Tutorial: Editing Profiles with Notepad

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Primal Fear
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Joined: 09 Feb 2010, 16:41
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Tutorial: Editing Profiles with Notepad

Post by Primal Fear »

A Profile is basically a text file and can be edited easily using Notepad. This gives different possibilities that can't be done with Xpadder itself. These are copying Sets, swapping around assignments between different buttons and integrating example profiles (posted by an experienced user in the forum) into existing full profiles that you have created yourself or that you have downloaded from the profiles sub forum.
To bring a profile into Notepad, the easiest way is to copy the profile either from a code box out of the forum or directly out of Xpadder via the profile menu (right side) and simply pasting it. In the other direction, it's of course also the best to paste the edited profile into Xpadder. Directly opening and saving the profile files would also work, but then you wouldn't have the possibility to check your changes before saving them.

  • Structure of a profile
A profile has a specific order when you copy it from Xpadder, but you can mix it up without any problems. Xpadder will load every entry and will sort them again.
example profile with explanations for the lines: Show
;--- Xpadder Profile Data --- A simple headline, not important in any way.
DataType=Profile Identifies this file as a profile, when pasting it. It is necessary to trigger an error message if you try to paste a profile as a controller layout.
Version=2012.05.01 The version number of the Xpadder version that was used to create this profile. If your version is older than this you'll get a message about that.
Name=... Obviously the name of the profile.
KeyTapTime=5 The key tap time setting. It doesn't exist if it has't been changed.
This next block contains all settings that can be different in every Set, starting with Set1 and followed by all other Sets that are used in this profile. All of these entries will not exist if they haven't been changed, so if they are on the standard value.
Set1
Set1Name=main Name of the Set
Set1StickDeadZones=64,53 Dead Zone value of Stick1 and Stick2
Set1StickDiagonalSizes=45,70 Diagonal Sizes of Stick1 and Stick2
Set1TriggerDeadZones=70,53 Dead Zone value of the left and the right trigger
Set1Stick1Mode=EightWay
Set1Stick2Mode=EightWay
Set1DPadMode=FourWay
Set2Name=...
...
Set3Name=...
...
...
The last block contains the actual assignments. It starts with Set1Button1 followed by the other buttons, then the Dpad direction, Stick direction of Stick1 followed by Stick2 and then the triggers. Everything that isn't used, is again not present.
Set1Button1Name=Jump The name of the assignment
Set1Button1Slots=Space The actual assignment, here only Space. It can be much longer
Set1Button1Toggle=1 The Toggle is assigned this button
Set1Button1Turbo=1 The Turbo is assigned this button
Set1Button1TurboRate=46 The delay of the turbo
Set1Button1Rumble=1 The Rumble is assigned this button
Set1Button1RumbleStrengths=183,90 The strenght value for the left and right rumble motor
Set1Button1SetSelect=4 Set switching to Set5 is assigned to this button.
  • Attention: it starts with 0 for Set1 and goes up to 7 for Set8.

Set1Button2Name=...
Set1Button2Slots=...
...
Set1Button3Name=...
Set1Button3Slots=...
...
...
Set1DPadUpName=Quickslot 2
Set1DPadUpSlots=HOLD ZONE 0.30s,F2,HOLD ZONE 0.10s
Set1DPadRightName=...
Set1DPadRightSlots=...
...
Set1Stick1UpName=move
Set1Stick1UpSlots=Left Shift,W,DISTANCE ZONE 40%,W
Set1Stick1RightName=...
Set1Stick1RightSlots=...
...
Set1Stick2UpName=look
Set1Stick2UpSlots=Mouse Move Up
Set1Stick2UpMouseSpeed=64 The value for the mouse speed
Set1Stick2RightName=...
Set1Stick2RightSlots=...
Set1Stick2RightMouseSpeed=...
...
Set1TriggerLeftName=Zoom
Set1TriggerLeftToggle=1
Set1TriggerLeftTurbo=1
Set1TriggerLeftTurboRate=...
Set1TriggerLeftSetSelect=...
Set1TriggerRightName=...
Set1TriggerRightSlots=...
Set2Button1Name=move left
Set2Button1Slots=A
Set2Button2Name=...
Set2Button2Slots=...
...
Set3Button1Name=...
Set3Button1Slots=...
...


  • Possible problems if you do something wrong

What you shouldn't do is removing the third line that contains the version number. If it is missing, Xpadder cannot load this profile and you'll get the error message "Invalid profile data".
If you have damaged an entry by adding content that Xpadder cannot handle (e.g. wrong key names, a missing coma,...), you only get the error message "Bad slot code value found in the profile" and Xpadder will load these values as "Unknown", a slot with a question mark. In this case you need to check where the failure is located. This problem can also occur if you open a profile that was made with a newer version of Xpadder then you are using, if the profile contains features that doesn't already exist in your version.


  • Step by step manuals
Copy a set: Show
1.Copy&Paste your profile from Xpadder into one window of Notepad.

2.Select the whole part of the Set you want to duplicate and copy it to the clipboard by pressing Ctrl+C, open a second Notepad window and paste the Set there by pressing Ctrl+V.

3.Now press Ctrl+H (with the second window still in focus) to open the replace function of Notepad. Type into the "Search" line the name of the Set you have just copied (e.g. Set1, Set2,...), type into the "Replace" line below the name of the Set it should become (e.g. Set2, Set3,...) and click on "Replace all".

