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My Control Panel checklist - newbie

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megashock5:
 ;) Don't worry about jacking the thread - this is good information.

My personal plan is to have a spinner and trackball that are always connected, so I can skip over a lot of what was just discussed, correct?

At least I think from what someone posted, I should be able to connect both at once using a mouse hack (assuming I figure out how to do that). I bought the Project Arcade book, but haven't made it through the whole thing yet. Anyone know if there's mouse hack instructions in there? I know I bookmarked a page someone mentioned here, but it would be great if it were in the book with all the other info.

Witchboard:
Yeah, you won't have to worry about it.  The auto-switching we are talking about is a feature that keeps the trackball and spinner from working at the same time.  With a mouse hack, both the trackball and spinner will be "live" at the same time.  Meaning if you're playing a trackball game and you accidentally nudge the spinner it will register in your game.

I haven't seen the book yet, but there are tons of mouse hack how to's on the main page and in the forums.

Tiger-Heli:

--- Quote from: megashock5 on June 07, 2004, 11:14:56 am ---My personal plan is to have a spinner and trackball that are always connected, so I can skip over a lot of what was just discussed, correct?

--- End quote ---
Correct - you could also skip over it if your spinner was permanently connected to the mouse hack, even if you plugged and unplugged the mouse hack from the PC.

--- Quote ---At least I think from what someone posted, I should be able to connect both at once using a mouse hack (assuming I figure out how to do that).

--- End quote ---
Correct, either using dual USB mouse hacks (preferably with different brand mice) or by using a DPDT switch as shown in the link to OSCAR's page above.

--- Quote ---Anyone know if there's mouse hack instructions in there?

--- End quote ---
Dunno, probably, but OSCAR sells them pre-hacked for $9.00 or with buttons and $12.50.  For the effort involved, I would just buy from him unless you a) really enjoy soldering stuff, b) need the satisfaction of doing stuff yourself, or c) are REALLY cheap.

Also, back on-topic  8)  I understand OSCAR's comments, but if I hook the trackball and spinner up to the interface as shown with a DPDT swithch, am I not in effect briefly disconnecting one device and connecting the other without disconnecting the USB cable, for the brief time that the switch is between positions.  I suspect this whole thing is similar to hot-swapping PS/2 mice and keyboards, where in theory you could damage something, but I've never heard of it actually happening.

Tiger-Heli:
Sortof what Witchboard said:

--- Quote ---Yeah, you won't have to worry about it.  The auto-switching we are talking about is a feature that keeps the trackball and spinner from working at the same time.

--- End quote ---
. . . when using an Opti-Pac with both trackball and spinner connected to the same port on the board.

--- Quote ---With a mouse hack, both the trackball and spinner will be "live" at the same time.  Meaning if you're playing a trackball game and you accidentally nudge the spinner it will register in your game.

--- End quote ---
Well, almost -

With two USB mouse (mice???) hacks connected to individual spinners and trackballs, they will both be live at the same time, but you can use NoNAME MAME or MAME Analog plus to set which one is controlled in a particular game.  (But it's better to not use the same brand of mouse or they will swap positions on reboot.).

With a single mouse hack and both a trackball and spinner, I think you HAVE to use the DPDT switch as OSCAR shows, or the mouse circuitry will become confused and not work correctly.

Witchboard:
Ah, thanks for the clarification Tiger-Heli.   ;D

Actually, I just went to Oscars site and I'm having trouble finding the quote that NoOne referenced.  I'm probably just blind, but Andy replied with "This would be no problem.  I can't envisage how this could cause damage even with a mouse hack."

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