Joystick and keyboard output question (PC)

Technical Programming
#1

I am trying to write a code for converting joystick outputs to keyboard controls, but I can’t seam to find where I can call the outputs from. If someone can show me where to find these variables. I also need to know the same things for keyboard outputs (in specific the arrow keys).

Thanks,
Alex Dinsmoor
FRC 201

#2

I… think this is what you are asking.

Look at the different tables they have on the ports. The variables are named like “p1_sw_trig” (see the Variable Name column)

This doesn’t cover keyboard input or anything. Could you elaborate more on what you are looking for?

#3

If you are looking for keyboard output (keyboard meaning a computer keyboard, not a robot one?), I think what you’re looking for are scan codes (wiki article), which is what the keyboard sends as a number when a key is pressed. Are you trying to use a keyboard to control a robot instead of a joystick?

Here is a very simple routine I did once to test C (not C++) keyboard output:

void stream (void)  //type out info
{
    int ch;
    while ( (ch=getch()) != '\r')   //loop until ENTER key pressed
    {
          
          if (ch==0xE0)                      //signals 2 char arrow code
          {
              RShow(ch);
              //printf("%c=%d] or %X]  ", ch, ch, ch);
              ch=getch();                    //get second character
              RShow(ch);
              //printf("%c=%d] or %X]
", ch, ch, ch);
          }
          else if (ch==0x00)                 //signals 2 char function key
          {
              printf("%c=%d] or %X]  ", ch, ch, ch);
              ch=getch();                    //get second character
              printf("%c=%d] or %X]
", ch, ch, ch);
          }
          else   //regular old ASCII code (single character)
          {
          printf("%c=%d] or %X]
", ch, ch, ch);
          }
          //putch(ch);   //display char
        
    }
    printf("%c=%d] or %X]
", ch, ch, ch);
}

void RShow ( char ch )
{
     printf("%c", ch);
     printf("=%-3d]",ch);
     printf(" or [0x%-2X]",ch);
    
 printf("
");
}

Most keys are sent as ASCII codes, but the special keys (arrows and function keys) are, well, special, and sent as two numbers. For arrows, the first number is 0XE0 (hexidecimal number); the second key indicates the arrow type. For Function keys, first number is a zero.

Come to think of it, these might not be true “scan codes”, but are actually semi-processed numbers. True scan codes I think send the actual keyboard key and you have to figure out what key that represents (depending on hardware), and then mix in the shift/ctrl/alt key(s) separately. (Making a Dvorak keyboard from a QWERTY, for example, back in DOS days.) That’s more assembler than C code, so don’t worry about it.

What whitetiger0990 has are the codes the robot controller gives you for joystick output. Normally joysticks and keyboards don’t mix, so I too am curious on what you may be trying to do.

“If it weren’t for electricity we’d all be watching television by candlelight.” - George Gobel

#4

Yup that’s what I was looking for. I’m trying to make it so when I go forward on the joystick it will automatically press the arrow key that corresponds with the direction. I’m toying with this for online games and such that use the arrow keys.

#5

Does JoyToKey do what you want?

#6

:yikes: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: It does!!! Thanks for the program, it saves me a lot of time!!!