Direct Input Manager v1.0f

🎮 Unity DirectInput Force Feedback & Input Mapping System - Major Update

This comprehensive update improves DirectInput force feedback implementation and adds new runtime configuration features.

Core Architecture Changes

• Replaced SAFEARRAY with direct memory management (const char**) for string arrays
• Added proper memory cleanup routines with RAII patterns
• Improved error handling with HRESULT returns
• Updated C# interop layer for reliable marshaling
• FFB device re-attach now works without DInput Mapper interruptions

New Features

• Runtime FFB Configuration UI (F3 key toggle)

  • Complete force feedback effects control panel
  • Live axis value monitoring
  • Device auto-detection with search functionality
  • Persistent settings via PlayerPrefs

• Runtime Input Mapping UI (F2 key toggle)

  • Real-time input assignment system
  • Visual feedback for the Input mapping process
  • Right-click to reset values
  • Duplicate mapping name detection

Editor Enhancements

• Edit mode mapping configuration
• Device search term management
• Input/device string editing
• Add/remove mapping functionality
• Improved error handling and validation

Technical Improvements

• Memory Management

  • Proper GUI cleanup and initialization
  • Enhanced error handling for device connections
  • Streamlined save/load system
  • Eliminated SafeArray versioning issues
  • Added proper cleanup of unmanaged resources

• Device Communication

  • Added DBTEvents enum for device state changes (0x0007, 0x8000, 0x8004)
  • Implemented proper callback mechanism with __stdcall convention
  • Added static callback storage (g_deviceCallback) to prevent garbage collection
  • Fixed callback parameter type matching between C# and C++

• UI/UX Enhancements

  • Improved UI layout and styling
  • Better runtime vs edit mode separation
  • Enhanced error reporting with detailed messages

Files Modified

• DirectInputForceFeedback.h
• DirectInputForceFeedback.cpp
• DirectInputManager.cs
• DirectInputTypes.cs
• [UI related files]

Testing & Validation

• Verified string array marshaling works across different machines
• Confirmed memory cleanup works correctly
• Validated error handling in edge cases
• Tested UI functionality in both runtime and edit modes

Technical Impact

• Better memory management and resource handling
• Improved reliability across different machines
• Reduced potential for versioning conflicts
• Enhanced error reporting and user feedback
• More robust device connection handling
• Improved overall system stability

Demo Software

Unity DirectInput Force Feedback Demo 🎮

Experience the power of DirectInput force feedback with this comprehensive demo application! This showcase demonstrates the capabilities of the Unity DirectInput system with an intuitive, runtime-configurable interface.

Key Features

• Real-time FFB Configuration - Fine-tune your force feedback effects during gameplay, including:

  • Basic forces (Constant, Damper, Friction, Inertia, Spring)
  • Periodic effects (Sine, Square, Triangle, Sawtooth)
  • Collision simulation testing

• Dynamic Input Mapping - Configure your DirectInput device mappings on the fly:

  • Visual input detection system
  • Real-time axis value monitoring
  • Automatic device detection
  • Persistent configuration storage

User Experience

• Toggle FFB configuration with F3
• Access input mapping with F2
• Right-click sliders to reset values
• Save/load configurations between sessions
• Smart device search and auto-connection

Perfect for racing game developers and simulation enthusiasts looking to implement professional-grade force feedback and input systems in their Unity projects.

Built based on the DirectInput plugin of MrTimCackes and ATG-Simulator's improvements, this demo provides a complete reference implementation for DirectInput device management in Unity with Unity's Input System.