Sidewinder Strategic Commander problems

Dear Turbotoes:

When I receive my new PC, if I have any issues will you be able to still help me if something doesn't work? Thank you in advance for future help...

Ladislao...

Clearly nobody did any kind of research on this subject, i.e. why the drivers do not show up in Vista x64 or you would have found the following link;

INF Requirements for 64-bit Systems: Changes to INF Requirements for the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 Operating System

Sadly I havn't fixed the problem, although I suspect I am closer than most as mine installs the Microsoft SideWinder Strategic Commander, however the other device manger entry does not work (and so the device does not work at all). Oddly the error for the second entry is actually not intended for the platform which the fix below fixes for the first (perhaps there is a second inf I am missing)

Long story short, the drivers are not written to the standards required by Vista x64 editions and so hence arn't detected automatically and are rejected when forced. Basically that link says the drivers have to state the driver is 64bit ready; hence the following in the driver

[Manufacturer]
%MSFT_HARDWARE% = Models

[Models]
%USB\VID_045E&PID_0033.DeviceDesc%=HID_Inst, USB\VID_045E&PID_0033
%HID\VID_045E&PID_0033.DeviceDesc%=GcKernel_Inst, HID\VID_045E&PID_0033
%SideWinderVirtualKeyboard.DeviceDesc% = Swvd_Inst, SWVBENUM\SideWinderVirtualKeyboard
%SideWinderVirtualMouse.DeviceDesc% = Swvd_Inst, SWVBENUM\SideWinderVirtualMouse

is not valid, but rather should be

[Manufacturer]
%MSFT_HARDWARE% = Models,NTamd64

[Models]
%USB\VID_045E&PID_0033.DeviceDesc%=HID_Inst, USB\VID_045E&PID_0033
%HID\VID_045E&PID_0033.DeviceDesc%=GcKernel_Inst, HID\VID_045E&PID_0033
%SideWinderVirtualKeyboard.DeviceDesc% = Swvd_Inst, SWVBENUM\SideWinderVirtualKeyboard
%SideWinderVirtualMouse.DeviceDesc% = Swvd_Inst, SWVBENUM\SideWinderVirtualMouse

[Models.NTamd64]
%USB\VID_045E&PID_0033.DeviceDesc%=HID_Inst, USB\VID_045E&PID_0033
%HID\VID_045E&PID_0033.DeviceDesc%=GcKernel_Inst, HID\VID_045E&PID_0033
%SideWinderVirtualKeyboard.DeviceDesc% = Swvd_Inst, SWVBENUM\SideWinderVirtualKeyboard
%SideWinderVirtualMouse.DeviceDesc% = Swvd_Inst, SWVBENUM\SideWinderVirtualMouse

I hope someone knowledgable can take a further look at the inf file (windows 2000 works better I find) and fix the second driver so that it all works.... Without the second driver working the configuration tool complains about corrupt files!

I'm currently writing my own Interface/Engine for the Strategic Commander for Vista x64. I think it will work for all windows versions. I need some help though. I need to make sure the VendorID and ProductID are the same for each unit.

If I could get some feedback as to your units ID numbers I would really appreciate it.

To check go to Device Manager, Human Interface Devices, Properties for the "HID compliant device" for the Strategic Marine.
If you are unsure which 1 is the Strategic Marine you can go to the 'Details' tab, under Property select 'Provider'. it should be Microsoft. If you think you have the correct device, then select "Hardware IDs" under Property. and paste the information in there. It should look like this...

HID\VID_045E&PID_0033&REV_0051
HID\VID_045E&PID_0033
HID_DEVICE_UP:0001_U:0000
HID_DEVICE

Thanks alot, and hopefully soon we can all use our controllers again !!

The drivers will definatly NOT work on any 64bit operating system

Two reasons;

1. The inf files do not referance 64bit platforms; easily fixed, google around I posted the fix for that
2. The driver binaries do not run under 64bit platforms; virtually impossible to fix without source code

I'm NOT using the drivers !!

I'm creating my own engine by reading the HID direct.
I already have it working on my system. In fact I'll put up a little demonstration of it's potential probably within 24 hours.

Trust me, this WILL work.

I applogies, i'm not sure what happened there. When I clicked 'reply' to the alert email that someone had posted a reply, the last message I said was someone asking about people getting the drivers working on x64 systems.

I look forward to seeing your drivers (I really hope they work). I'm a c# .NET developer so if you need a configuration utility written let me knowthe interface specification (webmaster@derek-bartram.co.uk).

OK, here is a little test version of the engine to see if it's detecting everyones controllers and to test that I have done the setup correctly

I think it will work on all versions of windows.

Currently all it does is assigns the X and Y axis to WASD keys and the 6 top buttons to the numbers the 1 to 6 keys above the letters (not the numberpad keys).

I know it's a bit ugly at the moment. The next stage should make it all better.

Please let me know if there are any problems/requests.

Thanks, Phil.

[FILE REMOVED - SEE BELOW FOR UPDATE]

Here is a slightly updated version with better timing functions and some deadzone features added.

I'd really like to know if these are working for you guys.
I'll get onto the key definitions as soon as possible.

Cheers,Phil.

I upgraded from Vista 32 bit to Vista 64 bit. And to my disappointment found my Strategic Commander no longer worked.

I just stumbled across this thread from Google. So I tried out the above linked program.

What you've done so far looks promising. It seemed to recognize my Strategic Commander. I pressed some buttons on the controller and the program saw them. I started the engine and went to note pad and pressed the number keys and a series of numbers were outputted out.

I tested it out in a game (The Witcher), but it didn't seem to work in game. Example the "1" key should activate an insignia in game. Pressing the 1 key on the keyboard works, but pressing it on the Strategic Commander does nothing. I alt-tab back to notepad and it still works there though.

So I tried playing the game in window mode to see if that made a difference, but it still doesn't.

But still, looks good so far, the engine does seem to see my Strategic Commander

OK guys, here is another updated version.
Still alot of work to go, but it's coming along nicely.
I really need to start thinking about saving profiles. Nobody wants to re-assign the keys everytime they start the program

@ Ravinmagi - I have changed the Key Output style, so it may help with your game as per the above post. Also, does the game use the keypad 1 key or the top numbers?

I must confess I havn't tried it in alot of games yet.

Changes since the last version-
Added key definitions for alot of the buttons and directions.
Made the High Precision timer selectable because of incompatability with XP64 and possibly some hardware.
Added a Walk Zone to press a key while the direction is past the deadzone but remains in the walk zone. Useful for games with a walk key assignment.
Changed Key output to not repeat the Press function while the key is down. (Will make this selectable in future version)

Again, Please report back with any problems/requests.
Thanks, Phil.