Gamepad API only works when developer tools is opened.

[abiliaorg]

Description
I'm creating a videogame using Gamepad API running on a WebView2 instance. Anytime I use my Gamepad (SPEEDLINK COMPETITION PRO) it does not work if I focus on the browser window. Whenever I open the developer tools and I focus on that window, the gamepad is recognized and the videogame receives gamepad events.

Version
SDK: 1.0.1150.38
Runtime: Edge WebView2 Runtime 107.0.1418.62
Framework: .NET Framework 4.8
OS: Win10

Repro Steps

• Run WebView2 and open https://gamepad-tester.com/
• Test it with browser window focused -> gamepad not recognized
• Test it with dev tools window focused -> gamepad recognized and working

AB#42714785

[victorthoang]

Hello @abiliaorg,

Thanks for your bug report. I've assigned this to a dev that can best try to replicate the issue and follow up on this.

[ElyssaJyu]

@abiliaorg Do you use WPF/WinForms framework with WebView2 control? Also, Could you share some sample code to show Gamepad API using?

[RonenNess]

Hello @ElyssaJyu, @victorthoang ,

GamePad stopped working in WebView completely, with or without the developer console.
It used to work fine in the past, I'm not sure when it got broken.

Here's a tiny project to illustrate this using Photino (a lean C# WebView wrapper):

https://github.com/RonenNess/WebView-Gamepad-Issue

It loads the index.html file under wwwroot that alert and write to console when a gamepad is connected.
If you open the HTML file directly and serve it from filesystem with other browsers, you'd see it works. With WebView, it doesn't respond. You can also load the https://gamepad-tester.com/ site instead of the local HTML file, same result.

Please fix this is really harmful for people who use WebViews to render HTML games locally..

Thanks.

[ElyssaJyu]

@RonenNess
Hi, it's a little bit confused to me. Your project seems to use Photino.NET package, not WebView2. Could you please give additional information about how you use webview2? Thanks.

[ElyssaJyu]

As you mentioned, you use Photino which is a lean C# WebView wrapper. May need time to investigate it.
Also, we have WPF and WinForms app which have webview2 control. You can try them to use WebView2 to render HTML games.

[RonenNess]

@RonenNess Hi, it's a little bit confused to me. Your project seems to use Photino.NET package, not WebView2. Could you please give additional information about how you use webview2? Thanks.

Photino on windows is just a wrapper around WebView2.

If you want I can make a forms project later at home, the result will probably remain the same.

[RonenNess]

As you mentioned, you use Photino which is a lean C# WebView wrapper. May need time to investigate it. Also, we have WPF and WinForms app which have webview2 control. You can try them to use WebView2 to render HTML games.

Here, with forms and Microsoft official controller

https://github.com/RonenNess/WebView-Gamepad-Issue/tree/main/WithForm/PlsFixGamepad/PlsFixGamepad

Same result. The issue is with the WebView2 itself. The version of the NuGet doesn't matter either, tried older versions too.

Tested gamepad: xbox controller

[ElyssaJyu]

Hi @RonenNess, Thanks for your sample projects to help us reproduce the issue!
I have tried both with an Xbox controller, and both of them work as expected.

• For Photino project: I try to load the https://gamepad-tester.com/ site instead of the local HTML file.
  
  

• For WinForms project: With Edge WebView2 Runtime 108 and SDK: 1.0.1549-prerelease

Also as you mentioned in 114, Gamepad stop using after connected. I also tested it (simply test the buttons), but it works normally.
There might be some different setting or configuration in the workaround. Still need extra details to target the issue. Thanks.

[RonenNess]

Hi @ElyssaJyu thank you for checking!

This is very strange because the reason I even tested it was some of my users complained it stopped working for them so I know there are at least few people other then me experiencing this.

Do you have the same webview2 the rest of us have distributed with windows updates or maybe you have internal dev version that is not out yet? Is there a way for me to check if I have the same version as you?

Thanks :)

[ElyssaJyu]

Also try Photino project with load local HTML file: works as expected and show a "CONNECTED" alert.

