Dualsense support completely broke controller functionality.

[Viotech3]

Short explanation: The Dualsense Support that was just pushed to main hijacks all controller input from the Dualsense, rendering it non-functional outside of the Steam Big Picture mode.

Information:
-All Controller General Settings off (Guide Button, Playstation support, etc - all disabled).
-Desktop configuration settings set to completely empty just in case.
-No Third-Party drivers.
-Most recent Windows 10 Update (Issue persisted prior to updates too, of course)
-Fresh uninstall & reinstall of Steam & Controller drivers, and bluetooth drivers.

Expected Results:
Functionality equal to before yesterdays update, Deep Blue light bar, inputs detected in windows core controller settings both Wired and Wireless (Access path: Devices & Printers->Wireless Controller->Controller Settings->Properties), functional in games (Examples: Risk of Rain 2, Boomerang Fu, Orcs Must Die 2, Killer Queen Black) and out of game (Examples: JoyToKey, Forza Horizon 4).

Actual Results:
Light bar becomes Cyan, Green if plugged in, Red if unplugged and Replugged again (Color corresponds to player 1,2,3, and 4 is purple I think), inputs NOT detected in windows core controller settings (Access path: Devices & Printers->Wireless Controller->Controller Settings->Properties), non-functional in games (Examples: Risk of Rain 2, Boomerang Fu, Orcs Must Die 2, Killer Queen Black) and out of game (Examples: JoyToKey, Forza Horizon 4).

In essence, the controller is rendered completely useless and non-functional for anything but navigating Steam Big Picture mode menus AS LONG AS Steam is open. Main solution is to close steam, power-cycle controller.

The 'temporary not consistent but it's all I got that could be helpful' solution is:

Boot computer up, boot Steam up, Connect controller WIRELESSLY; Cyan light bar & non-functional controller. Enter Steam Controller General Settings (Top left Steam->Settings->Controller->General Settings), ENABLE Playstation Support, SHUT DOWN Controller, DISABLE Playstation Support, close menu (likely odd noise present, indicates success). Works until Steam or Controller restarted.

My 'guess' after ~6 hours of testing would be that the Playstation Support setting is enabled each boot of Steam, despite the checkbox being empty. Disabling it requires 'enabling it' again & then disabling it. As mentioned in the setting description, the Controller MUST be power cycled for it to take effect. This would explain why Steam hijacks the controller until this setting is turned 'on' and off again, as the Switch Pro Controller (similar setting) states that the setting MUST BE OFF to use the Controller outside of Steam. This is reinforced by, with the Steam Guide Focus setting disabled, the Playstation button opens Big Picture Mode & other such guide-button bindings occur until the above process is done.

This is all I could conclude after ~hours of testing.

[Viotech3]

Bump: This continues to be an issue. I've done what I can to report the issue (Steam support ticket, post on thread here). As mentioned, the issue basically makes steam unusable without the 'solution' posted. Every single time.

The best part is how, even if Steam is exited, it STILL hijacks all input - the only way to escape this is to re-open steam, and do the 'solution'. Then you can exit Steam, or keep it open, but keeping it open it may 'randomly (Not random, just not clear what cause is. Rare, like a few times a day at most)' hijack control. Again.

The issue has not been fixed via any recent beta updates. I use 0 external drivers, tested on other hardware with fresh installs of Windows (most recent update for all), no dice.

To 'simplify' again: If the Controller is connected, wirelessly or wired, and Steam is launched, the controller will not work in external software NOR internal Steam software for ANY games that feature different input handlers. The only solution is to go into the Steam Controller settings, 'check' the Playstation support (Does nothing, it's already on or it's effects are), uncheck it, make sure the controller is Unplugged, Power-Cycle (Hold PS button for 10-15s) off->on. This must be done EVERY TIME Steam is opened or closed, controller connected or disconnected.

The 'only' (Obviously I am not a Steam developer so I cannot possibly know the innerworkings) issue at hand is Steam treating Playstation Support as 'on' by default regardless of the Setting being checked or unchecked. Please, save me.

Additionally, posts from at least 1 other user featuring the same issue:

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/11/2974027084084568041/

[Viotech3]

New update as the most recent beta client patches have been pushed to main:

The 'solution' workaround above no longer works, Dualsense controller exclusively works within Steam no matter what settings are enabled. The only solution is to stop using Steam, permanently, until the issue is resolved - to be clear, the Playstation Configuration Support *cannot* be disabled, at all. This means it does not function outside of Steam or with any games that feature their own Controller Handler software.

The end, I've done what I can, it's unfortunate but I legitimately cannot use Steam at all, it has to be shut down always. I think I forgot to mention, but I am suffering from an injury that prevents me from using the mouse 90% of the time (As in, I can use it for brief periods, less than a minute at a time, without pain) - the only valid solution is using my controller as a mouse/shortcut system, but Steam has made that impossible. I'm incredibly frustrated that not a single post, steam ticket, etc has gotten anywhere nor had any impact. I just don't know what to do, as all the things I want to do are ON Steam but if Steam is ON I physically have no input devices. I can't even use the controller outside of steam.

