USB foot pedal for app-control

[oybed]

Hi all
Apologize if this topic has already been covered.

I have an Infinity USB foot pedal [1] that I'd like to use for app-control in BandHelper on iOS (running on an iPad). It doesn't work as-is, and I suspect there are perhaps at least 1 or 2 challenges with this setup - 1) BandHelper doesn't support the keys it emits, and 2) it appears that iOS doesn't recognize it as a hardware keyboard when plugged in.

Has anybody been successful at making a similar setup work (perhaps with the use of a different app to do the key-mappings)?

Any pointers or insight is appreciated. I'd really like to make this work since I already have this pedal, and just don't want yet another battery operated device. :-)

Thank you.


[1] : https://www.amazon.com/VEC-Infinity-Digital-Control-Computer/dp/B081FGC858

[oybed]

I should add that opening up the activity log in the remote control view shows nothing when this foot pedal is connected ... while a regular USB keyboard produces output in the activity log

[arlo]

Is there a user manual that says what key messages it sends?

Does anything happen if you open a text document in another app (e.g., the Notes app or the Mail app) and click the foot switch buttons?

Does iOS show any error messages when you connect it? I tried this with a different USB foot switch and iOS showed a message that it wasn't supported.

[oybed]

Hi @arlo - as always, thx for your support on these topics.

Unfortunately no manual, but, I'm able to extract the codes in Linux by using evtest, which yields the output below. Also, iOS shows no error / info when I plug it in.

Basically it's detected as an EV_KEY event, with the values of 256, 257, and 258 (BTN_0, BTN_1, BTN_2). More info on the EV_KEY events here.

Code Select Expand

Event: time 1692373528.152291, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value 90001
Event: time 1692373528.152291, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 256 (BTN_0), value 1
Event: time 1692373528.152291, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1692373528.280312, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value 90001
Event: time 1692373528.280312, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 256 (BTN_0), value 0
Event: time 1692373528.280312, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1692373531.200321, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value 90002
Event: time 1692373531.200321, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 257 (BTN_1), value 1
Event: time 1692373531.200321, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1692373531.232330, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value 90002
Event: time 1692373531.232330, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 257 (BTN_1), value 0
Event: time 1692373531.232330, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1692373535.208368, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value 90003
Event: time 1692373535.208368, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 258 (BTN_2), value 1
Event: time 1692373535.208368, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1692373535.320384, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value 90003
Event: time 1692373535.320384, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 258 (BTN_2), value 0
Event: time 1692373535.320384, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

[arlo]

According to the documentation you sent, the BTN_ messages are "used for other types of momentary switch events," not keyboard key presses.

I recommend contacting the maker of that foot switch to see if it is supposed to work on iOS, and if the messages it sends can be configured.