[ElyssaJyu]

Hi @RonenNess
Please try to update the latest version. WebView2. And for SDK, I thought we use the same.
In case, could you check what version of WebView2 runtime you use currently?

[RonenNess]

Hi @ElyssaJyu
This is my WebView2 runtime version:

108.0.1462.54

Is this what you have?

[ElyssaJyu]

It's the same one I have and use. It's the latest version. Does the project work now?

[RonenNess]

Nope doesn't work. And I even reinstalled WebView.
What windows version you have? Which gamepad model you used? Maybe the difference is there..

If it was just me I'd say maybe something is just messed up with my PC, but as I said my players report gamepad suddenly stopped working for them too + there's @abiliaorg here that report something similar..

@abiliaorg can you test too and tell us if it works for you now? You seem to have older webview version which is interesting, but you have windows 10 like me.

[ElyssaJyu]

I don't think the Windows version or gamepad model does matter. In case, you can update the windows to Win11.
Please provide some details about situation of the running projects on your PC. It might be easier to target the issue. :)

Nope doesn't work. And I even reinstalled WebView.

Could you launch the WinForms project? Is the running project display the window with gamepad-test site? Could you check the webview2 process exist when running project?

[RonenNess]

Nice try Microsoft I'm not gonna update to windows11 just for that! :P
I might try later with vm but that will take some time to setup.

Anyway two things:

1. As you can see you have different webview2 name than mine.
2. Why do I have so many of them? Do you have more outside the crop or not? What happens when you extend the webview exe service (I can't extend them as you can see)
   

Looks like something is different between us. Are you sure the version you saw in your application management is the runtime you actually use?

I also tried to open dev tools and ran navigator.getGamepads(), return 4 nulls (in chrome one of them is the gamepad).

btw here are additional details about my gamepad as windows recognize it:

[ElyssaJyu]

For webview2, it seems we are with the same version, and I just collapsed all before.

Is the running project display the window with gamepad-test site? Your screenshot shows that webview2 has been initialed and launching. The site should be loaded on the window as expected.

Also, you can see my test gamepad modal on the previous screenshot. It's Xbox Wireless Controller.

[RonenNess]

I found something interesting, there seems to be a problem with Edge itself.

Up until now I tested the gamepad either with chrome / firefox or WebView, just now I realized I never actually tested gamepad with Edge browser. So I did, and it doesn't work:

I then checked on a laptop that has older Edge version and tested - it worked:

So I updated that laptop Edge to latest version and it stopped working just like on my other computer.

Edge update from 107 to 108 seems to break gamepad

Can you check your Edge browser version? Is it possible that you have WebView 108 like me, but Edge version 107?

[ElyssaJyu]

Actually, my Edge version is 108. I tested on Edge browser again. Also tried with Chrome, it works.


Above screenshot, you can see the controller is displayed as player 3.

Please check your controller connection on PC or laptop. Sometimes it's unstable and will lose connection. (I have tried multiple controllers. One of them connects is not stable. Need reconnects)

It might be more related to Xbox controller Edge connection issue. I can check it with our related team. But perhaps, you can get Xbox support from website or find Xbox topic on GitHub, it might be quicker to target the issue for you.
Please let me know if there is remaining issue I can help. Thanks

[RonenNess]

Hi @ElyssaJyu

I'm sorry but this is absolutely NOT an xbox controller issue.

1. It works on every single browser in existence except for Edge.
2. It literally worked on older Edge and the moment I updated version it stopped working while still working on other browsers (I had it side by side with Chrome, guess which one worked?).
3. It stopped working for me and at few other people who contacted me + the one who opened this issue.
4. This happened on two of my machines, not just one.

"it works for me so there's no bug" is not a serious response to this condition... even if this issue is with a specific xbox model and not all controllers - its still a bug with Edge support of a specific model. Lets find out why.

We need to continue and isolate differences until we nail it but "it works for me bye" is not a valid way to close this.

