XInput Controller

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VPL User Interface Services: Game Controller

Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio

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XInput Controller

The Xbox 360 console uses a gaming controller that is compatible with Windows. You can use the XInput Controller service to communicate with these controllers when they are plugged into a Windows PC; up to four unique controllers can be plugged in at a time. (XInput is an API, Application Programming Interface, that is part of DirectX.) Using this service, any connected Xbox 360 controller can be queried for its state, and vibration effects can be set.

You will need an Xbox 360 Controlller or other controller that is compatible with XInput to use this service. Xbox 360 controllers come in wired (USB) and wireless forms. If you have a conventional joystick, look at the Game Controller service instead. Note that the Xbox 360 controller will also work with the Game Controller service as a joystick.

If you have previously paired a wireless control with an Xbox 360, you may need to re-pair it to work with your PC. Also note that if you are unable to pair, it may be due to interference from other wireless devices. For further information on using an Xbox 360 Controller with you PC, check the support information (e.g. https://support.microsoft.com/kb/906947?sd=xbox). Drivers for the Xbox 360 Controller are not included in the RDS package. The drivers are available via Windows Update.

Operations

Xbox 360 controllers typically have two analog directional sticks, each with a digital button, two analog triggers, a digital directional pad with four directions, and eight digital buttons. The XInput Controller service provides the following operations to access the state of a controller.

Operation	Description
ButtonsChanged	Indicates when one or more buttons are pressed or released.
ControllerChanged	Send this message to change which controller this service instance is using. This notification is sent when the controller is changed or when the controller is connected or disconnected.
DPadChanged	Indicates when the directional pad position is changed.
Get	Returns the current state of the controller service.
Poll	Requests the controller to read current values. However, you do not need to issue this request because the service updates itself 20 times per second.
QueryControllers	Returns a list of attached controllers.
Replace	Configures a controller or indicates when the controller's state has changed. This notification is also generated when service receives a subscription request (has a connection to its notifications).
SetVibration	Sets the amount of vibration in the left and right rumble motors. The left motor is the low-frequency rumble motor. The right motor is the high-frequency rumble motor. This notification is sent when the vibration settings are changed.
ThumbsticksChanged	Indicates when a thumbstick position is changed.
TriggersChanged	Indicates when the position of a Point-Of-View (POV) hat switch is changed.

Get, Poll, and QueryControllers are supported as requests only (no notifications are generated).

Service State

The XInput Controller service state contains the following properties. Note that each of the different fields has its own data type. All of the types associated with input devices have a TimeStamp property.

Name	Type	Description
Buttons	Buttons	Current state of all the buttons. See below.
Controller	Controller	Information about the current controller.
DPad	DPad	Current direction of the DPad as a set of Boolean fields: Left, Down, Right, Up.
Thumbsticks	Thumbsticks	Contains two sets of float values: LeftX, LeftY and RightX, RightY.
Triggers	Triggers	Current positions of the triggers as floats: Left and Right.
Vibration	Vibration	Current values of the vibration motors as floats: Left and Right.
TimeStamp	DateTime	The timestamp of the most recent update.

The values returned in the controller state are also accessible through the notifications and requests (i.e. SetVibrationMotor) provided for the individual controller components.

Buttons (and the ButtonsChanged notification) returns a set of Boolean values corresponding to the controller's buttons and the timestamp of the button reading. If a button's state is True the button was pressed.

Name	Type	Description
A	Boolean	Indicates if the A button on the controller was pressed.
B	Boolean	Indicates if the B button on the controller was pressed.
X	Boolean	Indicates if the X button on the controller was pressed.
Y	Boolean	Indicates if the Y button on the controller was pressed.
Back	Boolean	Indicates if the Back button on the controller was pressed.
Start	Boolean	Indicates if the Start button on the controller was pressed.
LeftStick	Boolean	Indicates if the left thumbstick on the controller was pressed.
RightStick	Boolean	Indicates if the right thumbstick on the controller was pressed.
LeftShoulder	Boolean	Indicates if the left shoulder (bumper) button on the controller was pressed.
RightShoulder	Boolean	Indicates if the right shoulder (bumper) button on the controller was pressed.
TimeStamp	DateTime	Indicates the timestamp of the current reading.

Controller (and the ControllerChanged notification) returns the following values.

Name	Type	Description
IsConnected	Boolean	Indicates if a controller is connected.
PlayerIndex	PlayerIndex	Indicates which player the controller represents. The choices are 0-3.
TimeStamp	DateTiime	Indicates the timestamp of the current reading.

Each controller displays which ID it is using by lighting up a quadrant on the "ring of light" in the center of the controller. The PlayIndex can be set on the service's initial configuration, either by another service or by explicitly setting its Configuration properties.

DPad (and the DPadChanged notification) returns the following values.

Name	Type	Description
Down	Boolean	Indicates if the direction pad was moved down.
Left	Boolean	Indicates if the direction pad was moved left.
Right	Boolean	Indicates if the direction pad was moved right.
Up	Boolean	Indicates if the direction pad was moved up.
TimeStamp	DateTime	Indicates the timestamp of the current reading.

Thumbsticks (and the ThumbsticksChanged notification) returns the following values.

Name	Type	Description
LeftX	float	Indicates the X value of the left thumbstick.
LeftY	float	Indicates the Y value of the left thumbstick.
RightX	float	Indicates the X value of the right thumbstick..
RightY	float	Indicates the Y value of the right thumbstick.
TimeStamp	DateTime	Indicates the timestamp of the current reading.

Triggers (and the TriggersChanged notification) returns the following values.

Name	Type	Description
Left	float	Indicates the current reading of the left trigger.
Right	float	Indicates the current reading of the right trigger.
TimeStamp	DateTime	Indicates the timestamp of the current reading.

Vibration (and the SetVibrationMotor notification) returns the following values.

Name	Type	Description
Left	float	Indicates the current reading of the left vibration motor.
Right	float	Indicates the current reading of the right vibration motor.
TimeStamp	DateTime	Indicates the timestamp of the current reading.

 

See Also

VPL User Interface Services: Game Controller

 

 

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