feat: extended controller support: Xbox wireless dongle (xone) and Xbox Bluetooth (xpadneo)

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ one per merged pull request.
 - **feat: "Gaming on NVIDIA" (nvidia) replaces the SteamOS conversion on PCs with an NVIDIA GPU, where gamescope's gaming mode shows a corrupted picture (NVIDIA bug 5240452): Steam is installed when missing and starts at login on the Plasma desktop; the sub-option "Steam starts in Big Picture" (bigpicture, ticked along with it) starts it in Big Picture, unticked in its normal window, and Big Picture starts on an empty Plasma session (no windows of the last session on top of it) (lib/nvidia.sh, services/steamify-steam-autostart.service). On a supported card (RTX 20 series or newer, chwd's legacy lists like the VRAM booster) it also puts nvidia-drm.modeset=1 and fbdev=1 on the kernel command line (Limine incl. its `+=` line, systemd-boot, GRUB) and the NVIDIA modules in the initramfs while every installed kernel has them (a pacman hook decides at every kernel change). The conversion and its options are hidden there unless already on**
 - **feat: single user mode also works on NVIDIA PCs, without the SteamOS conversion: it switches to SDDM and logs in to the Plasma session by itself (/etc/sddm.conf.d/zzz-steamify-autologin.conf), and no longer ticks the conversion where that isn't offered (lib/single-user.sh)**
 - **fix: "Add as non-Steam game" isn't offered on NVIDIA PCs (there is no gaming mode there for it to give the controller; shown when already on, so it can be turned off)**
+- **feat: Extended controller support (extended_controller_support, off by default): the Xbox wireless dongle (xone-dkms, xone-dongle-firmware) and Xbox controllers over Bluetooth with rumble, button mapping and battery level (xpadneo-dkms), from the CachyOS repo, built for every installed kernel; a PC with the AUR's xone-dkms-git keeps it; off removes only what Steamify installed (lib/controllers.sh, tests/controllers-test.sh)**
 - **test: tests/nvidia-test.sh runs it against a fake RTX 5080 beside an iGPU, a stub pacman and systemctl, and a temp home (no root, VM or hardware); verified on a real RTX 5080: gamescope's session, a nested gamescope and a KWin-only session all showed artifacts or stutter, Big Picture on the Plasma desktop did not**
 
 ## 2.9.6 - 2026-09-30

README.md

@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@ Steam Machine.
    the Steam Machine) or a USB CEC adapter; most graphics cards, NVIDIA
    included, don't have it. See [CEC.md](CEC.md) for which PCs do, and how to
    add it to your own build ([details](TECHNICAL.md#hdmi-cec)).
+9. **Extended controller support** (off by default) - the Xbox wireless
+   dongle (xone) and Xbox controllers over Bluetooth with rumble, the right
+   button mapping and the battery level (xpadneo). Both are installed from the
+   CachyOS repo and built for every installed kernel
+   ([details](TECHNICAL.md#extended-controller-support)).
 
 ## Steam Machine
 

TECHNICAL.md

@@ -214,6 +214,18 @@ or upgraded. A newly added kernel doesn't come with its headers, so
 `ensure-kernel-headers.service` checks at every boot and installs any
 missing `-headers` package, which makes DKMS build the driver for it.
 
+## Extended controller support
+
+`extended_controller_support` (`lib/controllers.sh`, top-level, off by default, 2.10.0) installs two kernel drivers from CachyOS's own
+repo (no AUR): `xone-dkms` with `xone-dongle-firmware` for the Xbox wireless dongle (the kernel has no driver for it; wired
+Xbox controllers go through the same driver), and `xpadneo-dkms` for Xbox One/Series controllers over Bluetooth (without it
+they work as plain gamepads but miss rumble including the triggers, the right button mapping and the battery level). Both are
+DKMS modules, built for every installed kernel, so `install_kernel_headers` (`lib/steam-machine.sh`) makes sure each kernel has its
+headers first. A PC that already has the AUR's `xone-dkms-git` keeps it: it provides the same driver and conflicts with the repo's
+`xone-dkms`. Status is the three packages being installed. Off removes only what Steamify installed (state
+`extended_controller_support`, `installed_pkgs`); the headers stay. The drivers load when the device shows up: the dongle is
+plugged in again, or the controller reconnected. `tests/controllers-test.sh` tests it with a stub `pacman`.
+
 ## Gaming on NVIDIA
 