[NAWROSIU]

steam client must stop hijacking dualsense, now i have to use older gamepad, its delay on buttons when i play efootball pes using dualsense steam support...

[Viotech3]

I know the issue is likely rather complicated, but I do have video footage (Ticket submitted with it). The 'total' issue is simply that Disabling the setting does not disable the full setting (It used to). **If I had to describe the issue as simply as possible, there are 3 states, but 1 of them is impossible: The setting is [on/off] and the effect is [on/off]. Current possible states are [off][on] or [on][on]. [off][off] CANNOT be gotten to. As a result, either Inputs are hijacked & read by steam games, or Inputs are Hijacked & not read by steam games. It's impossible to get to the state where inputs are not hijacked at all.**

The videos themselves are amatuer, but I do my best to describe the issues as best as possible.

Video 1: https://youtu.be/68-N9ONsig4
Video 2: https://youtu.be/jz930wPSzAc

I really really could use assistance. As stated otherwise, I've done everything from fresh windows installations, steam installations, firmware for Bluetooth, stock controller firmware, etc. Prior to the 11:05 MAIN steam update on 12/21/2020, there was the workaround described above that 'solved' the issue. Prior to the 12/7/2020 update, there were no issues whatsoever. Again, this issue involves all inputs - always - being hijacked from the core windows software, exclusively functioning within steam, and with the Playstation Support Setting off, functioning EXCLUSIVELY within Big Picture Mode Menues and nothing more.

Thank you for your time.

[Viotech3]

I had a discussion with a non-Steam developer who's particularly knowledgeable about Input Handlers because I'm *not* knowledgeable enough to explain the issue properly. The issue is that the intended way inputs are read is supposed to be "Controller Button Down->Windows Button Down->Other Input Handlers Button Down->Repeat until all input handlers are done", but what seems to be happening is the opposite, where Steam's input handler is 'jumping in line' so to speak (Ahead of Windows), and instead of 'passing it on' to the next handler just ends the line there, as if no others exist. THE KEY THING IS THAT THIS HAPPENS WITH THE SETTING OFF OR ON - THIS IS NORMAL BEHAVIOR FOR STEAM'S SPECIFIC INPUT HANDLER FOR SPECIFIC CONTROLLERS (Switch Pro, Dualsense) **IF THE SETTING IS ON**. The fact that it occurs with the setting off is the issue at hand, that is all.

Thank you for your time & hopefully I was able to explain it well

[voxer]

Having the exact same problem, I found no solution or workaround whatsoever so I ended up here. your explanation makes sense & the videos describe it perfectly. I hope they fix it soon

[NAWROSIU]

now i am using ds4windows and button delay is less than with steam, we have to wait for fix

[Viotech3]

Originally posted by voxer:

Having the exact same problem, I found no solution or workaround whatsoever so I ended up here. your explanation makes sense & the videos describe it perfectly. I hope they fix it soon

Appreciate you posting, I'm sorry the issue is affecting you too. Hopefully this gets fixed asap!

[Viotech3]

I can confirm this is fixed as of the December the 23rd's beta client update.

A one-time enable & disable of the playstation controller support + a power-cycle is all that is necessary!

Interestingly, when plugged in, the light bar 'player count' segments light up, which is kinda odd, but it works so I have literally no complaints. Thank you very much for the hard work!

[AL2009man]

Yeah, I notice this problem occurring more on Unity-powered games. and historically, older Unity games has Input Layer Bug that plague Steam Input for a long time til Valve switched to Raw Input Controller Driver (previously, it was XInput Hook) .

Anyway, games like Race The Sun isn't detecting any DualSense Inputs whenever I launch that game. the workaround is launching the game with another controller first, then disconnect the controller and connect the DualSense Controller and it will work again.

oh, and I suggest posting to https://steamcommunity.com/app/353370/discussions/1/ if you can, Steam Input Devs are more active there.*

*as of this post, we're in holiday break, don't expect responses till Holiday breaks are over.

[Reznorio]

As of August 2021, this problem still persists. Steam takes full control of the dualsense controller and only quitting steam and turning the controller off and back on you are able to use it with other apps like joytokey. Why is this happening? The Xbox one controller does not suffer from this problem. Is it because it's a directinput device and not xinput?

[Viotech3]

Originally posted by Reznorio:

As of August 2021, this problem still persists. Steam takes full control of the dualsense controller and only quitting steam and turning the controller off and back on you are able to use it with other apps like joytokey. Why is this happening? The Xbox one controller does not suffer from this problem. Is it because it's
a directinput device and not xinput?

