Taking input from a joystick with C# .NET

Since this was the top hit I got on google while researching joystick / gamepad input in C#, I thought I should post a response for others to see.

The easiest way I found was to use SharpDX and DirectInput. You can install it via NuGet (SharpDX.DirectInput)

After that, it’s simply a matter of calling a few methods:

Sample code from SharpDX

static void Main()
{
    // Initialize DirectInput
    var directInput = new DirectInput();

    // Find a Joystick Guid
    var joystickGuid = Guid.Empty;

    foreach (var deviceInstance in directInput.GetDevices(DeviceType.Gamepad, 
                DeviceEnumerationFlags.AllDevices))
        joystickGuid = deviceInstance.InstanceGuid;

    // If Gamepad not found, look for a Joystick
    if (joystickGuid == Guid.Empty)
        foreach (var deviceInstance in directInput.GetDevices(DeviceType.Joystick, 
                DeviceEnumerationFlags.AllDevices))
            joystickGuid = deviceInstance.InstanceGuid;

    // If Joystick not found, throws an error
    if (joystickGuid == Guid.Empty)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("No joystick/Gamepad found.");
        Console.ReadKey();
        Environment.Exit(1);
    }

    // Instantiate the joystick
    var joystick = new Joystick(directInput, joystickGuid);

    Console.WriteLine("Found Joystick/Gamepad with GUID: {0}", joystickGuid);

    // Query all suported ForceFeedback effects
    var allEffects = joystick.GetEffects();
    foreach (var effectInfo in allEffects)
        Console.WriteLine("Effect available {0}", effectInfo.Name);

    // Set BufferSize in order to use buffered data.
    joystick.Properties.BufferSize = 128;

    // Acquire the joystick
    joystick.Acquire();

    // Poll events from joystick
    while (true)
    {
        joystick.Poll();
        var datas = joystick.GetBufferedData();
        foreach (var state in datas)
            Console.WriteLine(state);
    }
}

I hope this helps.

I even got this to work with a DualShock3 and the MotioninJoy drivers.