keys to CD32 pad 1), but it's not working at all. I selected port 0 X-Arcade (left) but the game (Flink) doesn't react at all to the input. What *does* work though is the key on the X-Arcade which I assigned to "screenshot". Can anyone help me with this?