Gamepad

Caution

The gamepad is not the recommended way to use KeepTrack. It was designed primarily for presentations where limited functionality is needed and a keyboard/mouse setup is not conducive.

The Gamepad Plugin is a component of the KeepTrack application that provides functionality for using a gamepad controller to navigate and interact with the space visualization.

Features

• Gamepad connection and disconnection handling
• Support for various gamepad buttons and analog sticks
• Camera control (zoom, pan, rotate)
• Satellite selection and navigation
• Toggle auto-rotation
• Vibration feedback

User Interface

The plugin does not add any visible UI elements but instead enhances the existing interface with gamepad controls:

• Left analog stick: Camera movement
• Right analog stick: Camera rotation (when not in limited mode)
• Triggers: Zoom in/out
• Buttons: Various functions (detailed in the Usage section)

Usage

Connecting a Gamepad

1. Connect a compatible gamepad to your computer
2. The application will automatically detect the gamepad connection
3. A toast notification will appear confirming the connection

Note

The plugin was primarily designed and tested with Xbox controllers. Other gamepads may work but might require modifications to the code for optimal functionality.

Basic Controls

• Left analog stick: Move camera
• Right analog stick: Rotate camera (if not in limited mode)
• Left trigger (LT): Zoom out
• Right trigger (RT): Zoom in
• A button: Select hovering satellite
• B button: Deselect satellite and reset zoom
• X button: Toggle auto-rotate
• Left bumper (LB): Select previous satellite
• Right bumper (RB): Select next satellite
• D-pad: Control auto-rotation direction

Tip

The sensitivity and behavior of the controls can be adjusted by modifying the deadzone and various speed variables in the plugin code.

Integration with KeepTrack

The Gamepad Plugin integrates with several KeepTrack components:

• CameraManager: Controls camera movement and rotation
• SelectSatManager: Handles satellite selection
• HoverManager: Identifies the currently hovered satellite
• UiManager: Displays toast notifications for gamepad connection/disconnection

Development

When extending or modifying the Gamepad Plugin, consider the following:

• The plugin follows the KeepTrackPlugin architecture
• It uses the Gamepad API to interact with connected gamepads
• Button mappings are based on a standard Xbox controller layout
• The plugin supports both normal and limited control modes

Code Configuration

The plugin supports the following configuration options:

• deadzone: Analog stick deadzone (default: 0.55)
• isLimitedGamepadControls: Restricts certain functions for presentation mode

Note

When adding support for new gamepad models, you may need to adjust the button indices in the updateButtons_ method to match the new controller’s layout.

Troubleshooting

• If the gamepad is not detected, ensure it’s properly connected and supported by your browser
• Check the browser console for any error messages related to gamepad functionality
• Verify that the required KeepTrack components (CameraManager, SelectSatManager, etc.) are properly initialized
• If certain buttons don’t work as expected, check the button mapping in the updateButtons_ method

Note

The Gamepad Plugin is primarily a tool for presentations and limited-interaction scenarios. For full functionality and precise control, using a keyboard and mouse is recommended.