*Wired* DS4 Controller Compatibility w/ Snes9x (PC)

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Giygas3D
Snes9x White Belt
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2021 12:33 am

*Wired* DS4 Controller Compatibility w/ Snes9x (PC)

Post by Giygas3D »

Hey all!

Made an account specifically to help out anyone else who has toiled for hours trying to get a ***wired*** Playstion 4/DS4 controller working with SNES9x on PC with no luck. After pulling from about a dozen other places I found a solution that worked for me and might help if you have already tried everything else.

1) Install DS4Windows first: http://ds4windows.com/#howto

For me at least, I needed DS4Windows to attempt all of these methods. If you don't already know, it's an application that disguises your PS4 controller as an Xbox 360 controller when plugged into your PC. Download the software and follow the instructions in the link to get the driver installed and running. After this, after starting up DS4Windows and plugging in your PS4 Controller, try starting up SNES9x and going to Input>Input Configuration. Enter your desired configuration with the controller for Joypad #1 and see if that works when you boot up again. If not (definitely didn't do it for me), try...

2) Assign the DS4Windows button configurations to keys on the keyboard according to the default configuration of SNES9x instead of the default "Xbox 360" controller setup it starts with. Follow along with this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCbzr9A ... oMagliocco

If you're like me and already altered the default keyboard mapping that SNES9x comes with for Joypad #1, you may have to reassign them before following the steps in the video. The guy in the video shows what those are if you need it.

This will make it so that the emulator is bound to the default keyboard keys, but those keys are bound to the corresponding controller buttons on your DS4 and should register your inputs. ***NOTE: Following the steps in the video within DS4Windows, make sure you create a profile for the SNES layout SEPARATE from the default or else it'll completely screw up your controller for anything else you try to play through Steam, etc. Not beyond repair (just reconnect it to a PS4 to cancel out any changes you made in DS4Windows), but still a pain!***

Does the DS4 work with SNES9x now? Great. Happy for you. Enjoy.
Didn't work for you? Me neither. The despair continues. But maybe try this....

3) Go into the snex9x.conf file and copy paste the button inputs manually.

I finally tried searching for solutions on Xbox 360 controller configuration issues instead and found this thread on Steam: https://steamcommunity.com/app/353380/d ... 515590314/

The .conf file should be in the same location on your PC as where the SNES9x exe, roms, cheats, and save files are located. I made a copy of it and dragged it to another location as a default in case I messed something up. Open up the .conf with Notepad and copy paste THIS under the (Controls/Win) section so that it fits in with the rest of what's already written there:

Joypad1:Enabled = TRUE
Joypad1:Up = (J0)Up
Joypad1:Down = (J0)Down
Joypad1:Left = (J0)Left
Joypad1:Right = (J0)Right
Joypad1:A = (J0)Button 1
Joypad1:B = (J0)Button 0
Joypad1:Y = (J0)Button 2
Joypad1:X = (J0)Button 3
Joypad1:L = (J0)Z Down
Joypad1:R = (J0)Z Up
Joypad1:Start = (J0)Button 7
Joypad1:Select = (J0)Button 6

...and then save and close out the .conf. now the moment of truth. With DS4Windows running and your DS4 plugged in, boot up SNES9x again and try out a game! If you want to assign the Joypad D-Pad to the DS4 D-Pad instead like I did or rearrange the A/B buttons, just go back into Input>Input Configuration and run through assigning the controller like you did with the first attempt. The ONLY button that I have issues with is the R1 bumper for some reason, as it seems to register that and R2 as the same button no matter what I try. Other than that, you should be good to go!

I hope this helps. Let me know if it works! :D :D :D
odditude
Snes9x Green Belt
Posts: 445
Joined: Tue May 03, 2011 2:35 pm

Re: *Wired* DS4 Controller Compatibility w/ Snes9x (PC)

Post by odditude »

the only issue i've ever had using a DS4 is if Steam is running and is setup to configure the gamepad. with that disabled, i've never had an issue using a DS4 on either my desktop or laptop, wired or via Bluetooth, with no additional software.
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