[Feature Request] PS3 controller support through DsHidMini

[ScottVordem]

Hello, I recently found this software when looking for an alternative to DS4Windows and saw this on the PcGamingWiki server and instantly fell in love.

However, I use a PlayStation 3 controller through the use of Nerfarius's DsHidMini software. It allows genuine DualShock 3 controllers to function on Windows either wired or through Bluetooth.

The way I have to get it to work with PadForge is to emulate an Xbox or Steam controller (SXS mode), and then use PadForge to emulate a PS4 or Xbox controller. It ends up using an emulated device to emulate another device which does not sound Ideal.

Would it be possible to integrate support for the real device using this software and drivers? I feel the driver's DS4W mode would be ideal for PadForge since this is how DS4Windows is able to integrate to it and it hides it from Steam Input since Steam can't see it. It would allow greater support for PS3 controllers to emulate other devices.

I'm sure you have a lot on your plate already, but I really like what you have thus far and it is really impressive, especially the DirectInput emulation.

I'm looking forward to using this more.

[hifihedgehog]

Hey @ScottVordem — thanks for the kind words, and great question!

Short answer: PadForge should already be able to read your DS3 directly — just not in DS4W mode. Try SDF mode instead.

Here's why:

DsHidMini's DS4W mode uses a custom HID protocol that only DS4Windows understands — SDL3 (which PadForge uses under the hood) can't read it, and neither can any other standard input library. That mode was specifically designed as a private communication channel between DsHidMini and DS4Windows.

However, DsHidMini's SDF mode (SixAxis/DualShock 3) presents your controller as a native DS3 device (VID 054C, PID 0268). SDL3 has DualShock 3 in its built-in gamepad database, so PadForge should recognize it as a standard gamepad and auto-map it to the correct layout — no manual configuration needed, no double-emulation.

Recommended setup:

1. Set DsHidMini to SDF mode
2. Open PadForge — your DS3 should appear as a detected device
3. Assign it to a virtual controller slot (Xbox 360, DS4, or vJoy)
4. If you want to hide it from Steam, use HidHide to cloak the real device

This gives you a single hop: real DS3 → PadForge → virtual controller. No intermediate emulation layer.

Could you give this a try with the latest v2.0.0-beta6 and let us know if the DS3 shows up in SDF mode? If SDL3 doesn't recognize it for some reason, we can add a custom mapping entry.

[ScottVordem]

Hello again @hifihedgehog, I didn't think to try with SDF mode. I tried it with the latest beta. I'm also using the latest beta of DsHidMini also since it's a major revision to the latest stable release (latest stable is from 2021).

The controller does pop up, However there are quite a few problems when testing the controller in PadForge.

• The axes for R2 and L2 are inverted (they are correctly detected, but without pressing them they are shown as being pressed)
• Select is not detected
• R3 is detected as L1
• L1 and R1 are detected as L3 and R3
• L2 and R2 are detected as 'Select' and 'Start' (Button 7 and Button 6)
• Start is detected as R1
• R1 are detected as both Button 9 and Button 11
• L3 is not detected
• PS button (I think is called Guide?) is detected as both Button 10 and Button 12
• Rumble motors don't seem to be detected as when testing them controller does not vibrate.

There might be more I've missed, but this from just testing with the controller view and input view in PadForge. I can't manually reassign either since some buttons are detected as two or not detected at all.

Everything else such as the D-pad (detected as POV), Circle, Cross, Square, Triangle, and both analogue sticks are working.

[ScottVordem]

I also want to point this out because DS4Windows did this. When emulating a PS4 controller with a PS3 controller, make sure that the select button on the PS3 is bound to "Touchpad Click" on the PS4 controller.

DS4Windows bound Select to the "Share" button by default which is not a bindable button for games and as far as I know, Share does nothing on PCs. It ends up breaking some compatibility with some games that utilize clicking the touchpad on a PS4 controller, and you can't rebind the share button in games. DS4Windows thankfully had the ability to change the raw button binds and I was able to fix it.

I want to make sure you end up not making this same mistake by accident when fixing the binds.

[hifihedgehog]

@ScottVordem Thanks for the detailed testing!

A couple things to note:

DsHidMini v3 beta is the likely culprit. The v3 beta is a major rewrite with a completely different HID report descriptor compared to the stable v2. SDL3's built-in DualShock 3 mapping was made for the standard DS3 HID layout — if v3 beta changed the button/axis indices (which it clearly did based on your findings), the mapping will be scrambled. We can't verify or fix against beta software that may change before release.

For now, you have two options:

1. Try DsHidMini v2 stable — The standard DS3 HID layout should match SDL3's built-in mapping, and everything should auto-map correctly.
2. Manually record mappings — Stay on v3 beta and use PadForge's recording system. Select the device in the dropdown, click Record next to each output (A, B, LT, RT, etc.), and press the corresponding physical button. This bypasses the SDL mapping entirely. Note: for buttons that register as two inputs simultaneously, you may need to wait until DsHidMini v3 stabilizes.

Regarding Select → Touchpad Click on DS4 output — great catch, noted. We'll make sure that's handled correctly so you don't hit the same issue DS4Windows had.

