Joystick Config in Mandrake 8.1

[StarbuckZero]

I want to be able to play Zsnes, Xmame and DOOM 2 players... but I'll need a working Joystick to do that...

I try the HOWTOs and the looked over the README files but I can't figure out how to get a joystick working under Linux. Why is something like that so hard? Could any one please tell me how to get a joystick working with recompiling my Kernel and stuff like that? :(

[StarbuckZero]

bump :D

[StarbuckZero]

:D bump

[bdg1983]

Do you know what modules your joystick needs? Have you tried loading them?

I've never tried a joystick with Linux though I will attempt it one day. I have noticed quite a few options for joysticks while I have been compiling kernels. Does you current kernel have all the necessary modules and support for joysticks? If not, then it will be necessary to compile the kernel.

[cowboy45]

I've installed ReHat 7.1 and would like to get my Sidewinder 3D Pro to work. The documentation for 7.1 says it does support the joystick but I'll be damned if I can find a way to mount it. Any help would be appreciated....

Thanks in advance... :p

[Molecule Man]

Sorry Guys. I just wanted to let you know that i am working on it myself right now.

[StarbuckZero]

Okay, but way can't something like setting up a joystick be easy to setup? I mean can we just install drivers or something?

[bdg1983]

Do you have all the necessary joystick support in the kernel you are currently using?

This is just a sample from my kernel .config. It's from the 2.4.10 kernel.

#
# Input core support
#
CONFIG_INPUT=m
CONFIG_INPUT_KEYBDEV=m
CONFIG_INPUT_MOUSEDEV=m
CONFIG_INPUT_MOUSEDEV_SCREEN_X=1024
CONFIG_INPUT_MOUSEDEV_SCREEN_Y=768
CONFIG_INPUT_JOYDEV=m
CONFIG_INPUT_EVDEV=m

#
# Joysticks
#
CONFIG_INPUT_GAMEPORT=m
# CONFIG_INPUT_NS558 is not set
# CONFIG_INPUT_LIGHTNING is not set
# CONFIG_INPUT_PCIGAME is not set
# CONFIG_INPUT_CS461X is not set
# CONFIG_INPUT_EMU10K1 is not set
# CONFIG_INPUT_SERIO is not set

#
# Joysticks
#
CONFIG_INPUT_ANALOG=m
# CONFIG_INPUT_A3D is not set
# CONFIG_INPUT_ADI is not set
# CONFIG_INPUT_COBRA is not set
# CONFIG_INPUT_GF2K is not set
# CONFIG_INPUT_GRIP is not set
# CONFIG_INPUT_INTERACT is not set
CONFIG_INPUT_TMDC=m
# CONFIG_INPUT_SIDEWINDER is not set
# CONFIG_INPUT_IFORCE_USB is not set
# CONFIG_INPUT_DB9 is not set
# CONFIG_INPUT_GAMECON is not set
# CONFIG_INPUT_TURBOGRAFX is not set
# CONFIG_QIC02_TAPE is not set

[Kerey]

In Mandrake 8.0 I have gotten a USB joystick to work like this:

(as root)
modprobe joydev
cat /dev/input/js0 (should output a bunch of garbage characters if your joystick is working. Ctrl-C to break)
rm /dev/js0
ln -s /dev/input/js0 /dev/js0 (some programs expect joysticks to be on /dev/jsX)

This is probably not the best way to do this, but it worked for me. Also you need to do "modprobe joydev" again if you reboot, since I don't know how to automate this.

If you have a gameport joystick and a usb joystick, I'm not sure if "rm /dev/js0" would be a good idea as it might remove the wrong joystick device.

The above was for a Saitek Cyborg 3D USB, but it should work for any standard USB joystick (Human Interface Device, or HID).

[StarbuckZero]

I got a MS Sidewinder so will the same thing work for me? It's not a USB joystick tho.

[bdg1983]

You will need to have the module loaded for the sidewinder. Do you have the sidewinder module in /lib/modules/<kernel version>/kernel/drivers/char/joystick?

My default kernel (2.4.2) did not include support for most of the joysticks available as you can see by the kernel .config I posted earlier. Support for the sidewinder is not enabled. You should check to see if yours is as I keep suggesting you do.

Do you want help or not? :D

[StarbuckZero]

Yeah dude I see it in there. So now what?

[bdg1983]

Have you tried loading any of the joystick support modules and the one for the sidewinder?

modprobe input
modprobe joydev
modprobe sidewinder