xboxdrv-based Xbox controller emulation for DualShock (2, 3) controllers - tested on Ubuntu & derivatives

controller_emulation.sh

#!/bin/bash

# xboxdrv must be installed
#sudo apt-get install xboxdrv

# use evtest to test and determine controller/event inputs if in doubt (for the mappings below)
#sudo apt-get install evtest

# use fftest (part of joystick) to test rumble settings, if supported by the controller and kernel
#sudo apt-get install joystick

# adjust as needed for non-standard xboxdrv installations (using the full command path here)
XBOXDRVPATH=$(which xboxdrv)
# set to true if using a build of xboxdrv that has the 60s delay bug (default is false)
INITDELAY=false

echo ">>> Emulation of Xbox controllers for connected DualShock (2,3) controllers <<<"

# bash output styles and colors
DEFAULT="\033[0m"
BOLD="\033[1m"
RED="\033[1;31m"
GREEN="\033[1;32m"
YELLOW="\033[1;33m"

xboxdrv_processes=$(ps -ef | grep xboxdrv | grep -v grep | wc -l)

case "$1" in

start)
    if [ $xboxdrv_processes -eq 0 ]
    then
        detected_controllers=$(ls -l /dev/input/by-path | grep event-joystick | wc -l)

        if [ $detected_controllers -ne 0 ]
        then
            # need to use sudo further down so might as well prompt for password here
            sudo echo "Detected $detected_controllers controller(s)..."

            controller=0

            for event in $(ls -l /dev/input/by-path | grep event-joystick | awk "{print $7}" | cut -d "/" -f 2)
            do
                controller=$((++controller))
                echo -n "Emulating Xbox controller for controller$controller / $event... "
                # mappings are compatible with DualShock, DualShock 2 and DualShock 3 controllers and clones (adjust as needed for other type of controllers)
                # add --force-feedback below if you want to try and enable vibration (won't work most of the time) - note that some games may crash with force feedback enabled, so use with caution!
                sudo -b nohup "$XBOXDRVPATH" --quiet --evdev /dev/input/$event --evdev-absmap ABS_X=x1,ABS_Y=y1,ABS_Z=x2,ABS_RZ=y2,ABS_HAT0X=dpad_x,ABS_HAT0Y=dpad_y --axismap -Y1=Y1,-Y2=Y2 --evdev-keymap BTN_WEST=y,BTN_EAST=b,BTN_SOUTH=a,BTN_NORTH=x,BTN_THUMBL=tl,BTN_THUMBR=tr,BTN_TL=lb,BTN_TR=rb,BTN_TL2=lt,BTN_TR2=rt,BTN_SELECT=back,BTN_MODE=guide,BTN_START=start --mimic-xpad 1>/dev/null 2>&1
                echo -e $GREEN"DONE"$DEFAULT
            done

            if $INITDELAY
            then
                echo "The Xbox controller(s) will initialize over the next ~60s:"
                
                echo -ne $RED"0%"
                for i in {0..60..2}
                do
                    if [ $i -eq 30 ]
                    then
                        echo -ne $YELLOW"50%"
                    else
                        echo -n "."
                    fi
                    sleep 2
                done
                echo -e $GREEN"100%"$DEFAULT
                sleep 1
            else
                sleep 1
            fi

            echo "Xbox controller emulation is now active."
        else
            echo -e $RED"No controllers detected."$DEFAULT" Retry running the script after unplugging/replugging all controller devices."
            exit 1
        fi
    else
        echo "Xbox controller emulation is already running."
        exit 2
    fi
    ;;

stop)
    if [ $xboxdrv_processes -gt 0 ]
    then
        # need to use sudo below so might as well prompt for password here
        sudo echo -n "Terminating Xbox controller emulation... "
        sudo killall xboxdrv
        echo -e $GREEN"DONE"$DEFAULT
    else
        echo "Xbox controller emulation is not running."
        exit 3
    fi
    ;;

*)
    echo -e "Invalid option! Use either "$BOLD"start"$DEFAULT" or "$BOLD"stop"$DEFAULT"."
    exit 4
    ;;

esac

exit 0