Looking ahead: We're working on a community device mapping contribution system where users can submit correct mappings for unsupported devices directly from PadForge. Once DsHidMini v3 reaches stable, we'd love your help mapping the DS3 through it — your detailed report shows you're exactly the kind of tester who'd nail it.

[ScottVordem]

Try DsHidMini v2 stable

I have tried this after completely uninstalling V3 (and a system reboot) and I'm still experiencing the exact issues. Not sure what's going on....

Note: for buttons that register as two inputs simultaneously, you may need to wait until DsHidMini v3 stabilizes.

I've done some further testing. Testing the device created by DsHidMini in joy.cpl, everything is detected correctly and there is no double input.

Testing the device in PadForge, shows all the issues I listed. PadForge or SDL does not seem to be translating it correctly judging from this, but not sure.

Manually record mappings

I cannot physically rebind L3 and Select, they don't trigger any input in PadForge. Unless there is another recording option that I'm missing lol.

I've tested other modes in DsHidMini V2 and the only mode where everything works correctly is the SXS mode. I don't know if it is actually emulating a device or if it works similar to the SDF mode you told me to use, but I'll use this mode for now.

This has been a tough one to troubleshoot, but I'm happy to see you providing solutions. It's hard to pinpoint where the issue actually is.

I still love the software, don't get me wrong. It's better than DS4Windows, easier to use also.

At this point, I honestly can't tell what software is the issue. But SXS mode seems to be the solution for now...at least for me.

Edit: Rumble still isn't working but I think that's an issue with DsHidMini.

[hifihedgehog]

@ScottVordem Thanks for the thorough follow-up — and sorry for sending you down the wrong path with the v3 beta theory. Your testing just proved something important:

The real issue is SDL3's built-in gamepad mapping, not DsHidMini.

Here's what's happening: DsHidMini's SDF mode presents the controller as a DS3 (VID 054C, PID 0268). SDL3 sees that VID/PID, recognizes it as a DualShock 3, and applies its built-in button remapping from the gamepad database. The problem is that DsHidMini's SDF HID report layout doesn't match what SDL expects from a real DS3 plugged directly into USB — the raw button/axis indices are in different positions. That's why joy.cpl shows everything correctly (it reads the raw HID report) but PadForge/SDL scrambles the mapping.

This also explains why L3 and Select produce zero input — SDL's wrong mapping likely routes them to indices that don't exist or overlap with other buttons, so they get swallowed entirely.

SXS mode works because it presents as an XInput device, which SDL handles through a completely different path — no gamepad database mapping involved.

What we're going to do:

We're working on adding a "Force raw joystick mode" option per device. This would bypass SDL's gamepad remapping entirely and let you see the actual HID button/axis indices — the same ones joy.cpl shows. From there you'd manually record each mapping, and since the raw report is correct (as you confirmed in joy.cpl), everything including L3 and Select should be detectable.

In the meantime, SXS mode is a solid workaround. The double-emulation overhead is negligible — PadForge polls at up to 1000Hz regardless.

Thanks for sticking with us on this — your testing narrowed it down perfectly.

[hifihedgehog]

@ScottVordem Good news — we've added a "Force Raw Joystick Mode" toggle for exactly this situation.

In the latest build, go to the Devices page, select your DS3, and you'll see an Input Mode section with a checkbox to force raw joystick mode. When enabled, PadForge bypasses SDL's gamepad remapping entirely and reads the raw HID button/axis indices directly — the same ones joy.cpl sees.

Once enabled:

1. Your buttons should now register correctly (no more scrambling, double inputs, or missing L3/Select)
2. Auto-mapping will be skipped since we're bypassing the gamepad layer
3. Go to the Pad page, select your DS3 in the dropdown, and use Record to map each button/axis manually

Give the latest nightly build a try and let us know if all your buttons are now detectable!

[ScottVordem]

@hifihedgehog
Still no dice. When enabling the raw joystick mode, Now the PS button and R1 are not detected.

I have no idea what is going on, it works fine in joy.cpl but not PadForge. Something is still scrambling it.

Tested on both DsHidMini V2 and V3.

[hifihedgehog]

@ScottVordem Thanks for your patience on this one — we're still investigating.

Could you do us a favor? With Force Raw Joystick Mode enabled on your DS3 (DsHidMini SDF mode), could you post a screenshot of the Devices page with your DS3 selected? We want to see what axes, buttons, and POVs PadForge is detecting in raw mode — specifically the count and which ones light up when you press PS and R1.

This will help us figure out whether SDL is dropping those buttons entirely or mapping them to unexpected indices. Thanks!

[hifihedgehog]

@ScottVordem Quick update — we have a DualShock 3 unit arriving by Tuesday (March 10th) for internal testing. Once we have it in hand, we'll be able to reproduce your setup with DsHidMini SDF mode and dig into exactly what's happening with those missing buttons in raw joystick mode.

In the meantime, if you get a chance to post that Devices page screenshot with your DS3 selected (raw mode enabled), that would still be very helpful for getting a head start on the investigation.

Thanks for your patience!