Joystick not recognized

[mvwood]

Hello,

I recently started trying to use a joystick to perform motion control on a multi-axis system.  I have created a program that uses a joystick connected to a gameport on a WinXP box to control a Newport XPS motion control device.  I tried to do the same thing on a WinME box driving a Newport ESP6000.  Both computers are running Labview7. 

On the XP machine I had no trouble with Labview recognizing a gameport joystick and operating the motors. 

On the ME machine however, Labview won't recognize that there is a joystick attached.  The joystick is installed correctly in Windows and I can use the control panel 'Game Controller' option to see the joystick and the state of all axes and buttons.  I have installed DirectX 9.0c so that shouldn't be the problem.  Yet when I use the 'Query Input Devices' vi I get no indication that there is a joystick present; the keyboard and mouse show up as expected.  This occurs when either or both a gameport joystick and/or a USB joystick is present. 

Any idea on how to make Labview see the joystick?  (other than upgrading the WinME to WinXP)

Thanks

[IgG]

Hi, mvmood,

what kind of joystick you have? I also want to use a joystick to control a 3D stage.
and how can you find out the joystick module in labview 7?

thank you very much

Jack

[Philip_Courtois]

Hi mvwood,

The last version of LabVIEW that officially supports Windows ME was LabVIEW 7.0. With LabVIEW 7.1, Windows ME (and 98) was no longer supported. I just wanted to make sure that you are not trying to get this to work using LabVIEW 7.1...

If you are using LabVIEW 7.0, the "Input Device Control" VIs should indeed work on your Windows ME machine. Make sure that LabVIEW is launched after the joystick is inserted.

Is it only the "Query Input Devices.vi" that doesn't give the expected results, or does none of the "Input Device Control" VIs work? Have you tried this on another Windows ME machine?

Please let me know so I can troubleshoot further, thanks.

[mvwood]

I have tried both a custom-built joystick that connects to the gameport and a Logitech Attack3 USB joystick with the same result.  Windows sees the joysticks (either alone or both at the same time) according to the control panel, but Labview doesn't see either.  Both the joysticks work with Labview7 on a WinXP machine down the hall. 

The WinME machine is running Labview 7 and has Directx9.0c installed.  I've tried instering joystick, powering pc and opening Labview in different orders with no difference in result; neither the 'Query Input Devices" or the "Initialize Joystick"  VIs recognize the joystick.  I don't have another WinME machine to try it on, but everything works on XP machines. 

[Philip_Courtois]

Hi mvwood,

The "Input Device Control" VIs for LabVIEW 7.0 were created when DirectX 8 was available and therefore it is only possible to guarantee support for this version of DirectX (even some KnowledgeBases mention that DirectX 8 and later is supported).

To guarantee the support for the input devices, please reinstall DirectX 8 on your machine instead of version 9.0c.

Please let me know if you still are having issues, thanks.