Joystick Programming

[LieAfterLie]

I already know the pins used by the default code and which is analog and all that, I just need a way to use a different joystick with that same code. If I knew the pinout (which pins are which axes/switches and all that) I could switch pins around by cutting and resoldering wires in the cable, but I can't find this joystick's pinout or how to simply use this joystick with the same code and pins. I want to use these joysticks as they are optical but still use serial ports (the kop sticks use pots, not as good). They're more accurate and don't have to be calibrated, also I get the nifty twist axis (useful for our omniwheel), plus we aren't forced to use 2 right handed sticks (which isn't very comfortable). Do I have to do some confusing timer sampling custom driver thingy? I mean, it does have 9 switches, 4 analog axes and a digital hat button, and it only has 9 used pins there (it's still DB15 though). If I atleast knew which one was the power, I could test from there to each other pin and push buttons and stuff with an ohmeter and make my own pinout (whatever the technical name is).

[Dave K.]

Originally Posted by LieAfterLie

I already know the pins used by the default code and which is analog and all that, I just need a way to use a different joystick with that same code. If I knew the pinout (which pins are which axes/switches and all that) I could switch pins around by cutting and resoldering wires in the cable, but I can't find this joystick's pinout or how to simply use this joystick with the same code and pins. I want to use these joysticks as they are optical but still use serial ports (the kop sticks use pots, not as good). They're more accurate and don't have to be calibrated, also I get the nifty twist axis (useful for our omniwheel), plus we aren't forced to use 2 right handed sticks (which isn't very comfortable). Do I have to do some confusing timer sampling custom driver thingy? I mean, it does have 9 switches, 4 analog axes and a digital hat button, and it only has 9 used pins there (it's still DB15 though). If I atleast knew which one was the power, I could test from there to each other pin and push buttons and stuff with an ohmeter and make my own pinout (whatever the technical name is).

Many newer joysticks that have a DB15 connector on them work with the PC Game Port combined with a custom driver that talks via manufactuer specific serial protocols.

If you want to use that type of joystick "as-is" you won't be able to simply rewire the DB15.

Your choices are:

1.) Completely rewire the joystick, removing the custom electronics and use point to point wiring from the pots and switches as needed. Keep in mind that the pots inside the joystick are probably not going to be 100K ohms so you need to address this (look for some of my other postings on this topic for more information). Also keep in mind that the switches are going to be mounted to printed circuit boards and are probably wired in a matrix which is scanned by the microprocessor in the joystick, so you are looking at having to cut board traces and solder wires to switch pins.

You mentioned the Sidewinder, which uses optical encoders so no amount of rewiring will help you here.

You also mentioned that these newer style joysticks don't need to be calibrated, which is only partially true. The manufacturer supplied drivers provide calibration capabilities in the joystick setup which allow you to zero the centers and compensate for joystick to joystick variations. I've not tried the Sidewinder yet, but agree that with an optical encoder, the device to device variations are probably less than one with a pot in them.

2.) Build a custom interface to adapt the manufactuer specific interface to the IFI Operator Interfaces particular needs. I designed one for our team so that a Logitech Wingman Extreme Digital 3D could be used without modification, and it works very nice. I haven't written the driver for the Sidewinder yet, but my hardware supports it. I think the Wingman is a better stick and that's what we are going to go with for competition.

However this probably isn't the sort of thing you are going to build in just a couple of days.

3.) Buy one of the "USB-Chicklet's" and use one of the sticks compatible with it.

[LieAfterLie]

Oh well - I figured I couldn't. Good, directly wired serial joysticks are hard to find. But I really didn't feel up to using the expensive chiklet. We'll make do with the two right-handed sticks.

[Tureyhall]

Originally Posted by LieAfterLie

Oh well - I figured I couldn't. Good, directly wired serial joysticks are hard to find. But I really didn't feel up to using the expensive chiklet. We'll make do with the two right-handed sticks.

If you can find a team with some extra old (black, 2 button) joysticks, they work equally well in either hand.

Fankly, I feel that one of the worst decisions made concerning the KOP was switching to the right-hand-only joysticks.

[kaszeta]

Originally Posted by Tureyhall

If you can find a team with some extra old (black, 2 button) joysticks, they work equally well in either hand.

Fankly, I feel that one of the worst decisions made concerning the KOP was switching to the right-hand-only joysticks.

Actually, if you have a good vendor for alternative gameport analog joysticks, I'm sure both IFI and folks here would love to hear about it...