HOW-TO: Connect Sixaxis to Ubuntu trough bluetooth mode

[falkTX]

Intro:
After the BlueZ stack was updated to 4.xx, Sixaxis joysticks (from Sony PS3 console) stop working. There's some people on the bluez team working to make it work, but it seems that it could take a while.
So I decided to create a simple GUI that would use some patched 'hidd' that allows to connect Sixaxis to a Linux PC "out-of-the-box".

The app is called 'QtSixA' (It will be in 'Apps' -> 'Utils' -> 'QtSixA'). The GUI is now complete and has been tested to work in 32, 64bit and PowerPC/PS3 computers.



Installation:
If you're not running from a PS3 (or any PowerPC machine), add the repo by running this command:
For Ubuntu 9.10 or upwards:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:falk-t-j/qtsixa

For Ubuntu Jaunty or Intrepid, add QtSixA PPA to the Software Sources: (replace UBUNTU_VERSION by "jaunty" or "intrepid")

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/falk-t-j/qtsixa/ubuntu UBUNTU_VERSION main

Then can you install it by opening a terminal and type:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install qtsixa

For PS3 users, DEBs can be downloaded here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/qtsixa/files/

If you are using Natty (11.04), please check this first:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...&postcount=885


Screenshot: (Old)
http://kde-apps.org/CONTENT/content-pre1/107197-1.jpeg


Bugs or feature requests:
Use the links in the QtSixA GUI (menu "Help" -> "Web Links")


About the Code:
The GUI is written in PyQt (python-qt4) and uses 'sixad' (written in C++) to connect through bluetooth or a hidraw device. They're both released under the GPL v2 license and you can get the source code here:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/qtsixa/files/



You can check recent posts at page 89

[falkTX]

Update:
The main tab on the GUI now displays the connected Sixaxis and curretly set profile.

I've been attempting to set the repo as trusted and I'm close to it. If you note something when updating sources, it's normal;
I think the repo should be trusted before the end of the month

[Psyphre]

Hi, first I want to thank you for your dedicated and hard work.

Ive installed the sixa from your repo and started it. Unfortunately it cannot detect my ps3 controller.

Its plugged in via usb and all its lights are flashing, yet no detection.
Also tried it unplugged (therefore using bluetooth), still nothing.

[falkTX]

Hi, first I want to thank you for your dedicated and hard work.

Ive installed the sixa from your repo and started it. Unfortunately it cannot detect my ps3 controller.

Its plugged in via usb and all its lights are flashing, yet no detection.
Also tried it unplugged (therefore using bluetooth), still nothing.

Go to the advanced tab and check "I know what I'm doing"
Try the sixpair setup
(Note: in this setup you'll pair your Sixaxis to the bluetooth stick in USB mode, so please plug the bluetooth stick/device/pen into a USB port as well as the Sixaxis.)
Run that setup and post the sixaxis report at the end

[falkTX]

Update:
New version brings control (disconnect only, yet) to the list of connected sixaxis.
Also some minor adjustments to the GUI and setups

[falkTX]

SixA in the KDE-App.org:
http://www.kde-apps.org/content/show...content=107197

[Psyphre]

Go to the advanced tab and check "I know what I'm doing"
Try the sixpair setup
(Note: in this setup you'll pair your Sixaxis to the bluetooth stick in USB mode, so please plug the bluetooth stick/device/pen into a USB port as well as the Sixaxis.)
Run that setup and post the sixaxis report at the end

Gave that a try but no luck. The report is this:

Current Bluetooth master: 00:09:dd:50:5a:a4
Setting master bd_addr to 00:09:dd:50:5a:a4

Still no sixa controller in the list.
The bluetooth usb dongle is in and the ps3 controller is plugged in via usb aswell. I pressed the PS button before pairing.


EDIT!
No wait it works. I didnt realise I had to the advanced mode then do the normal Sixa pairing (without USB) AFTER doing a USB pair. Works brilliant. Great job!

[sl1pkn07]

not working for me

sl1pkn07@SpinFlo:~/Downloads$ sixa-gui
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/share/sixa/gui/main.pyw", line 620, in <module>
SixA = Main_SixA_Window()
File "/usr/share/sixa/gui/main.pyw", line 18, in __init__
uic.loadUi("/usr/share/sixa/gui/main.ui", self)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/__init__.py", line 106, in loadUi
return loader.DynamicUILoader().loadUi(uifile, baseinstance)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/Loader/loader.py", line 22, in loadUi
return self.parse(filename)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 690, in parse
actor(elem)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 538, in createUserInterface
self.traverseWidgetTree(elem)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 516, in traverseWidgetTree
handler(self, child)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 163, in createWidget
self.traverseWidgetTree(elem)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 516, in traverseWidgetTree
handler(self, child)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 320, in createLayout
self.traverseWidgetTree(elem)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 516, in traverseWidgetTree
handler(self, child)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 340, in handleItem
self.traverseWidgetTree(elem)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 516, in traverseWidgetTree
handler(self, child)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 320, in createLayout
self.traverseWidgetTree(elem)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 516, in traverseWidgetTree
handler(self, child)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 340, in handleItem
self.traverseWidgetTree(elem)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 516, in traverseWidgetTree
handler(self, child)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 163, in createWidget
self.traverseWidgetTree(elem)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 516, in traverseWidgetTree
handler(self, child)
File "/usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/PyQt4/uic/uiparser.py", line 167, in createWidget
widget.setSortingEnabled(self.sorting_enabled)
AttributeError: setSortingEnabled
sl1pkn07@SpinFlo:~/Downloads$

python-qt4 v4.4.4 installed

[Aze6778]

First you must pair the controller for me is much easier via command line 1.sixpair should give a message like this:
Current Bluetooth master: 00:09:dd:50:5a:a4
Setting master bd_addr to 00:09:dd:50:5a:a4

then enter sixad --start that is going to give this: sixad-bin[22374]: startedsixad-bin[22374]: sixad started, press the PS button now then you just have to press the ps button and wait for the controller to vibrate

[RabblerouserGT]

So I've uninstalled QTSixA via sudo apt-get remove qtsixa. And now the controller will not work in USB mode. It would work in USB apparently when I first started using QTSixA, but after I paired a controller via Bluetooth, it seems USB SIXAXIS no longer works.

I don't like pairing my controller to my computer if the PS3 is going to be the main controller-usage device.
Not to mention at least with USB, I could emulator an Xbox 360 controller with xboxdrv.

As it stands right now, I can only use the PS3 controller in Bluetooth mode, which I DO NOT like.

jstest-gtk screenshot
Everything seems frozen at these values, no matter what buttons I press. The only way to "unfreeze" them is to go to Bluetooth mode.

I just want to restore my USB functionality and say goodbye to Bluetooth forever.