Freezing every second or so.

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Dewy Frank

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May 14, 2023, 12:57:41 AM5/14/23
to QuadStick
...I am having the exact described "stutter" issue as others have described.

Problem:
  1. Mouse movement and all mouse functions stop every second or so for about 200-300ms or 0.2 sec. 
  2. The freeze happens at a random timestep, NOT a regular interval like 1.000 sec...I timed it, and then function returns, then process repeats until Windows is shutdown(not restarted).
  3. Behavior affects not just the mouse function(joystick), but the whole QuadStick(All I/O). When it freezes, nothing on the QS will function. So, it seems to be happening on the QS side of the USB "handshake" not the Windows' side(i.e...failing to send, not failing to receive or implement). 
  4. If the QS profile is switched to an emulated controller output state(Xbox  mode) everything functions fine, no freezing, stuttering, or stopping. 
  5. When holding a sip or puff, the output is held and continues when the QS freezes for that 0.2-0.3 sec every ~1.0 sec  For example: hold mp-left-puff that is mapped to kb_x, results in xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx with no interruption.  think holding closed momentary switch.
  6. This happens about 1:5...20% of bootups now. With frequency up from ~1:20 over the last 6 months or so.
  7. This definitely feels like an issue with the UsB initialization in Windows, as nothing done after boot-up affects this symptom.
  8. When in BIOS, and kb and mouse support initiate, the QS operates normally. Even after restart(not shutdown then turned back on, because that fixes it) during this issue. 

Fix Attempts: 

  1. Restart computer(must use shutdown, not restart because that does not fix it). Then function returns 98% of the time. 
  2. Switched .cvs files. 
  3. Update and/or revert to xxxx firmware version. TRied all versions available on QM. 2328-2365...currently back on 2365.
  4. All fixes listed in this forum.
  5. Unplugging;replugging.
  6. Switching USB ports, front and back, plugged directly into motherboard.
  7. Manually switch to emulator and back to USB output.
I intend to try plugging the QS into another computer, hot-swap if you will, and see if the behavior carries over to a different OS...just a thought.

but has this been resolved? Thank you

Fred Davison

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May 14, 2023, 1:22:20 AM5/14/23
to Dewy Frank, QuadStick
Try USB emulation mode 6.  It will turn off the flash drive USB connection, leaving only game controller, mouse and keyboard.

Our theory is something in Windows is constantly reading from the flash drive and that something about that is consuming enough time to notice, or the USB suspend function is trying to turn off the flash drive and it refuses to turn off.  

If scanning is the trigger, an antivirus scanner, or file indexing could be the reason.  If you have luck with mode 6, you could then try to narrow down what program it is.




Dewy Frank

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May 14, 2023, 8:07:56 PM5/14/23
to QuadStick
something odd is that I could not double click on prefs.csv in QMP, in order to modify it. I could only do it manually by going into the flash drive finding the .csv cfg file with my IDE. I found the emulation code line and changed the 0 to a 6, et viola, the second I saved the file, the QS "boinged" and flashed, the flash drive disappeared and no more stutter. Only problem now is, I cannot modify the cfg file for preferences because I lost access to the drive. How do I fix that? 

I am running the beta QMP v4.0 right now, fwiw.

Fred Davison

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May 14, 2023, 9:43:53 PM5/14/23
to Dewy Frank, QuadStick
There is more than one a way to recover.

When the quadstick is shipped out, there is an X360CE example config loaded into the flash that will set the emulation mode to 2, allowing flash access, so if your Quadstick still has that file, the first option below would be the way to go.  If fact, if you have a bunch of PC config files affected by the "stutter", you might actually want to just leave the prefs.csv file the way it is, with emulation mode 6, and switch to a config file that allows flash access when you want to make changes and leave flash access off the rest of the time.  If you are not sure which file number would be the X360CE file, just load one after the other until you see the flash drive appear in the file manager.

In general I encourage users to never edit the prefs.csv file manually. 

All the different settings on the various QMP tabs are what go into the prefs.csv file.  prefs.csv is not like the csv files from the various configuration spreadsheets.

These are the options for gaining flash access in order of convenience:
  • If you have a config CSV file that sets the emulation mode to 0, 2 (X360CE), or 4, in the flash drive, then you can select that file and gain access to the flash, as long as that config is selected.
  • You can force the Quadstick to skip loading the default.csv and prefs.csv files by plugging in a 3.5mm switch into the IN jack on the back and close the switch while the Quadstick boots up.  It will start up running a simple fall-back configuration with a game controller in the first four modes, and mouse mode in mode five, similar to the Default Configuration, and you will have flash access.  Sometimes plugging the lip sensor into the IN jack can be detected as a closed switch and force the quadstick to skip loading the config files.
  • You can force the Quadstick to erase the flash drive completely and re-download all your configuration CSV files.  A completely blank Quadstick will run that fall-back configuration with a mouse mode in mode five.
You're not the first person to do this




Dewy Frank

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May 14, 2023, 10:36:10 PM5/14/23
to QuadStick

Didn't realize it was that easy. fixed. but the problem does persist when restored. The only thing that fixes the problem is turning off the flash drive access. Okay, I will just run the no flash mode with all my game/pc.cfgs normally. However, I'm Having trouble finding that option on my profile.csvs. This is why I manually modded the prefs.csv. I'm reading the manual but cant figure this one out.

Fred Davison

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May 14, 2023, 11:39:40 PM5/14/23
to Dewy Frank, QuadStick
If you want to do it on a per config file basis and leave the prefs.csv at emulation mode 0, then add a Preferences sheet to each game configuration spreadsheet.  Example:


Just make sure to leave a config CSV that will allow flash access for making changes.

Did you try disabling USB suspend?

Dewy Frank

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May 15, 2023, 6:34:27 PM5/15/23
to QuadStick
Yes, I have disabled selective suspend features, both manually through the device manager and through power management. Absolutely nothing changes this behavior except for a full shutdown of Windows OS, and/or disabling of the flash drive. This was happening in Win10-64 and Win11-64. Just to note, this is happening on all profiles that are not emulating a game controller state. For instance, I have 14 profiles, and one of them is the x360CE default profile, which is the only one that the stutter does not happen on. 

Last question, I think, lol, how can I change the prefs.csv through QMP, or is it not possible to do so?

Fred Davison

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May 15, 2023, 6:39:05 PM5/15/23
to Dewy Frank, QuadStick
You make a change using the GUI and then press the Save preferences button:

image.png




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