Flydigi Vader 5 Pro Linux Driver

Linux userspace driver for the Flydigi Vader 5 Pro gamepad (2.4G USB dongle).

Features

• Xbox Elite emulation with Steam paddle support (M1-M4)
• Gyro support: mouse mode or map to right stick (for games without gyro)
• Layer system with tap-hold (like QMK keyboard firmware)
• Button remap to keyboard/mouse

Quick Start

git clone https://github.com/BANANASJIM/flydigi-vader5.git
cd flydigi-vader5
./install/install.sh          # build + udev rules + config
sudo ./build/vader5d

# Custom config
sudo ./build/vader5d -c /path/to/config.toml

# Or full install with systemd service (auto-starts via udev)
./install/install.sh install

How It Works

Tap-Hold (Home Row Mods)

Like QMK/ZMK keyboard firmware - one button, two functions:

Press LM
    │
    ├─── Release < 200ms ───► Tap: emit mouse_side
    │
    └─── Hold >= 200ms ─────► Layer activates (no tap emit)
                                   │
                              Gyro → mouse
                              RB → left click
                              RT → right click
                                   │
                              Release LM → Layer deactivates

Toggle Mode

Alternative activation - tap once to enable, tap again to disable:

Tap M1 ──► Layer activates (stays active)
               │
          Tap M1 again ──► Layer deactivates

Layer System

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Base (Normal)                        │
│  Xbox Elite gamepad, M1-M4 = Steam paddles             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
        │                              │
     Hold LM                        Hold RM
        ▼                              ▼
   ┌──────────────┐              ┌──────────────┐
   │     aim      │              │    mouse     │
   │ gyro + mouse │              │ stick mouse  │
   │ scroll + pad │              │   + arrows   │
   └──────────────┘              └──────────────┘

Only one layer active at a time (first activated wins)

Configuration

Config: config/config.toml

emulate_elite = true        # true: Xbox Elite (Steam paddles), false: standard gamepad

[gyro]
mode = "off"                # off / mouse / joystick

# Hold LM for gyro aim + full mouse mode
[layer.aim]
trigger = "LM"              # trigger button: A/B/X/Y/LB/RB/LT/RT/M1-M4/LM/RM/C/Z
activation = "hold"         # hold (default) or toggle
tap = "mouse_side"          # tap action (hold mode): KEY_*, mouse_left/right/middle/side/extra
hold_timeout = 200          # ms before layer activates (hold mode)
gyro = { mode = "mouse", sensitivity = 2.0 }
stick_left = { mode = "scroll" }   # mode: gamepad / mouse / scroll
stick_right = { mode = "mouse", sensitivity = 1.0 }  # mode: gamepad / mouse
dpad = { mode = "arrows" }  # mode: gamepad / arrows / scroll
remap = { RB = "mouse_left", RT = "mouse_right", RM = "mouse_middle", A = "KEY_LEFTMETA" }

# Hold RM for stick mouse + arrows
[layer.mouse]
trigger = "RM"
stick_right = { mode = "mouse", sensitivity = 1.5 }
dpad = { mode = "arrows" }
remap = { A = "mouse_left", B = "mouse_right" }

# Toggle M1: tap to enable gyro, tap again to disable
[layer.gyro_toggle]
trigger = "M1"
activation = "toggle"
gyro = { mode = "mouse", sensitivity = 1.5 }

See docs/configuration.md for full options.

Steam Paddles

With emulate_elite = true, Steam Input recognizes the controller as Xbox One Elite 2:

Vader 5	Elite	Steam Input
M1	P1	Upper Left
M2	P2	Upper Right
M3	P3	Lower Left
M4	P4	Lower Right

Troubleshooting

# Permission denied
sudo cp install/99-vader5.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/
sudo udevadm control --reload-rules

# Check controller
lsusb | grep 37d7

# Debug tool
sudo ./build/vader5-debug

padctl — Universal Successor

This project has evolved into padctl — a universal HID gamepad daemon supporting 12 devices across 8 vendors (Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, Valve, 8BitDo, Flydigi, HORI, Lenovo) with the same declarative TOML config approach.

padctl includes everything from this driver plus:

• Multi-device hotplug with automatic detection
• WASM plugin system for complex protocols
• Force feedback passthrough
• Full systemd integration with install/uninstall
• Comprehensive documentation

New users should use padctl instead. This repo remains for reference.

License

GPL-2.0