 gamescope's own gaming mode shows a corrupted picture on NVIDIA graphics cards: NVIDIA's open bug 5240452 (flicker and
@@ -553,6 +565,7 @@ immediately, which can turn into a loop - see
 | `lib/steam-game.sh` | Add as non-Steam game: Steamify in the Steam library (`patches/steam-shortcuts.py`) |
 | `lib/update-notifier.sh` | Update notifications: the notifier from `patches/` and its user timer |
 | `lib/first-login.sh` | `--defaults` without a session (the Steam Machine ISO's installer): the one-time first-login step that sets up single user's launcher on Plasma's new layout and opens the app |
+| `lib/controllers.sh` | Extended controller support: Xbox wireless dongle (xone) and Xbox Bluetooth (xpadneo) from the CachyOS repo |
 | `lib/nvidia.sh` | Gaming on NVIDIA: Steam on the desktop, started at login, optionally in Big Picture (replaces the SteamOS conversion there) |
 | `lib/vram-booster.sh` | VRAM booster (`dmemcg-booster`, `plasma-foreground-booster`) |
 | `services/` | The systemd units the scripts install (`service_file`, `@KEY@` placeholders); see its README |

lib/controllers.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Extended controller support: the Xbox wireless dongle (xone, with its firmware) and Xbox controllers over Bluetooth (xpadneo).
+# The kernel has no driver for the dongle, and without xpadneo a Bluetooth Xbox controller works as a plain gamepad (buttons and
+# sticks) but misses rumble (trigger motors too), proper button mapping and the battery level. Both are DKMS modules from CachyOS's
+# own repo, built for every installed kernel (so every kernel needs its headers). Sourced by steamify.sh; not meant to be run on
+# its own.
+
+controller_xone_pkg() {
+    # A PC with the AUR's xone-dkms-git already works: the repo's xone-dkms would conflict with it.
+    pacman -Q xone-dkms-git >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo xone-dkms-git || echo xone-dkms
+}
+
+controller_pkgs() { echo "xpadneo-dkms $(controller_xone_pkg) xone-dongle-firmware"; }
+
+extended_controller_support_status() {
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2046 # a list of package names
+    pacman -Q $(controller_pkgs) >/dev/null 2>&1
+}
+
+extended_controller_support_enable() {
+    local p prev missing=()
+    info "Installing extended controller support (Xbox wireless dongle, Xbox Bluetooth)..."
+    install_kernel_headers || return 1
+    for p in $(controller_pkgs); do pacman -Q "$p" >/dev/null 2>&1 || missing+=("$p"); done
+    if ((${#missing[@]})); then
+        sudo pacman -S --needed --noconfirm "${missing[@]}" ||
+            { err "Installing ${missing[*]} failed."; return 1; }
+        # What a first, half-finished run installed stays on the list.
+        prev="$(state_get extended_controller_support installed_pkgs)"
+        state_set extended_controller_support installed_pkgs "$(echo "$prev ${missing[*]}" | xargs)"
+    fi
+    ok "Extended controller support on: plug the dongle in again (or reconnect the controller) to use it."
+}
+
+extended_controller_support_disable() {
+    local pkgs
+    pkgs="$(state_get extended_controller_support installed_pkgs)"
+    # Only what Steamify installed; kernel headers stay.
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2086 # a list of package names
+    [[ -n "$pkgs" ]] && sudo pacman -Rns --noconfirm $pkgs >/dev/null 2>&1
+    state_clear extended_controller_support
+    ok "Extended controller support off."
+}

lib/menu.sh

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 # Menu order. Components are turned on in this order and off in reverse;
 # gaming must come first (single user builds on it).
-COMPONENTS=(gaming boot nvidia bigpicture theme glyphs single launcher steamgame notify vram cec machine poweroff kpin hdmi bios)
+COMPONENTS=(gaming boot nvidia bigpicture theme glyphs single launcher steamgame notify extended_controller_support vram cec machine poweroff kpin hdmi bios)
 # One-off actions rather than on/off components: never preselected, never
 # re-applied, not listed as on or off.
 ACTIONS=(bios)
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ declare -A PARENT=([boot]=gaming [bigpicture]=nvidia [steamgame]=launcher [power
 # gamescope is the default; HDMI-CEC is opt-in (it can wake the machine or
 # upset other devices on the TV, even on SteamOS), except on a Steam Machine,
 # which has CEC like on SteamOS. HDMI refresh boost needs someone at the
-# screen to confirm each step.
+# screen to confirm each step. Extended controller support builds kernel modules for
-NO_PRESELECT=(boot cec kpin hdmi)
+# every installed kernel: opt-in.
+NO_PRESELECT=(boot cec kpin hdmi extended_controller_support)
 # Feature versions: the Steamify version in which what a component's enable
 # sets up last changed; set it to the new VERSION whenever you change one.
 # Each successful run records it (state "features"); a component that's on
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ NO_PRESELECT=(boot cec kpin hdmi)
 FEATURE_BASELINE=2.1.0
 declare -A FEATURE_VERSION=(
     [gaming]=2.9.0 [boot]=2.1.0 [nvidia]=2.10.0 [bigpicture]=2.10.0 [theme]=2.1.0 [glyphs]=2.1.0 [single]=2.1.0
-    [launcher]=2.1.0 [cec]=2.7.0 [machine]=2.9.0 [poweroff]=2.2.0 [vram]=2.3.0 [notify]=2.5.0 [steamgame]=2.5.1
+    [launcher]=2.1.0 [cec]=2.7.0 [machine]=2.9.0 [poweroff]=2.2.0 [vram]=2.3.0 [notify]=2.5.0 [steamgame]=2.5.1 [extended_controller_support]=2.10.0
     [kpin]=2.1.0 [hdmi]=2.1.0
 )
 
