Force-Feedback Joystick Support?

[Getafix]

Sorry to hear about the problems, Getafix!

No worries mate!
I'm just anxious on how this attempt will turn out,
and I felt like sharing some info why there is no news yet on that front.

[Getafix]

Hello again.

Unfortunately the Linux Mint 18 cannot get BlackWidow (see previous posts) to vibrate.
Have you managed to get Linux recognize force feedback joystick capability?
If, yes, then your help is needed to test if the SDL library we have prepared, actually works.
The following code will download in your downloads folder a small package.
It will extract it in a folder called hapticSDL and then execute the test.

Code: Select all

$ cd ~/Downloads
~/Downloads$ wget http://terrastorage.no-ip.info/oolite/testhaptic.tgz
~/Downloads$ tar xzvf testhaptic.tgz
~/Downloads$ cd hapticSDL
~/Downloads/hapticSDL$ ./testhaptic.sh

It is assumed that you already have a Downloads folder in your home folder and that you have already confirmed that your Linux supports your joystick's vibration capabilities.
If the test reports

Code: Select all

...
~/Downloads/hapticSDL$ ./testhaptic.sh
0 Haptic devices detected.
No Haptic devices found!
~/Downloads/hapticSDL$ 

...this is bad news, but share it anyhow.
We prefer that you see something like the following and the joystick vibrating

Code: Select all

...
~/Downloads/hapticSDL$ ./testhaptic.sh
1 Haptic devices detected.
Device: BLACK WIDOW XE Flight Stick
   Supported effects [128 effects, 128 playing]:
      constant
      sine
      square
      triangle
      sawtoothup
      sawtoothdown
      ramp
      friction
      spring
      damper
      inertia
      custom
   Supported capabilities:
      gain
      status

Uploading effects
   effect 0: Sine Wave
   effect 1: Sawtooth Up
   effect 2: Constant Force
   effect 3: Condition Spring
   effect 4: Condition Inertia

Now playing effects for 5 seconds each with 1 second delay between
   Playing effect 0
   Playing effect 1
   Playing effect 2
   Playing effect 3
   Playing effect 4
~/Downloads/hapticSDL$ 

[Getafix]

This is just to give an update that implementation of a haptic management class is in progress... slowly, but in progress.
It's not yet in a state to have anything published/committed in the relevant code branch, though.
In the meantime, we are toying around with the haptic-enabled SDL library, getting acquainted with variations of the "rambling" effects and the kind of control we can have over them.