Watch for joystick unplug/re-plug with BASH

Question

I'm having a little trouble with what I think should be a very simple BASH script. It could be a logic error, but I really don't know.
First, here is the problem I am trying to solve:
On this particular PC, I am using Boxee as the main interface with openbox-session. I currently do not have a suitable wireless input to control this, so I have a basic 6-button Microsoft Sidewinder gamepad plugged in. I'm using rejoystick to map the buttons to the proper keys to control Boxee (and also the volume via xbindkeys). However, if the gamepad ever gets unplugged, and I plug it back in, the bindings no longer work. To get them working again, I have to sigkill rejoystick (for some reason, sigterm doesn't do it), and re-execute "rejoystick -d".
This script seems to work when I run it in a console. To test it, I have "rejoystick -d" running, I unplug the gamepad, and I plug it back in, and the button mappings are working.
However, when I let the script run in the background for a few minutes, and I perform the same test, the button mappings do not work.
~/.scripts/rejoystick.sh
#!/bin/sh
if ls /dev/input/js0 # run an initial check to see if js0 is plugged in and set the PLUGGED variable
then
PLUGGED=true
else
PLUGGED=false
fi
while true
do
sleep 2
if ls /dev/input/js0
then
if $PLUGGED # this is more like, if it was plugged in during the previous cycle of the loop
then
PLUGGED=true
else
killall --signal 9 rejoystick & sleep 2 && rejoystick -d
PLUGGED=true
fi
else
PLUGGED=false
fi
done
Notice that "killall --signal 9 rejoystick & sleep 2 && rejoystick -d" only gets ran once the joystick has been unplugged and gets plugged back in
Here are the last few lines of my ~/.config/openbox/autostart.sh:
~/.scripts/display.sh & # this script is a simple "xset -dmps"
xfce4-volumed & # for volume change notification
xbindkeys & # I have F7 and F8 bound to "amixer -c 0 set Master 1-" and "amixer -c 0 set Master 1+"
~/.fehbg &
~/.scripts/rejoystick.sh & # described above
~/.scripts/boxee.sh & disown # simple script to re-open Boxee if someone exits or crashes it
So maybe there's something wrong with the script, or the way I'm running it in the background, or maybe there's just another way to solve the problem... I must be doing something wrong.
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by drelyn86 (2011-01-31 17:35:05)

Answer 1

Thanks Smokerz,
Your links tell me that at least we know we are probably looking in the right direction. Apple's documentation for Mirror Doors (the very last G4 built before the G5s rolled out) is poor. The PMU was nowhere even close to any of the diagrams and it was actually labeled "PMU" when we decided to look anywhere on the motherboard.
Still this G4 won't boot (unless I unplug and replug) even with a completely new hard drive. I ran the tech tools diagnostic I got from AppleCare when I first purchased the box. I have a 4:00 (PST) at an Apple store today.
I've been planning and very close to purchasing a Mac Book Pro 17" system. Perhaps this G4 doesn't like the thought of being replaced. It happened with my last system.
Anyway I hope they can fix this computer. But my theory stands, Leopard fried my G4 system. Thanks for your suggestions.