Wand Quick Start Guide

Last revision: ver. 4.2 - 28 August 2013

This page will provide a quick overview of programming the Wand interface for Omegalib applications. The Wand, like the other interaction devices uses Omicron's event structure. The Wand is a combination of two input services - a Mocap service and a Controller service. Typically these are the VRPNService for motion tracker data and the XInputService for controller input.

Wand Event Structure

Also see Wand Service and Event Reference

Selected General Event Fields

• sourceId: Unique identifier for the Wand.
• As of v4.2-a5 Wand IDs now match the mocap ID instead of the controller ID.
• If the controllers are not activated order according to their Wand ID, the button and trackable mapping may be swapped.
• i.e. Controllers should be activated as: Batman (mocap ID 1), Robin (mocap ID 2), then Xbox360 (mocap ID 3)
• position: Mocap position as a Vector3
• orientation: Mocap orientation as a Quaternion

Selected Python Event Methods

Not all Event class functions are accessible in Python. The following are accessible by omegaPythonApi.cpp.

• isKeyDown(char): Returns the status of a key command
• isKeyUp(char): Returns the status of a key command
• isButtonDown(flag) Returns the down status of a button (see controller flags below)
• isButtonUp(flag) Returns the up status of a button (see controller flags below)
• getAxis(int): Take in an integer corresponding to ExtraDataFloat IDs below
• getSourceId(): The ID assigned by the service that created the event
• getServiceType(): The service that created the event (Wand, Controller, Mocap, Pointer, etc.)
• getPosition()
• getOrientation()

PS3 Navigation Controller Fields

• ExtraDataFloat 0: Left Analog Stick (-left, +right)
• ExtraDataFloat 1: Left Analog Stick (-up, +down)
• ExtraDataFloat 4: Analog Trigger L2 (0.0 to 1.0)

PS3 Navigation Controller Flags

• ButtonUp: D-pad Up
• ButtonRight: D-pad Right
• ButtonDown: D-pad Down
• ButtonLeft: D-pad Left
• Button 2: Circle (Right button)
• Button 3: Cross (Left button)
• Button 5: Left Shoulder Button (L1)
• Button 6: Left Analog Stick Button (L3)
• Button 7: Left Analog Trigger ( Value > 0.5 ) (L2)

Python example

from math import *
from euclid import *
from omega import *
from cyclops import *

def onEvent():

	# Get an event
	e = getEvent()
	
	# If we want to check multiple controllers or other tracked objects,
	# we could also check the sourceID of the event
	sourceID = e.getSourceId()
	
	# Check to make sure the event we're checking is a Wand event
	if(e.getServiceType() == ServiceType.Wand):

		# If a button is pressed down do something
		if(e.isButtonDown( EventFlags.Button3 )): # Cross
			print("Wand ", sourceID, "Left button pressed")
		if(e.isButtonDown( EventFlags.Button2 )): # Circle
			print("Wand ", sourceID, "Right button pressed")
		if(e.isButtonDown( EventFlags.ButtonUp )): # D-Pad up
			print("Wand ", sourceID, "D-Pad up pressed")
		if(e.isButtonDown( EventFlags.ButtonDown )): # D-Pad down
			print("Wand ", sourceID, "D-Pad down pressed")
		if(e.isButtonDown( EventFlags.ButtonLeft )): # D-Pad left
			print("Wand ", sourceID, "D-Pad left pressed")
		if(e.isButtonDown( EventFlags.ButtonRight )): # D-Pad right
			print("Wand ", sourceID, "D-Pad right pressed")
		if(e.isButtonDown( EventFlags.Button6 )): # Analog stick button (L3)
			print("Wand ", sourceID, "L3 button pressed")
			
		# Check if some buttons are also released
		if(e.isButtonUp( EventFlags.Button3 )): # Cross
			print("Wand ", sourceID, "Left button released")
		if(e.isButtonUp( EventFlags.Button2 )): # Circle
			print("Wand ", sourceID, "Right button released")
			
		# If L1 is pressed print mocap data
		if(e.isButtonDown( EventFlags.Button5 )): # L1 button
			print("Wand ", sourceID, " position: ", e.getPosition() )
			print("Wand ", sourceID, " orientation: ", e.getOrientation() )
			
		# Button7 is a special case, L2 is an analog trigger whose values
		# are accessed below.
		# As a shortcut Button7 will be triggered if L2 has a value greater than 0.5
		if(e.isButtonDown( EventFlags.Button7 )): # Analog Trigger (L2)
			print("Wand ", sourceID, "L2 button pressed")
			
		# Grab the analog stick horizontal axis
		analogLR = e.getAxis(0)

		# Grab the analog stick vertical axis
		analogUD = e.getAxis(1)

		if( (analogUD + analogLR) > 0.001 or  (analogUD + analogLR) < -0.001 ):
			print("Wand ", sourceID, "Analog stick: ", analogUD, " ", analogLR)
			
		## Grab the analog trgger
		analogL2 = e.getAxis(4)
		
		if( analogL2 > 0.001 ):
			print("Wand ", sourceID, "Analog trigger L2: ", analogL2 )
			
	elif(e.getServiceType() == ServiceType.Mocap):
		print("Trackable ", sourceID, " position: ", e.getPosition() )
		print("Trackable ", sourceID, " orientation: ", e.getOrientation() )
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Register our onEvent function with Omegalib
setEventFunction(onEvent)