Mouse Hack (Wheel Spinner)

[PoDunkMoFo]

Does mame support mouse wheel.

I noticed that mouse wheels use optical encoders just like the x and y.  Hacking a mouse with a scroll wheel would allow you to use 1 trackball and 1 spinner or 3 steering wheels.  Anyone want to weigh in on this.

Also how about mounting an optical mouse right under your trackball, seems like it would be a simple solution.

[eightbit]

Does mame support mouse wheel.

no
quote author=PoDunkMoFo link=board=1;threadid=4432;start=0#28019 date=1042779554]
Also how about mounting an optical mouse right under your trackball, seems like it would be a simple solution.
[/quote
Huh? Please explain

[cdbrown]

I think he has the optical part of the mouse "looking" at the trackball, so as you spin the trackball the mouse see's that it's moving and registers the movement.  Just like if you hold the mouse upside down and rub your finger across it, it see's something moving so it thinks it is moving and that's what is registered.

I think this was discussed a while back and someone came up with why it wouldn't work properly.  But if you can get it to work then I'm all ears.

Cheers
-cdbrown

[PoDunkMoFo]

So does anyone know if there are plans to support the mouse wheel?

I was refering to mounting an optical mouse upside down just next to the trackball.  Of course you would have to invert x y directions but I see no reason why it would not work.

[OSCAR]

u_rebel (www.urebelscum.speedhost.com) is the real guru when it comes to mice & MAME, but as far as I know there are no plans to integrate mouse scroll wheel support into MAME.  But plans can change....

[Minwah]

The 'button' function of the wheel works for me, but not the scrolling part.

If you want 3 axis, why not just hack 2 mice - 1 PS/2 and 1 USB, or 2 USB??

[u_rebelscum]

So does anyone know if there are plans to support the mouse wheel?

I'll look into adding it to Mame:Analog+.  The standard mame won't add it until it can re-assign any mouse axis to any game axis (like you can buttons), and mame can't do that with mouse axis yet.  Analog+ can assign the axis, so it shouldn't be too hard to add, I hope. (opps, opened my big mouth, didn't I?)

One thing about the mouse wheel; it is usually much coarser resolution than the normal X & Y axis, and the mouse driver often sets it so one turn-snap equals about 10-25 "pixels" on the X or Y axis.  The smooth spinning mouse wheels might be not as coarse; I haven't tested the output of one (ie, I don't have one).

I was refering to mounting an optical mouse upside down just next to the trackball.  Of course you would have to invert x y directions but I see no reason why it would not work.

It was talked about before.  IIRC, two people tried it and neither got it to work:  It was hard to place the ball so it was the right distance and angle from the optical sensors on the mice test.  The sensors are designed to work the distance the mouse positions it above the table, parallel to the bottom of the mouse on a (mostly) flat surface.  Also, most trackballs are too smooth & shiny for most optical mice to read off of.  But the newer optical generations are getting better, so you could try it.  Beware you were warned that others tried and gave up.

However, if you get it working, please post what you did.

[Brax]

You want to place this under a trackball? It that so you can scroll through the game lists of your frontend?

You can use your trackball (or joystick) to scroll through the gamelists on Game Launcher.

It sounds like you want the wheel functionality anyways but if scrolling game lists was all you wanted, GL can do it.

[eightbit]

You want to place this under a trackball? It that so you can scroll through the game lists of your frontend?

He wants the optical mouse to read the trackball. IE no hacking just mount the optical  mouse under the trackball and have it read the ball movement. Most optical mouse won't work on a smooth surface. Every optical trackball I've seen uses a grid pattern on the ball.

You can use your trackball (or joystick) to scroll through the gamelists on Game Launcher.

It sounds like you want the wheel functionality anyways but if scrolling game lists was all you wanted, GL can do it.

He wants the scroll wheel as a third axis in mame, he's looking to get 3 steering wheels off one mouse.

[Brax]

Hmm, its clear enough now. I must have been sleeping this morning.

[eightbit]

One thing about the mouse wheel; it is usually much coarser resolution than the normal X & Y axis, and the mouse driver often sets it so one turn-snap equals about 10-25 "pixels" on the X or Y axis.

I wonder if you could use this for a Mechanical rotary stick hack... Nah, LS30's are $15, its not worth it.

[rampy]

One thing about the mouse wheel; it is usually much coarser resolution than the normal X & Y axis, and the mouse driver often sets it so one turn-snap equals about 10-25 "pixels" on the X or Y axis.

I wonder if you could use this for a Mechanical rotary stick hack... Nah, LS30's are $15, its not worth it.

You know.. I have thought of doing that before.  It's not a bad idea at all... assuming 3rd axis is goes unsupported in mame, you could take the optics/etc out  and wire them to a regular X or Y axis ... the trick, as per usual is how to cleanly/efficiently/ruggedly fasten it to the bottom of a super/etc.

*shrug*

rampy