4.Close the window of the replace function, press Ctrl+A to select the whole text and then copy it (Ctrl+C). Select again the first Notepad window and paste (Ctrl+V) the clipboard content under the original profile (you need to place the the text cursor in front of the next line behind the original text for that).

5.Select all (Ctrl+A), copy it (Ctrl+C) and open Xpadder to paste the new profile like you would with a profile from the forum.

6.After pasting the profile into Xpadder, you only need to assign/adapt the Set Selectors to switch between the different Sets.
Swapping assignments: Show
1.Copy your profile from Xpadder, open a Notepad window and paste the profile there by pressing Ctrl+V.

2.Press Ctrl+F to open the search function of Notepad, type the Set name followed by the button number (e.g.Set1Button1) of the first button you want to swap into the search line an click on "Find Next". You should end up in a block of up to 7 entries (but probably less) that start with this phrase. Simply replace the number behind "Button" and, if necessary, also behind Set.

Here you can find a chart that shows which button of the Xbox360pad (and some other controllers) has which button number. If your controller isn't listed, then you can find these informations in the Windows Game Controller Control Panel. To open it, press Windows key+R (open the Run dialog box of Windows), type joy.cpl and press Enter. Select in the opening Game Controller Control Panel your controller and click on “Properties”. Here you can see the button numbers light up when you press their respective button.

3.Search for the other buttons you want to swap and change their button numbers too. But make sure not to change again the button number of the already changed assignments. You can identify them if they absolutely don't fit in the order of the profile. You can also write down the assignment names (if present) or the assignment itself, to know for sure what assignments you have already edited.
Integrating an example: Show
1.Copy&Paste the example profile into Xpadder and remember (or write down) what buttons it uses. If it uses a stick, the Dpad or a trigger, you also need to open their settings (tool symbol near the stick, Dpad or the right trigger->Settings...). For sticks you need the “Dead Zone”, the “Diagonal Size” and the “Mode” ,for the Dpad only the “Mode” and for triggers only the “DeadZone”.

2.Copy&Paste the example profile into a Notepad window and load your full profile into Xpadder. Clear all the buttons and sticks/dpad directions that are used in the example profile by middle clicking them. If you want to keep the names of the assignments, you can alternatively open the Assignment window and click on “None” in the upper right corner of the keyboard area.

3.Copy&Paste the full profile from Xpadder under the example profile in Notepad, press Ctrl+A (select all) and Copy&Paste everything back into Xpadder.

4.The only thing left to do is to check if possible stick, Dpad or trigger settings from the example were used correctly and if not, to change them manually.

carp48
Posts: 3
Joined: 11 Jul 2012, 16:22

Re: Tutorial: Editing Profiles with Notepad

Post by carp48 »

Thanks so much. I will give it a try and let you know how it goes. Mike

adaweawe
Posts: 16
Joined: 21 Jul 2012, 00:55

Re: Tutorial: Editing Profiles with Notepad

Post by adaweawe »

set3, set4 doesn't work it must be Set3, Set4....first letter capitalized

also need an extra last step: you gotta copy the replaced set notepad file back into the first notepad file and then copy the edited original file and paste it into notepad

Primal Fear
Xpadder Xpert
Posts: 2437
Joined: 09 Feb 2010, 16:41
Location: Germany
Contact:

Re: Tutorial: Editing Profiles with Notepad

Post by Primal Fear »

Firefox can't find any not capitalized "set" in my post.

In which of the three step by step manuals is this extra step missing?
Edit: Ah yes, found this missing step in "Copy a Set". I will fix that later. Thanks for that information.
Edit: Fixed the missing step. I have also optimized the parts "Copy a Set" and "Swapping Assignments" a little bit. "Integrating examples" will also get such an optimization.

Sfon
Posts: 2
Joined: 20 Oct 2009, 16:39
Location: Nowhere. I am a figment of my own imagination.

Re: Tutorial: Editing Profiles with Notepad

Post by Sfon »

Lately I've been putting general notes on the sticks, so I finally decided to add some unused buttons for it. This allows set labels and other short notes to be shown on your xpadder profiles without covering usable buttons with them. Very useful for complex profiles that use many sets, or when combining many related games into one profile to cut down on file clutter.

Unused buttons are easy to add by pasting them in using notepad. Some adjustments might be needed for your controller, as the lines provided assume the middle-top of your gamepad's image is clear and no buttons above #20 are used. Do not paste the parts in [] and () as they are guides to show where the lines go.
Text/Images: Show

Code: Select all

[Button Locations]
(other buttons)
Button21Location=198,5
Button22Location=286,5
Button23Location=242,5
Button24Location=242,35
Button25Location=198,35
Button26Location=286,35
(dpad/analogs etc)

[Names]
(other buttons)
Button21Name=Comments 21
Button22Name=Comments 22
Button23Name=Comments 23
Button24Name=Comments 24
Button25Name=Comments 25
Button26Name=Comments 26
(dpad/analogs etc)
This will put the buttons in this order in the middle-top of your gamepad's image:
21 23 22 (Middle has priority, best for centered labels)
25 24 26 (Sides have priority, best for longer notes)

Edit: This goes into your controller profile ending in ".xpaddercontroller" if that wasn't clear.

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