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@claymcleod
Last active February 3, 2025 15:27
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Playstation 4 Controller Python
#! /usr/bin/env python
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
#
# This file presents an interface for interacting with the Playstation 4 Controller
# in Python. Simply plug your PS4 controller into your computer using USB and run this
# script!
#
# NOTE: I assume in this script that the only joystick plugged in is the PS4 controller.
# if this is not the case, you will need to change the class accordingly.
#
# Copyright © 2015 Clay L. McLeod <[email protected]>
#
# Distributed under terms of the MIT license.
import os
import pprint
import pygame
class PS4Controller(object):
"""Class representing the PS4 controller. Pretty straightforward functionality."""
controller = None
axis_data = None
button_data = None
hat_data = None
def init(self):
"""Initialize the joystick components"""
pygame.init()
pygame.joystick.init()
self.controller = pygame.joystick.Joystick(0)
self.controller.init()
def listen(self):
"""Listen for events to happen"""
if not self.axis_data:
self.axis_data = {}
if not self.button_data:
self.button_data = {}
for i in range(self.controller.get_numbuttons()):
self.button_data[i] = False
if not self.hat_data:
self.hat_data = {}
for i in range(self.controller.get_numhats()):
self.hat_data[i] = (0, 0)
while True:
for event in pygame.event.get():
if event.type == pygame.JOYAXISMOTION:
self.axis_data[event.axis] = round(event.value,2)
elif event.type == pygame.JOYBUTTONDOWN:
self.button_data[event.button] = True
elif event.type == pygame.JOYBUTTONUP:
self.button_data[event.button] = False
elif event.type == pygame.JOYHATMOTION:
self.hat_data[event.hat] = event.value
# Insert your code on what you would like to happen for each event here!
# In the current setup, I have the state simply printing out to the screen.
os.system('clear')
pprint.pprint(self.button_data)
pprint.pprint(self.axis_data)
pprint.pprint(self.hat_data)
if __name__ == "__main__":
ps4 = PS4Controller()
ps4.init()
ps4.listen()
@ArturSpirin
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There is a ready available solution now, I wrote a package that does not require pygame or any other packages and binding to button events is as easy as:

from pyPS4Controller.controller import Controller
    
    
class MyController(Controller):

    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
        Controller.__init__(self, **kwargs)

    def on_x_press(self):
       print("Hello world")

    def on_x_release(self):
       print("Goodbye world")

controller = MyController(interface="/dev/input/js0", connecting_using_ds4drv=False)
# you can start listening before controller is paired, as long as you pair it within the timeout window
controller.listen(timeout=60)

Package is available on GitHub & PyPi

@eighta
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eighta commented Feb 28, 2020

how can i control the leds controller with python ?
changing the value (0 - 255) on this file:
'/sys/class/leds/' + dsId + ':' + led + '/brightness'

@thiagosm1
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Hello, im brazilian and i want to make a software with a new function to the ds4 controller, but i need to know, I can make a telemetry system like SIM Dashboard with Python?

@justinpaulturner
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@ActualMasterOogway
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@JaviOrtega88 did you find anything? I'm currently trying to do the same thing

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