XInput.Wrapper

• It is a short and monolithic C# class that can be embedded as source code in any project (1 source file).
• No external libraries, except XInput1_4.DLL but it ships today as a system component in Windows 8/8.1/10. It is available "inbox" and does not require redistribution with an application.
• To implement this class into your own project, just add the "X.cs" class file and start using it without any restriction. Anyway you can download latest release and add a reference to XInput.Wrapper.dll.

There are an unstable develop or splitted part branches are selected by default. If you want to use this wrapper in production you should go to a stable master branch or download assembly via release section or should use NuGet package XInput.Wrapper.

TODO

• Native - DONE / untested
• Battery - DONE / untested
• Button - partial ready / untested
  • is this button Supported field
  • readme part about using of events
• Axis - in develope
  • Update
• Gamepad - in design
  • Force Feedback
  • Battery update period
  • Get buttons by number
  • yield Buttons.List
  • supported buttons only
• X - in design

First steps

• Getting Started With XInput
• Functions

Class Structure

• X: threading, availability of the XInput_1.4 subsystem, polling loop
  • Gamepad
    • Button: gamepad buttons like A, B, X, Y, LT, RT, ...
    • Axis: sticks and triggers.
    • Battery: suddenly, wireless gamepads and headsets includes batteries.
  • Native - interop to xinput1_4.dll

How to...

Initialization

using XInput.Wrapper;

// for ease of later using
X.Gamepad gamepad = null;

Test of availability of XInput 1.4 (xinput1_4.dll). This one should not call often! It is not cached.

if (X.IsAvailable)
{
    [...]

For performance reasons, don't call XInputGetState for an 'empty' user slot every frame. We recommend that you space out checks for new controllers every few seconds instead.
MSDN

Got Gamepad of the first user

if (X.IsAvailable)
{
    gamepad = X.Gamepad_1;
    [...]

Check gamepad's capabilites and test ForceFeedBack support

if (X.IsAvailable)
{
    gamepad = X.Gamepad_1;
    X.Gamepad.Capability caps = gamepad.Capabilities;

    if (gamepad.FFB_Supported)
    {
        // can play with ~~vibrations~~ FFB
    }

    [...]

You can subscribe on events then start polling thread. X.StartPolling() supports up to four controllers.

if (X.IsAvailable)
{
    gamepad = X.Gamepad_1;

    ...
    
    gamepad.KeyDown           += Gamepad_KeyDown;
    gamepad.StateChanged      += Gamepad_StateChanged;
    gamepad.ConnectionChanged += Gamepad_ConnectionChanged;

    X.StartPolling(gamepad);
}

Do not forget to stop polling

private void GameForm_FormClosing(object sender, FormClosingEventArgs e)
{
    if (gamepad != null)
        X.StopPolling();
        
    [...]

Events

ConnectionChanged

Occurs when state of connection is changed: controller connects or disconnects. Use X.GamePad.IsConnected() to retrieve state of connection.

StateChanged

Occurs when controller sends new data packet for application. Something changed and you should do something with new data. You can spot that some of buttons were pressed (up or down), thumb was rotated or trigger was pressed.

KeyDown

When button pressed for a long time your app can regularly receive messages about this.

StateChanged event called once when button pressed. Use KeyDown event handler if you want to receive regularly messages about this.

Update gamepad state

If you are playing with an event driven application (such as WinForms, WPF, etc) you can use X.Start|StopPolling. Apps with custom main loop should call X.Gamepad.Update() method.

while (true)
{
    ProcessInput();
    Update();
    Render();
}

...

void ProcessInput()
{
    if (gamepad == null)
        return;

    if (gamepad.Update())
    {
        // something happened: button pressed, stick turned or trigger was triggered
    }
    [...]

If Update() returns TRUE you should check connection state, state of buttons, sticks, triggers, bumpers,...

if (gamepad.Update())
{
    // Check connection status and if connected then check battery state
    if (gamepad.IsConnected)
        gamepad.UpdateBattery();

    // KeyUp is an event that happens once
    // Try to stop vibrations
    if (gamepad.X_up)
        gamepad.FFB_Stop();

    // You can process here but this will called once
    if (gamepad.A_down)
        gamepad.FFB_Vibrate(1, .5f, 100);

    // Processing of analog inputs
    [...]
}

// Will called again and again and again while button is pressed
if (gamepad.Buttons != 0)
{
    if (gamepad.X_down)
        gamepad.FFB_Vibrate(.2f, .5f, 100);
    
    [...]
}

Processing of analog inputs

There are two kinds of analog methods: absolute and normalized. Normalized are with the _N postfix. Absolute methods returns X.Point {int X, int Y} objects, normalized returns X.PointF {float X, float Y}.

     0    <= LTrigger.X   <=   255        // absolute
     0.0f <= LTrigger_N.X <=     1.0f    // normalized

-32767    <= LStick.X     <= 32767        // absolute
    -1.0f <= LStick_N.X   <=     1.0f    // normalized

Dead zones

To adjust dead zones sensitivity

int LStick_DeadZone    = 7849;
int RStick_DeadZone    = 8689;
int LTrigger_Threshold = 30;
int RTrigger_Threshold = 30;

_N methods return 0.0f when axis in a dead zone.

Force feedback

Check presence of FFB

if (gamepad.FFB_Supported)
{
    // Already here
}

or

X.Gamepad.Capability caps = gamepad.Capabilities;

if ((caps.Flags & X.Gamepad.CapabilityFlags.FFB_Supported) == X.Gamepad.CapabilityFlags.FFB_Supported)
{
    // Already here
}

Stop vabrations

gamepad.FFB_Stop();

And starts again at left and right with strength lying beetwen 0.0f and 1.0f up to 100ms

gamepad.FFB_Vibrate(0.5f, 1.0f, 100);

Left motor only (low-frequency motor)

gamepad.FFB_LeftMotor(0.5f, 100);

Right side only (hi-frequency motor)

gamepad.FFB_RightMotor(0.5f, 100);