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ declare -A LABEL=(
     [launcher]="Steamify shortcut: the app on the desktop, Steamify Terminal in the launcher"
     [steamgame]="Add as non-Steam game: Steamify in your Steam library, for the controller and gaming mode"
     [notify]="Update notifications: a notification when there's a new Steamify, never updates by itself"
+    [extended_controller_support]="Extended controller support: Xbox wireless dongle (xone), Xbox controllers over Bluetooth (xpadneo)"
     [vram]="VRAM booster: the game in front keeps its VRAM, background apps make room"
     [cec]="HDMI-CEC: use Steam with the TV remote, TV on/off with the PC (experimental)"
     [machine]="Steam Machine support: LED bar driver, hardware settings in Steam"

steamify.sh

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ VERSION=2.10.0
 
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
 
-for lib in common state packages login-manager single-user steam-desktop steam-machine fremont-poweroff vram-booster hdmi-refresh nvidia cec boot-session vapor-theme steamos-extras bios desktop-shortcut wizard-shortcut steam-game update-notifier first-login menu backend; do
+for lib in common state packages login-manager single-user steam-desktop steam-machine fremont-poweroff vram-booster hdmi-refresh nvidia controllers cec boot-session vapor-theme steamos-extras bios desktop-shortcut wizard-shortcut steam-game update-notifier first-login menu backend; do
     # shellcheck source=/dev/null
     source "$SCRIPT_DIR/lib/$lib.sh"
 done

