Configure a mux input controller

Configuring a mux (multiplexed) input controller allows you to combine one or more controllers into a single virtual controller.

This lets you control a robot from different locations, such as the web and a locally connected gamepad, or use multiple controllers as one device.

For example, you could use a joystick alongside a numpad.

Configuration

To combine multiple controlers into a mux controller, you must first configure each controller individually.

The following example configuration combines a gamepad and a webgamepad controller:

Config Builder
JSON Template

What configuration for a multiplexed input controller component looks like in the Viam App config builder.

{
  "components": [
    {
      "name": <your-mux-input-controller>,
      "type": "input_controller",
      "model": "mux",
      "attributes": {
        "sources": [
          <your-gamepad-input-controller,
          "WebGamepad"
        ]
      },
      "depends_on": [
        <your-gamepad-input-controller>,
        "WebGamepad"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": <your-gamepad-input-controller>,
      "type": "input_controller",
      "model": "gamepad",
      "attributes": {
        "dev_file": "",
        "auto_reconnect": false
      },
      "depends_on": []
    },
    {
      "name": "WebGamepad",
      "type": "input_controller",
      "model": "webgamepad",
      "attributes": {},
      "depends_on": []
    }
  ]
}

The following attributes are available for mux input controllers:

Name	Inclusion	Description
`sources`	Required	An array of `name`s of each input controller component that should be combined in the `mux` model.

Note

You must put each controller’s name that you add in sources in depends_on. This tells the program loading the config to fully load the source components first.

Troubleshooting

You can find additional assistance in the Troubleshooting section.

You can also ask questions in the Community Discord and we will be happy to help.