What is your exact Edge version? Windows version? X64? home edition? I can upload some Edge dlls to compare them?
Plenty of things to do.

Also maybe you can point me to some logs I can upload? tests to run? we only just scratched the surface in term of tests.

Edit: please do add the xbox related team on this as well so they can take a look too, but I don't think the issue is just with xbox I just don't have other controllers to test.

[RonenNess]

@ElyssaJyu
Here, I don't know how it can be any clearer than this there's a bug with Edge:

https://youtu.be/cLoKnvjO9R0

To be clear:

1. The edge window was focused the whole time.
2. In the middle I disconnected, you can see it lose the controller on chrome too, then I connected again and chrome immediately picks it up (as soon as I move the stick) while Edge doesn't.

Really don't know what else to say. I can provide any info you need just let me know what.

[ElyssaJyu]

@RonenNess. My previous response might cause some misunderstanding. Really sorry for that. Definitely, I don't mean that "it works for me so there's no bug".
The reason I guess it might be Xbox controller connection issue is that Chrome and Edge browser work or don't work at the same time when I try it. That's why I guess the possible issue might be a connection issue. BUT, from your tests, it shows that I have the wrong guess, it's not only an Xbox connection issue.

I have the same Edge version and WebView2 version with your setting. I have been checking it on different device, might need time to figure the difference.
Sorry this issue stopping your working. I am checking the change between Edge 107 and Edge 108 and will reach out Edge team and Xbox team for further investigation.

[ElyssaJyu]

Lets find the differences.

• we have the same edge version 108.01462.54 (not work for you, but 107 works)
• what's your window version?
• Does your controller wire or wireless?

[ElyssaJyu]

Edge is not detecting gamepads/controllers, after updating Edge version. I tagged as "tracked", so we can track it internally. We are aware of this and currently investigating. I will let you know the update as soon as possible.

[RonenNess]

Hi @ElyssaJyu sorry for the somewhat aggressive response I got the wrong idea from the suggestion to contact xbox.

So just to make sure - do you need additional info from me or did you manage to reproduce the issue on your end?

If there's something I can assist with please let me know :)

Got windows 10 home edition and wired controller btw.

[ElyssaJyu]

I find that our internal related gamepad team has be aware of this issue and working on it. (Also, I have described your issue to them.) I'm not sure when the fix can be released, but our engineers do aware of it. Also, I have followed the issue, and will let you know when it has been resolved.

[ElyssaJyu]

Hi @RonenNess, What's your gamepad PID/VID pair? It might help the team to resolve the issue.

[RonenNess]

Hi @ElyssaJyu this is the information I have in device manager events log, I think it contains what you need:

Device USB\ VID_20D6&PID_2001 \0000010186E85D0F was configured.

Driver Name: dc1-controller.inf
Class Guid: {05f5cfe2-4733-4950-a6bb-07aad01a3a84}
Driver Date: 02/10/2022
Driver Version: 10.0.19041.1566
Driver Provider: Microsoft
Driver Section: XboxOneController
Driver Rank: 0xFF2000
Matching Device Id: USB\MS_COMP_XGIP10
Outranked Drivers:
Device Updated: false
Parent Device: USB\ROOT_HUB30\4&1148bc98&0&0

[ElyssaJyu]

Thanks. I have provided to the team. We are working on it.

[abiliaorg]

Hello @abiliaorg,

Thanks for your bug report. I've assigned this to a dev that can best try to replicate the issue and follow up on this.

Thanks @ElyssaJyu and everyone.
I use WPF and I started from the sample code provided, and visited https://gamepad-tester.com/. The gamepad is recognized and works if I keep the developer tools window opened and focused. When i focus on the webview, the gamepad is not working.

[ElyssaJyu]

Hi @abiliaorg, could you provide the WebView2 version and your gamepad PID/VID pair? In case, could you help us try open https://gamepad-tester.com/ on edge browser to test whether the gamepad can be recognized? It will help us to fix the issue. Thanks.

[RonenNess]

Any news about this? Anything I can help with?
Thanks

[ElyssaJyu]

We are still working on this issue, but it might take a while because of the holiday break. But I will let you get the update as soon as possible.

