Fred's Controller Tester Fred Emmott

directinput game-controllers gamecontrollers vjoy-devices vjoydevices xinput

Use this command to install Fred's Controller Tester with WinGet:

winget install --id=FredEmmott.FredsControllerTester -e

Fred's Controller Tester is a versatile tool designed to test XInput and DirectInput controllers for modern simulation devices. It ensures compatibility and functionality across various configurations, making it an essential utility for developers and enthusiasts alike.

Key Features:

High-Capacity Handling: Supports up to 128 axes, buttons, or hats, accommodating even the most complex setups.
Unusual Configurations: Works seamlessly with devices that have non-standard layouts, such as handbrakes with single axes.
Manufacturer Agnostic: Compatible with controllers from any manufacturer, ensuring broad applicability.
Visual Feedback: Utilizes color-coded indicators (green, orange, blue) to provide clear feedback on input ranges and calibration status.
Control Name Display: Shows axis/button/hat names as reported by Windows or drivers, aiding in device troubleshooting.

Audience & Benefits: Ideal for game developers and sim racing enthusiasts, Fred's Controller Tester ensures devices function correctly within games. It helps identify calibration issues and provides essential feedback for compatibility testing, making it a cornerstone for anyone needing reliable controller functionality.

Installation is straightforward via winget, ensuring easy setup and access to this powerful tool.

README

Fred's Controller Tester

A DirectInput and XInput tester.

XInput-compatible pads can be tested with both DirectInput and XInput
It handles any number of axes, buttons, or hats. Yes, it can handle 128, yes, it can handle even more.
It handles multiple devices with the same name, or the same USB VID/PID (e.g. multiple vJoy devices)
It supports handles devices with unusual combinations of axes and buttons (e.g. handbrakes with 1 axis and no buttons, or controllers with only buttons)
It works with any manufacturer's device
It can be used to test axis range

Colors

green: the full input range is being tested
orange: most of the input range has been tested, but not quite all; this can indicate a calibration error
blue: input is detected

Control Names

This tester shows the axis/button/hat names reported by Windows or the driver; most games ignore these, and it is normal for them to seem incorrect; for example, a clutch might be shown as 'Combined Pedals', even if there is another axis labelled 'Clutch'. This is not a bug, and not anything to worry about.

Getting Started

Download the latest release
Extract the zip somewhere handy
Run the exe!

Screenshots

XInput Pad A near-full-range warning on an XBox pad via DirectInput Lots of axes, buttons, and hats

Getting Help

Help may be available from the community on my Discord.

License

This software is licensed under the ISC license (below); the icon is licensed under the Apache License v2.0.

See LICENSE and icon/LICENSE for details.

Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for any purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.