Relative Mouse Mode

Debugging Motion Issues

How do I debug incorrect relative motion readings?

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Debugging relative motion issues requires a systematic approach to identify whether the problem lies with SDL, your code, or the system configuration. Here's a comprehensive debugging toolkit:

#include <SDL.h>
#include <chrono>
#include <fstream>
#include <iostream>
#include "Window.h"

class MotionDebugger {
public:
  MotionDebugger() {
    // Open log file
    Log.open("mouse_motion.log");

    // Log system information
    Log << "SDL Version: " << SDL_MAJOR_VERSION
      << "." << SDL_MINOR_VERSION
      << "." << SDL_PATCHLEVEL << '\n';

    // Log relative mode state
    Log << "Relative Mode: "
      << (SDL_GetRelativeMouseMode()
            ? "Enabled"
            : "Disabled") << '\n';
  }

  void LogMotionEvent(SDL_MouseMotionEvent& E) {
    auto Now = std::chrono::system_clock::now();
    auto Timestamp = std::chrono::duration_cast<
        std::chrono::milliseconds>(
        Now.time_since_epoch()).count();

    Log << Timestamp << "," << E.xrel << ","
      << E.yrel << "," << E.x << "," << E.y <<
      '\n';

    // Also check for potential issues
    CheckForAnomalies(E);
  }

private:
  void CheckForAnomalies(
    SDL_MouseMotionEvent& E) {
    // Check for unusually large movements
    if (std::abs(E.xrel) > 100
      || std::abs(E.yrel) > 100) {
      std::cout << "Warning: Large movement "
        "detected\n";
    }

    // Check for stuck positions
    if (E.x == LastX && E.y == LastY
      && E.xrel != 0 && E.yrel != 0) {
      std::cout <<
        "Warning: Position stuck but "
        << "relative motion reported\n";
    }

    LastX = E.x;
    LastY = E.y;
  }

  std::ofstream Log;
  int LastX{0};
  int LastY{0};
};

int main() {
  SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
  Window GameWindow;
  MotionDebugger Debugger;

  // Enable relative mode
  if (SDL_SetRelativeMouseMode(SDL_TRUE) < 0) {
    std::cout <<
      "Failed to enable relative mode: "
      << SDL_GetError() << '\n';
  }

  SDL_Event E;
  while (true) {
    while (SDL_PollEvent(&E)) {
      if (E.type == SDL_MOUSEMOTION) {
        Debugger.LogMotionEvent(E.motion);
      } else if (E.type == SDL_QUIT) {
        SDL_Quit();
        return 0;
      }
    }
    GameWindow.Update();
    GameWindow.Render();
  }
}

Common issues to check for:

  • Inconsistent event timing
  • Stuck cursor positions
  • Unusually large movements
  • Missing or duplicate events
  • System-specific behavior differences

Additional debugging steps:

  • Compare raw input vs. processed values
  • Test with different mouse hardware
  • Check system mouse settings
  • Verify window focus handling
  • Monitor CPU usage during mouse movement

Answers to questions are automatically generated and may not have been reviewed.

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