3.1 KiB
SDL3 controller bridge
The integrated bridge runs in DroidDeck's :sdl3 process. Open Setup → SDL3Bridge
or the SDL3Bridge page in the session drawer to configure up to four controllers.
Enable Use SDL3 controllers in sessions before starting a session. This opt-in
also enables SDL3 controller presentation on the desktop and Steam Native Hook-up.
USB controllers use SDL3's HID drivers; Android input remains the fallback for
Bluetooth and built-in controllers. The embedded driver only claims USB controllers:
Android events are delivered to DroidDeck's activity and cannot reach the separate
headless SDL process. Steam Native Hook-up forwards a USB controller's
identity and reports to Steam so Steam can use its own controller driver.
USB access requires Android's device permission. The optional floating control also requires permission to display over other apps. A separate SDL3Bridge installation should be stopped before using the integrated bridge with the same USB controller. Gyro, touchpad, remapping and lightbar settings belong to Steam while Hook-up is active.
Source and attribution
The controller implementation is by pablo89898991, imported from SdlBridge at 63feeac6 through SDLApiDroidDeck at 131f1cef. The imported commit retains Pablo's Git author identity. DroidDeck integration and build adjustments are recorded separately.
Reusable bridge code and SDL's Android Java bindings are unchanged snapshots under
third_party/sdlbridge and third_party/sdl3. Their manifests pin upstream revisions
and every source file's hash. Small patches hold the embedded-mode changes. Gradle
verifies and prepares the patched sources under app/build/controller-sources before
Java or native compilation. See the update procedure.
The port keeps DroidDeck's name, signing, workflows and test failure handling. It excludes the fork's ADPF changes, cursor-compositing default, Steam controller-rate override, and CI/download fallbacks.
SDL 3.4.18 is downloaded by CMake from its official release archive and verified
against its SHA-256 digest. Its Android Java classes are imported from the same
release. The separate SDL Java patch leaves Bluetooth handling with DroidDeck.
SDL uses the zlib license, included in
app/src/main/assets/licenses/sdl3/LICENSE.txt; the bridge is distributed under
DroidDeck's GPLv3 license.
Hardware checks
Check that the built-in controller still navigates DroidDeck and Steam with the SDL3 driver both enabled and disabled. Open the bridge settings and controller test screen, then start and stop a session without a USB controller attached.
With a USB controller, grant access and verify hot-plug, buttons, sticks, gyro, touchpad and rumble in presented-controller mode. Repeat with Steam Native Hook-up, including switching back, disconnecting, and reconnecting. Verify multiple player slots and Steam on the desktop when the corresponding hardware is available.