[RetroPie] Controller input doesn't work until GUI is opened once

[SeraphisCain]

Since updating to 4.1 on RPi 4, I'm having an issue with controls. Specifically, in-game controls don't work unless I go into the menu and change my controller's device type under Inputs from "joystick" to "gamepad". GUI controls work fine, and once I've switched the device to gamepad, everything in-game seems to be configured as it should be. It's just a headache to have to manually switch the device type every time I play a game, and it wasn't like this previously. Is there something I could change in amiberry.conf or hostprefs.conf to make the default device type for my controller "gamepad"?

[midwan]

What controller are you using please?
When you say in-game controls don't work, what exactly do you mean? No input works, only some kind of input?

[SeraphisCain]

What controller are you using please?
When you say in-game controls don't work, what exactly do you mean? No input works, only some kind of input?

Using a 8bitdo SN30 Pro+. No in-game input works at all.

[midwan]

@SeraphisCain
And under which distro are you running this?
Do you have a Retroarch mapping for the controller (e.g. under RetroPie)?

[SeraphisCain]

@midwan
Latest RetroPie. Yes, I do have a Retroarch mapping for the controller.

[SeraphisCain]

Upon further testing, manually setting the controller's device type to "Default" also results in working controls.

[midwan]

@SeraphisCain
But "Default" is what is should start up with - doesn't it?
In other words, when doesn't it work?

[SeraphisCain]

@midwan

It does not start up with "Default", no. It always starts with the controller's device type set to "Joystick". I don't know why it's started doing this, but ever since updating from 3.x to 4.1 it's been a problem. I've even tried completely uninstalling Amiberry and reinstalling fresh. Still happens.

[SeraphisCain]

Testing out installing from binary (which is v3.3) instead of source. In-game controls work fine. Input settings upon booting a game (Batman, if it matters, but the problem is the same for all games) look like this:

Port 0: RetroArch Keyboard as Joystick 1 (device type "Joystick")
Port 1: 8Bitdo SF30 Pro+ (device type "Joystick")

Uninstalled, reinstalled from source (4.1.1). In-game controls don't work. Booted the same game, input settings look like this:

Port 0: System mouse (device type "Default")
Port 1: 8Bitdo SF30 Pro+ (device type "Joystick")

So it does appear that, for me at least, the problem lies specifically with 4.x.

(Also, I'll note that the RetroArch menu hotkey doesn't seem to work in 4.1 either. I do have a keyboard plugged in though, so I can press F12 to get to the menu. The RA exit hotkey, however, does work. Odd.)

[stuffu]

I have a similar issue, tried WHDLoad version of Arabian nights, keyboard and mouse connected to rpi4 as well as SN30 Pro (switch mode). The gamepad didn’t work until I entered amiberry menu, inputs and then hit resume, gamepad controls worked again in game.

The controller was recognized as switch controller so all fine there. But it didn’t work until I entered input menu and resumed.

I have cleared every config, uae file etc before installing on retropie.

[midwan]

Does this only occur when using .lha files? Does it work as expected with .adf files?

[stuffu]

I only have .lha files so I can’t tell I’m afraid.

[midwan]

@stuffu / @SeraphisCain
I'd like to see if this problem is isolated to the WHDLoad booter only (if it only occurs when loading .lha files, then that's a strong indication it is), so could you please do the following test and report back:

• Download the latest version of the AmigaTestKit software: https://github.com/keirf/Amiga-Stuff/releases/tag/testkit-v1.16
• Extract the archive and use the ADF contained to boot Amiberry
• Test your controller in the relevant section of AmigaTestKit
  If your controller works as expected there, but it doesn't when loading .lha files, then we'll know where to look.

[SeraphisCain]

@midwan

Controller works as expected in AmigaTestKit.

(Though I'll note that I had to hunt down the aros-rom.bin and aros-ext.bin files and put them in the RetroPie BIOS folder for the program to work.)

Also, I hadn't previously tried just going into the Input menu and then exiting out without making any changes, as in stuffu's post, but that does seem to fix the issue for me as well. It also makes the RetroArch menu hotkey work again.

[midwan]

Thanks, then I think the problem is related only to the whdbooter setting joystick options. I'll investigate further and update this case when I have more information.

[jimi007]

Hi

I have noticed this issue too. Using Retropie 4.7.11. RPi 4 . Amiberry 4.1.1 , 8bitdo SF30 Pro controller. WHD lha files.

Whenever I start a game it does not recognise the controller input. I enter amiberry then resume the game , then the controller works fine. Only an issue on first starting a game.

[midwan]

Can you guys test compiling from the dev branch?
I just added a change there to use Default for joystick mode, instead of Joystick.

Not sure if this solves this problem entirely, or it needs more work though.

[SeraphisCain]

@midwan No change after building from dev branch. Although, I'll note that after stuffu and jimi007's posts, I'm pretty sure I was wrong about the need to change the device type to "Default". As they've both stated, simply entering the menu and then returning to the game seems to fix the problem. It's the same on this dev build. Entering the menu, making no changes at all, then returning to the game restores both in-game controls and the RetroArch hotkeys.

[midwan]

@SeraphisCain
Alright, thanks. Just needed to isolate that part and make sure it wasn't related.
I'll dig into this today and see if I can find the solution.

[midwan]

@SeraphisCain
I believe this is fixed in dev now, would you mind giving it another go please?

[SeraphisCain]

@midwan Can confirm that the issue is fixed in dev. Thank you!

[jimi007]

@midwan Thankyou for resolving the issue

[stuffu]

Indeed, thanks for your hard work!