I'm on the Beta branch it doesn't happen to me, hasn't since the December fix. Wired or Wireless? Regardless, since you're having issues this is indeed one of the places to post about it! Additionally, if you can document a process (Such as controller started, steam starts, hijacked, exit steam, restart controller, etc you get the gist).

Also, this COULD help - make sure that joytokey or other software run on admin IF steam is also on admin. That can and will be an impact iirc.

[Reznorio]

Originally posted by Viotech3:

Originally posted by Reznorio:

As of August 2021, this problem still persists. Steam takes full control of the dualsense controller and only quitting steam and turning the controller off and back on you are able to use it with other apps like joytokey. Why is this happening? The Xbox one controller does not suffer from this problem. Is it because it's
a directinput device and not xinput?

I'm on the Beta branch it doesn't happen to me, hasn't since the December fix. Wired or Wireless? Regardless, since you're having issues this is indeed one of the places to post about it! Additionally, if you can document a process (Such as controller started, steam starts, hijacked, exit steam, restart controller, etc you get the gist).

Also, this COULD help - make sure that joytokey or other software run on admin IF steam is also on admin. That can and will be an impact iirc.

1. Using the latest steam beta version.
2. Using it in wireless mode via bluetooth.
3. Process is or was similar to yours. In order: Steam starts (in big picture mode since I have set it like this and I don't know if maybe this is likely the culprit), controller is turned on, steam takes full control of the controller. I close and exit steam, the controller keeps being non-functional outside steam, turn the controller off and then back on without initiating steam and only THEN it works with other apps.
4. Joytokey and other apps like Antimicro are all running in admin mode.

I'm not interested in using DS4windows since I don't want the dualsense to be recognized as a X360 pad nor the additional input latency it adds.

[Viotech3]

Originally posted by Reznorio:

Originally posted by Viotech3:

I'm on the Beta branch it doesn't happen to me, hasn't since the December fix. Wired or Wireless? Regardless, since you're having issues this is indeed one of the places to post about it! Additionally, if you can document a process (Such as controller started, steam starts, hijacked, exit steam, restart controller, etc you get the gist).

Also, this COULD help - make sure that joytokey or other software run on admin IF steam is also on admin. That can and will be an impact iirc.

1. Using the latest steam beta version.
2. Using it in wireless mode via bluetooth.
3. Process is or was similar to yours. In order: Steam starts (in big picture mode since I have set it like this and I don't know if maybe this is likely the culprit), controller is turned on, steam takes full control of the controller. I close and exit steam, the controller keeps being non-functional outside steam, turn the controller off and then back on without initiating steam and only THEN it works with other apps.
4. Joytokey and other apps like Antimicro are all running in admin mode.

I'm not interested in using DS4windows since I don't want the dualsense to be recognized as a X360 pad nor the additional input latency it adds.

Yep, I feel ya. I also don't use DS4windows for those reasons.

Okay, so quick question - what settings do you have enabled within steam big picture mode for controllers? Make sure every setting is off; for games you can enable these on a per-game basis which appears to work. Note, I also use the controller mostly plugged in so that COULD indeed be a distinct difference and explain the issues you're having. The issue could be resolved for wired, but not wireless. Regardless, triple-check all controller support is disabled on the macro-side, and enable in the properties per-game if you can, and report back.

[Reznorio]

Originally posted by Viotech3:

Originally posted by Reznorio:

1. Using the latest steam beta version.
2. Using it in wireless mode via bluetooth.
3. Process is or was similar to yours. In order: Steam starts (in big picture mode since I have set it like this and I don't know if maybe this is likely the culprit), controller is turned on, steam takes full control of the controller. I close and exit steam, the controller keeps being non-functional outside steam, turn the controller off and then back on without initiating steam and only THEN it works with other apps.
4. Joytokey and other apps like Antimicro are all running in admin mode.

I'm not interested in using DS4windows since I don't want the dualsense to be recognized as a X360 pad nor the additional input latency it adds.

Yep, I feel ya. I also don't use DS4windows for those reasons.

Okay, so quick question - what settings do you have enabled within steam big picture mode for controllers? Make sure every setting is off; for games you can enable these on a per-game basis which appears to work. Note, I also use the controller mostly plugged in so that COULD indeed be a distinct difference and explain the issues you're having. The issue could be resolved for wired, but not wireless. Regardless, triple-check all controller support is disabled on the macro-side, and enable in the properties per-game if you can, and report back.

Can confirm this is absolutely a problem with the wireless/bluetooth connection since I just tested out the same controller with a cable and it does not suffer from this issue. Also, I just noticed in big picture mode, in controller settings when the playstation configuration support option is check-marked there is a note saying: "When connected over bluetooth the controller must be power cycled after opting out. Opting out on a per game basis also will not work". What's that supposed to mean? My guess is that it has something to do with the previously described issue.