Input Configuration Guide for the X-Arcade Tankstick and Dual Joystick
About this guide
There are many examples in the forums of folks who struggle with configuring X-Arcade control panels to work seamlessly with RetroArch. For my part I was able to successfully bind a Tankstick in the RA 1.3.x era. This guide is written based on my configurations for that system which I have manually adjusted for RA 1.7.x but please be aware that this guide is based on older versions of the software.
If you try this approach and have feedback, please let me know so I can improve it.
Note 1: That these keybinds are intended for use with the X-Arcade unit set to Mode 0. You may find it useful to consult this diagram of the way that Mode 0 maps to a standard keyboard: https://web.archive.org/web/20170610064858/http://www.xgameroom.com//service/images/Layouts/PC-MAC.htm
Note 2: Using these settings verbatim will disable hotkeys for Rewind, Slow motion, and Fullscreen toggle. If you wish to use those hotkeys, you should bind one of your control panel’s buttons to trigger the hotkey.
Configuring keybinds via the RetroArch GUI with a standard keyboard
With the X-Arcade Tankstick or Dual Joystick unplugged, attach a standard USB keyboard to your system.
Unbind conflicting RetroArch hotkeys:
- Enter the
Settingsmenu, then selectInput. Enter theInput Hotkey Bindsmenu. - Unbind
RfromRewind - Unbind
EfromSlow motion - Unbind
FfromFullscreen toggle - Return to the
Inputmenu.
Within the Input User 1 Binds menu:
- Bind
User 1 Up D-PadtoUp - Bind
User 1 Down D-PadtoDown - Bind
User 1 Left D-PadtoLeft - Bind
User 1 Right D-PadtoRight - Bind
User 1 YtoLeft Ctrl - Bind
User 1 BtoLeft Shift - Bind
User 1 XtoLeft Alt - Bind
User 1 AtoZ - Bind
User 1 LtoSpace - Bind
User 1 RtoX - Bind
User 1 L2toC - Bind
User 1 Selectto5 - Bind
User 1 Startto1
Note: Early X-Arcade models used the number pad for directions, rather than the directional keys. If you have such a model, you should use the corresponding number pad keys when configuring the User 1 D-Pad bindings.
Within the Input User 2 Binds menu:
- Bind
User 2 Up D-PadtoR - Bind
User 2 Down D-PadtoF - Bind
User 2 Left D-PadtoD - Bind
User 2 Right D-PadtoG - Bind
User 2 YtoA - Bind
User 2 BtoW - Bind
User 2 XtoS - Bind
User 2 AtoE - Bind
User 2 LtoQ - Bind
User 2 Rtoleftbracket - Bind
User 2 L2torightbracket - Bind
User 2 Selectto6 - Bind
User 2 Startto2
IMPORTANT: Once you have changed these key bindings, manually save your RetroArch settings or the keybinds could be lost.
Configuring retroarch.cfg directly
Open retroarch.cfg in the text editor of your choice. Then find each of the lines below and edit their values to match this guide.
RetroArch hotkeys
input_rewind = "nul"
input_slowmotion = "nul"
input_toggle_fullscreen = "nul"
input_toggle_fast_forward = "nul"
User 1
input_player1_b = "lshift"
input_player1_y = "ctrl"
input_player1_select = "5"
input_player1_start = "1"
input_player1_up = "up"
input_player1_down = "down"
input_player1_left = "left"
input_player1_right = "right"
input_player1_a = "z"
input_player1_x = "alt"
input_player1_l = "space"
input_player1_r = "x"
input_player1_l2 = "c"
Note: Early X-Arcade models used the number pad for directions, rather than the directional keys. If you have such a model, you should use these bindings for the D-Pad instead:
input_player1_up = "keypad8"
input_player1_down = "keypad2"
input_player1_left = "keypad4"
input_player1_right = "keypad6"
User 2
input_player2_b = "w"
input_player2_y = "a"
input_player2_select = "6"
input_player2_start = "2"
input_player2_up = "r"
input_player2_down = "f"
input_player2_left = "d"
input_player2_right = "g"
input_player2_a = "e"
input_player2_x = "s"
input_player2_l = "q"
input_player2_r = "leftbracket"
input_player2_l2 = "rightbracket"
