SDL_JoyDeviceEvent(3type)

💖 SDL_JoyDeviceEvent — like, the joystick device event struct 💖

okay so bestie, welcome to the SDL3 DATATYPES corner of the manual, page SDL_JoyDeviceEvent(3type). this one is short and sweet and it's giving "tiny struct, big feelings". let's get into it 🫶

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✨ NAME ✨

SDL_JoyDeviceEvent — the joystick device event structure, aka the whole event.jdevice.* situation 💅

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

#include <SDL3/SDL_events.h>

typedef struct SDL_JoyDeviceEvent
{
    SDL_EventType type; /**< SDL_EVENT_JOYSTICK_ADDED or SDL_EVENT_JOYSTICK_REMOVED or SDL_EVENT_JOYSTICK_UPDATE_COMPLETE */
    Uint32 reserved;
    Uint64 timestamp;   /**< In nanoseconds, populated using SDL_GetTicksNS() */
    SDL_JoystickID which;       /**< The joystick instance id */
} SDL_JoyDeviceEvent;

no cap, that's the whole thing. four fields, zero drama 🌸

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🌈 DESCRIPTION 🌈

okay so the vibe here: SDL will send JOYSTICK_ADDED events for devices that are already plugged in during SDL_Init. literally — if your controller was already chilling in the USB port before you even called SDL_Init, SDL is NOT gonna pretend it doesn't exist. it sends the event. iconic behaviour tbh 🔥

so if you're sitting there like "why am I getting an added event for something that was already added", that's why. it's intentional. it's the main character move. periodt ✨

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💜 AVAILABILITY 💜

this struct has been around since SDL 3.2.0. so if you're on anything older, sorry bestie, she's not there 😭

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🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

• SDL_GamepadDeviceEvent(3type) — the gamepad-flavoured sibling, go say hi 👑

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heads up bestie: the timestamp is in nanoseconds and gets populated using SDL_GetTicksNS(), and which is the joystick instance id — don't skip those, they're the whole point 💅

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okay that's the page!! this was brought to you by the fine people at Simple Directmedia Layer, and it's from SDL 3.4.18. mwah, go forth and handle your events 🎀💖✨