tests/controllers-test.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Tests lib/controllers.sh (extended controller support: xone, the Xbox wireless dongle, and xpadneo, Xbox Bluetooth) with a stub pacman
+# and a temp home. No root, VM or hardware needed: bash tests/controllers-test.sh
+cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." || exit 1
+T="$(mktemp -d)"; trap 'rm -rf "$T"' EXIT
+fail=0
+check() { if eval "$2"; then echo "ok   $1"; else echo "FAIL $1"; fail=1; fi; }
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$PWD"; HOME="$T/home"; mkdir -p "$HOME"
+source lib/common.sh; source lib/state.sh; source lib/controllers.sh; source lib/menu.sh
+# Runs as the user, and refuses anything under the real system folders: a test must never touch them.
+sudo() { local a; for a in "$@"; do case "$a" in /etc/*|/usr/*|/boot/*|/var/*) echo "REFUSED sudo $*" >&2; return 1 ;; esac; done; "$@"; }
+info() { :; }; ok() { :; }; warn() { :; }; err() { echo "ERR $*"; }
+kwriteconfig6() { local f="" k="" v=""; while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do case "$1" in --file) f="$2"; shift ;; --key) k="$2"; shift ;; --group) shift ;; *) v="$1" ;; esac; shift; done; mkdir -p "$(dirname "$f")"; sed -i "/^$k=/d" "$f" 2>/dev/null; printf '%s=%s\n' "$k" "$v" >> "$f"; }
+kreadconfig6() { local f="" k=""; while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do case "$1" in --file) f="$2"; shift ;; --key) k="$2"; shift ;; --group|--default) shift ;; esac; shift; done; sed -n "s/^$k=//p" "$f" 2>/dev/null; }
+# A pretend package database.
+PKGS=""; PACMAN_LOG="$T/pacman.log"; : > "$PACMAN_LOG"; PACMAN_FAIL=0
+pacman() {
+    case "$1" in
+        -Q) local p; for p in "${@:2}"; do [[ " $PKGS " == *" $p "* ]] || return 1; done ;;
+        -S) [[ $PACMAN_FAIL == 1 ]] && return 1; echo "S ${*:4}" >> "$PACMAN_LOG"; PKGS+=" ${*:4}" ;;
+        -Rns) echo "R ${*:3}" >> "$PACMAN_LOG"; local p; for p in ${*:3}; do PKGS=" ${PKGS// $p / } "; done ;;
+    esac
+}
+HEADERS=0; install_kernel_headers() { HEADERS=$((HEADERS + 1)); }
+
+check "off to begin with" '! extended_controller_support_status'
+extended_controller_support_enable
+check "installs the repo's xpadneo-dkms, xone-dkms and the dongle firmware" 'pacman -Q xpadneo-dkms xone-dkms xone-dongle-firmware'
+check "kernel headers are made sure of first" '[[ $HEADERS == 1 ]]'
+check "what we installed is recorded" '[[ "$(state_get extended_controller_support installed_pkgs)" == "xpadneo-dkms xone-dkms xone-dongle-firmware" ]]'
+check "it is on" extended_controller_support_status
+n="$(wc -l < "$PACMAN_LOG")"; extended_controller_support_enable
+check "a second run installs nothing again" '[[ "$(wc -l < "$PACMAN_LOG")" == "$n" ]]'
+extended_controller_support_disable
+check "off: the three packages are removed again" '! pacman -Q xpadneo-dkms 2>/dev/null && ! pacman -Q xone-dkms 2>/dev/null && ! pacman -Q xone-dongle-firmware 2>/dev/null && [[ -z "$(state_get extended_controller_support installed_pkgs)" ]]'
+
+# The AUR's xone-dkms-git conflicts with the repo's xone-dkms: it counts, and is kept.
+PKGS=" xone-dkms-git xone-dongle-firmware xpadneo-dkms"; : > "$PACMAN_LOG"
+check "xone-dkms-git counts as xone: already on" extended_controller_support_status
+extended_controller_support_enable; extended_controller_support_disable
+check "with xone-dkms-git: nothing installed and nothing removed" '[[ ! -s "$PACMAN_LOG" ]] && pacman -Q xone-dkms-git xpadneo-dkms xone-dongle-firmware'
+PKGS=" xone-dkms-git"
+extended_controller_support_enable
+check "xone-dkms-git present: only the missing ones are installed, never xone-dkms" 'grep -q "^S xpadneo-dkms xone-dongle-firmware$" "$PACMAN_LOG" && ! pacman -Q xone-dkms 2>/dev/null'
+extended_controller_support_disable
+check "and off removes only those two, xone-dkms-git stays" 'pacman -Q xone-dkms-git && ! pacman -Q xpadneo-dkms 2>/dev/null'
+
+# A failed install is an error and records nothing.
+PKGS=""; PACMAN_FAIL=1
+check "a failed pacman is an error" '! extended_controller_support_enable >/dev/null'
+check "...and records nothing" '[[ -z "$(state_get extended_controller_support installed_pkgs)" ]]'
+PACMAN_FAIL=0
+
+# Packages that were already there are never removed by turning it off.
+PKGS=" xpadneo-dkms xone-dkms xone-dongle-firmware"; : > "$PACMAN_LOG"
+extended_controller_support_enable; extended_controller_support_disable
+check "packages you had before stay" 'pacman -Q xpadneo-dkms xone-dkms xone-dongle-firmware && [[ ! -s "$PACMAN_LOG" ]]'
+
+# The menu.
+check "offered on every PC" 'component_available extended_controller_support'
+check "not preselected: it builds kernel modules for every kernel" '[[ " ${NO_PRESELECT[*]} " == *" extended_controller_support "* ]]'
+check "a top-level item with a label" '[[ -z "${PARENT[extended_controller_support]:-}" && -n "${LABEL[extended_controller_support]}" ]]'
+exit $fail

ui/qml/Texts.qml

@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ QtObject {
         notify: { label: "Update notifications", hint: "A notification when there's a new Steamify",
                   body: "Checks once a day and when you log in to the desktop. When there's a new Steamify you get a notification and a tray icon: open the app to see what's new and choose what to update, or skip that version. It never updates anything by itself.",
                   changes: ["A daily check (systemd user timer), only on the desktop", "Tray icon only while an update is waiting", "Skip this version: quiet until the next one"] },
+        extended_controller_support: { label: "Extended controller support", hint: "Xbox wireless dongle, Xbox controllers over Bluetooth",
+                  body: "Drivers for Xbox controllers that Linux doesn't handle well by itself. xone makes the Xbox wireless dongle work (the kernel has no driver for it), xpadneo gives an Xbox controller over Bluetooth rumble including the triggers, the right button mapping and its battery level. They are built for every installed kernel, which takes a minute or two each.",
+                  changes: ["xone (the dongle) with its firmware, and xpadneo (Bluetooth), from the CachyOS repo", "Kernel headers for every installed kernel, so the drivers build for each", "Off: only what Steamify installed is removed again"] },
         vram: { label: "VRAM booster", hint: "The game in front keeps its VRAM",
                 body: "Like SteamOS 3.9: the game you're playing keeps its video memory, and background apps are moved out first. Without it a game that needs most of the video memory can spill into system RAM and stutter. Shown for GPUs whose driver supports it (AMD, Intel, NVIDIA with its open kernel modules from driver 615) on kernel 7.2 or newer.",
                 changes: ["dmemcg-booster (system and user service)", "plasma-foreground-booster, which tells it which window is in front", "Off: removed again, unless you had installed them yourself"] },