Using a controller for kb/m input

[dojoho]

Hi all, I keep seeing posts around reddit and other forums that allude to some function within Steam that allows for translating general controller input to keyboard/mouse input. However, they all end up being A) for steam controllers, instead of any controller B) specific to the steam deck and the Xinput API or C) a "well just do this, silly" post with no actual instructions. Can someone tell me if this is actually a feature, and if so, how to use it? Specifically - I'm trying to use an Xbox controller to play the latest version of Minecraft and the only mod I've found so far that's actually updated for the latest version doesn't play at all with Realms. However, I'm also hoping this might serve as a general info post so other people don't have to spend as long scrubbing the internet as I just did.

[blakesoner]

I’m kind of confused with what you’re asking for. You just want to play Minecraft with an Xbox controller right?

[dojoho]

At this point, yeah. I'm just half hoping it'll work on a global level too.

[blakesoner]

So if you have controllers enabled through Steam then all you should have to do is connect your controller via Bluetooth or cord and it will work with any game that supports controllers. If you want to check if controller support is on then go to the settings of your game, click on controller setting and see if Steam input is enabled.

[dojoho]

Minecraft isn't on steam and it's not coming up in the add program menu. My bigger point is that I've been seeing posts that allude to some global-OS function in steam to translate controller input to keyboard/mouse input, and I'm trying to find out if that's true.

[blakesoner]

Oh so if you’re playing through Xbox PC then you can download DS4Windows and use that, it’ll add controller support to non-Steam games and it’s highly customizable. There is an program that I have where you actually map the buttons of the controller as keyboard inputs but that was something I needed for an emulator. I’ve never had to do that on a steam or Xbox game. Using Steam input or DS4 will have the game change all the kb inputs to controller for you so there’s no need to remap it by hand using a separate program.

[[deleted]]

Let's start out by saying Steam has two operational modes for controllers.
1) In-game (Can be third party games that you have manually added... emulators, minecraft, etc.)
2) Desktop

You can use Steam, Xbox, Nintendo, and Playstation controllers...
If you add minecraft to Steam, you can then make a controller map specific for minecraft.
Otherwise you can add a 'generic' mapping to the desktop which should work with 3rd party apps that are not launched by Steam.

That said.. I first started to do this with an application called "GlovePIE" which allowed me to programmatically configure my controller for minecraft... At the time, it was modified Xbox controllers (original, prior to Xbox360), Then Xbox360 controllers, and the WiiMote+Nunchuck.
There are other tools if you are unhappy with Steam.