joystick - Pygame Documentation

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pygame.joystick

pygame module for interacting with joystick devices

pygame.joystick.init - initialize the joystick module | initialize the joystick module
pygame.joystick.quit - uninitialize the joystick module | uninitialize the joystick module
pygame.joystick.get_init - true if the joystick module is initialized | true if the joystick module is initialized
pygame.joystick.get_count - number of joysticks on the system | number of joysticks on the system
pygame.joystick.Joystick - create a new Joystick object | create a new Joystick object

The joystick module manages the joystick devices on a computer (there can be more than one). Joystick devices include trackballs and video-game-style gamepads, and the module allows the use of multiple buttons and "hats".

pygame.joystick.init

initialize the joystick module
`pygame.joystick.init(): return None`

This function is called automatically by `pygame.init - initialize all imported pygame modules`.

It initializes the joystick module. This will scan the system for all joystick devices. The module must be initialized before any other functions will work.

It is safe to call this function more than once.

pygame.joystick.quit

uninitialize the joystick module
`pygame.joystick.quit(): return None`

Uninitialize the joystick module. After you call this any existing joystick objects will no longer work.

It is safe to call this function more than once.

pygame.joystick.get_init

true if the joystick module is initialized
`pygame.joystick.get_init(): return bool`

Test if the `pygame.joystick.init - initialize the joystick module` function has been called.

pygame.joystick.get_count

number of joysticks on the system
`pygame.joystick.get_count(): return count`

Return the number of joystick devices on the system. The count will be 0 if there are no joysticks on the system.

When you create Joystick objects using Joystick(id), you pass an integer that must be lower than this count.

pygame.joystick.Joystick

create a new Joystick object
`pygame.joystick.Joystick(id): return Joystick`

Joystick.init - initialize the Joystick | initialize the Joystick
Joystick.quit - uninitialize the Joystick | uninitialize the Joystick
Joystick.get_init - check if the Joystick is initialized | check if the Joystick is initialized
Joystick.get_id - get the Joystick ID | get the Joystick ID
Joystick.get_name - get the Joystick system name | get the Joystick system name
Joystick.get_numaxes - get the number of axes on a Joystick | get the number of axes on a Joystick
Joystick.get_axis - get the current position of an axis | get the current position of an axis
Joystick.get_numballs - get the number of trackballs on a Joystick | get the number of trackballs on a Joystick
Joystick.get_ball - get the relative position of a trackball | get the relative position of a trackball
Joystick.get_numbuttons - get the number of buttons on a Joystick | get the number of buttons on a Joystick
Joystick.get_button - get the current button state | get the current button state
Joystick.get_numhats - get the number of hat controls on a Joystick | get the number of hat controls on a Joystick
Joystick.get_hat - get the position of a joystick hat | get the position of a joystick hat

Create a new joystick to access a physical device. The id argument must be a value from 0 to `pygame.joystick.get_count()-1`.

To access most of the Joystick methods, you'll need to init() the Joystick. This is separate from making sure the joystick module is initialized. When multiple Joysticks objects are created for the same physical joystick device `(i.e.`, they have the same `ID` number), the state and values for those Joystick objects will be shared.

The Joystick object allows you to get information about the types of controls on a joystick device. Once the device is initialized the Pygame event queue will start receiving events about its input.

You can call the `Joystick.get_name - get the Joystick system name` and `Joystick.get_id - get the Joystick ID` functions without initializing the Joystick object.

Joystick.init

initialize the Joystick
`Joystick.init(): return None`

The Joystick must be initialized to get most of the information about the controls. While the Joystick is initialized the Pygame event queue will receive events from the Joystick input.

It is safe to call this more than once.

Joystick.quit

uninitialize the Joystick
`Joystick.quit(): return None`

This will unitialize a Joystick. After this the Pygame event queue will no longer receive events from the device.

It is safe to call this more than once.

Joystick.get_init

check if the Joystick is initialized
`Joystick.get_init(): return bool`

Returns True if the init() method has already been called on this Joystick object.

Joystick.get_id

get the Joystick ID
`Joystick.get_id(): return int`

Returns the integer `ID` that represents this device. This is the same value that was passed to the Joystick() constructor. This method can safely be called while the Joystick is not initialized.

Joystick.get_name

get the Joystick system name
`Joystick.get_name(): return string`

Returns the system name for this joystick device. It is unknown what name the system will give to the Joystick, but it should be a unique name that identifies the device. This method can safely be called while the Joystick is not initialized.

Joystick.get_numaxes

get the number of axes on a Joystick
`Joystick.get_numaxes(): return int`

Returns the number of input axes are on a Joystick. There will usually be two for the position. Controls like rudders and throttles are treated as additional axes.

The `pygame.JOYAXISMOTION` events will be in the range from `-1.0` to `1.0`. `A` value of `0.0` means the axis is centered. Gamepad devices will usually be -1, 0, or 1 with no values in between. Older analog joystick axes will not always use the full -1 to 1 range, and the centered value will be some area around 0. Analog joysticks usually have a bit of noise in their axis, which will generate a lot of rapid small motion events.

Joystick.get_axis

get the current position of an axis
`Joystick.get_axis(axis_number): return float`

Returns the current position of a joystick axis. The value will range from -1 to 1 with a value of 0 being centered. You may want to take into account some tolerance to handle jitter, and joystick drift may keep the joystick from centering at 0 or using the full range of position values.

The axis number must be an integer from zero to get_numaxes()-1.

Joystick.get_numballs

get the number of trackballs on a Joystick
`Joystick.get_numballs(): return int`

Returns the number of trackball devices on a Joystick. These devices work similar to a mouse but they have no absolute position; they only have relative amounts of movement.

The `pygame.JOYBALLMOTION` event will be sent when the trackball is rolled. It will report the amount of movement on the trackball.

Joystick.get_ball

get the relative position of a trackball
`Joystick.get_ball(ball_number): return x, y`

Returns the relative movement of a joystick button. The value is a x, y pair holding the relative movement since the last call to get_ball.

The ball number must be an integer from zero to get_numballs()-1.

Joystick.get_numbuttons

get the number of buttons on a Joystick
`Joystick.get_numbuttons(): return int`

Returns the number of pushable buttons on the joystick. These buttons have a boolean (on or off) state.

Buttons generate a `pygame.JOYBUTTONDOWN` and `pygame.JOYBUTTONUP` event when they are pressed and released.

Joystick.get_button

get the current button state
`Joystick.get_button(button): return bool`

Returns the current state of a joystick button.

Joystick.get_numhats

get the number of hat controls on a Joystick
`Joystick.get_numhats(): return int`

Returns the number of joystick hats on a Joystick. Hat devices are like miniature digital joysticks on a joystick. Each hat has two axes of input.

The `pygame.JOYHATMOTION` event is generated when the hat changes position. The position attribute for the event contains a pair of values that are either -1, 0, or 1. `A` position of (0, 0) means the hat is centered.

Joystick.get_hat

get the position of a joystick hat
`Joystick.get_hat(hat_number): return x, y`

Returns the current position of a position hat. The position is given as two values representing the `X` and `Y` position for the hat. (0, 0) means centered. `A` value of -1 means left/down and a value of 1 means right/up: so (-1, 0) means left; (1, 0) means right; (0, 1) means up; (1, 1) means upper-right; etc.

This value is digital, `i.e.`, each coordinate can be -1, 0 or 1 but never in-between.

The hat number must be between 0 and get_numhats()-1.