[RonenNess]

Bump - any news / estimation?
Thanks :)

[ElyssaJyu]

@RonenNess We have already had an idea on how to resolve the issue. I will let you know when we have made progress on this.

[ElyssaJyu]

@RonenNess Hi, the fix for that issue just landed in Edge 112.0.1689.0 (Official build) canary (64-bit). Could you try it out to see whether it works? Thanks.

[RonenNess]

Hi @ElyssaJyu

It looks like I can't get the 112 update at the moment, maybe it has a region-based rollout and it hasn't reach me yet.

I will try again in few days and see if I can update and if it fixed the issue.
Thanks! :)

[mikeduglas]

You can download 112.0.1690.0 from Canary channel Download Microsoft Edge Insider Channels <https://www.microsoftedgeinsider.com/download>

…

-- Mike пн, 20 февр. 2023 г. в 21:26, Ronen ***@***.***>:

Hi @ElyssaJyu <https://github.com/ElyssaJyu> It looks like I can't get the 112 update at the moment, maybe it has a region-based rollout and it hasn't reach me yet. [image: image] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/3426999/220177775-59416504-fff4-4790-b12f-afbab1294204.png> I will try again in few days and see if I can update and if it fixed the issue. Thanks! :) — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#3025 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AC5IURNNEWJREWRU7MPY3TLWYOZOBANCNFSM6AAAAAASVHKJGU> . You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[RonenNess]

Downloaded canary version:
Version 112.0.1690.0 (Official build) canary (32-bit)

Can confirm the xbox controller works in the bworser.
The WebView still don't work but I guess the Canary version installer didn't update its dlls.

Is there an easy way to test the WebView as well?
Thanks! :)

[mikeduglas]

You can also reverse the behavior to use the most unstable: Canary > Dev > Beta > WV2 Runtime.
To reverse the order, you can set the WEBVIEW2_RELEASE_CHANNEL_PREFERENCE environment variable to 1, using Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable.

[RonenNess]

I tried adding Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("WEBVIEW2_RELEASE_CHANNEL_PREFERENCE", "1"); before setting up the WebView window but nothing changed. Also tried setting the environment variable in system properties and not via code and nothing changed.

Not sure if its an indicator but when I run the program and check in task manager I see the old version:

[mikeduglas]

It works for me. Here https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/how-to/set-preview-channel you find other ways to switch between WV2 runtimes.

…

-- Mike пн, 20 февр. 2023 г. в 23:14, Ronen ***@***.***>:

I tried adding Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("WEBVIEW2_RELEASE_CHANNEL_PREFERENCE", "1"); before setting up the WebView window but nothing changed. Also tried setting the environment variable in system properties and not via code and nothing changed. Not sure if its an indicator but when I run the program and check in task manager I see the old version: [image: image] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/3426999/220191318-abe34ee2-c8b5-4734-a741-add5ef3344e0.png> — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#3025 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AC5IURLUQZU7ZONUOSWD4QDWYPGC5ANCNFSM6AAAAAASVHKJGU> . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[ElyssaJyu]

Thanks @mikeduglas's reference and help.
Hi @RonenNess, it's glad to hear Edge Canary channel works for you. Canary channel is a preview channel. You could try the latest prerelease version The release version will land in few weeks. release note
I will update with you when it's ready. Thanks

[ElyssaJyu]

Hey @RonenNess, please update WebView2 to 1.0.1724-prerelease. Could you confirm whether the Xbox controller works? Thanks

[novac42]

@RonenNess Closing this issue, unless the latest prerelease still doesn't work. If that's the case you can reopen the issue and let us know. Thanks!

[RonenNess]

Hey @RonenNess, please update WebView2 to 1.0.1724-prerelease. Could you confirm whether the Xbox controller works? Thanks

Hi sorry for not replying, I updated Edge to latest rebuilt the application (not sure if was necessary) and gamepad works in webview.

Thanks :) if the issue somehow returns I'll let you know.