GFA/MiNT and game controllers

[Rajah Lone]

Hi,

I'm having some issues with classic STICK/STRIG GFA instructions under my FireBee/FreeMiNT setup. My application freezes when these instructions are called. The OS runs OK. Seems the joysticks survey is disabled by default.

Using Atari DB9 joystick or Jaguar/STE DB15 gamepad is not a custom under multitasking environement and desk.

Calling directly for joystick state is hard and not for GFA: must create some survey C functions and change joy-vector in XBIOS(34).
I can't test Jaguar controllers: no gameport on my FireBee?

My only option at the moment is to use SDL.LDG. But is there a smart and light and basic solution? Is someone has some experience on the subject? Is there some kind of joystick.xdd/xif for FreeMiNT?

[lp]

Hi,

I certainly am no expert at programming game controllers, but I can look into the freezing problem. Do you have a small test case I can try at my MiNT setup? The STICK and STRIG commands in my library are unchanged from the original library, but it's possible some ancient bug remains. Would not be the first time.

This might be useful: http://paradize.final-memory.org/downloads/jagpad.lst

[shoggoth]

I wrote joystick.xdd:s many years ago. They sort of comply to the Linux 1.0 joystick API.

The only one who every used them was myself, in some emulators I ported.

[Rajah Lone]

A simple code like this makes the application hang, either on STRIG or STICK.

Code: Select all

DO
  joy_fir!=STRIG(1)
  joy_dir&=STICK(1)
  IF joy_dir&>0
    PRINT joy_dir&
  ENDIF
LOOP UNTIL joy_fir!


Thanks for the link to the Joypad routine. I was searching for this kind of code.

[lp]

A simple code like this makes the application hang, either on STRIG or STICK.

When compiled, the loop can't be interrupted and appears frozen. Makes me wonder if the joystick registers in the firebee work at all. If I temporarily add compiler options $I+,$U+ I can then break the endless loop.

[Rajah Lone]

The joystick works with pmdoom, on my FireBee setup, SDL library is used.

My guess: the joystick is supported by the IKBD, but related routines are disabled or not initialized. A software support omission in MiNT or FireTOS?

[lp]

I have two suggestions that might help. Compile the test case and have someone with a Falcon + MiNT give it go. Would help narrow down where the problem is. Also you can look into the sources of SDL, specifically the patches for our platform, might gives some clues?

[simonsunnyboy]

I have two suggestions that might help. Compile the test case and have someone with a Falcon + MiNT give it go. Would help narrow down where the problem is. Also you can look into the sources of SDL, specifically the patches for our platform, might gives some clues?

Joystick with STRIG and STICK does work on my Falcon with old Mint Kernel 1.15 or 1.16 IIRC.
I never tried in the interpreter but running a compiled executable feels ok.
My programs go into SUPERVISOR due to hardware access. That might make a difference though.

[lp]

I don't recall having a problems with my Hades and MiNT 1.16.x either.

Been digging deeper into the problem with Rajah's help, since I don't have a firebee myself. Internally GFA does OUT 4,x with some commands for the IKBD. Seems that any command sent to the IKBD hangs. Testing IKBD commands without MiNT have not been done yet. I can't say where exactly the problem is yet.