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ppsspp_press_buttons

Set persistent PSP button states to control emulated games. Buttons remain held until you send a release command.

Instructions

PURPOSE: Set the PSP joypad button state — the buttons in the map are 'held' until you send another buttons command. USAGE: Drive games with input. Unlike one-frame-only schemes on other emulators, PPSSPP's input.buttons.send updates the persistent button state — the buttons stay held until you call ppsspp_press_buttons again with them set false (or use ppsspp_press_button for a timed one-shot). To release all buttons, call with all keys set to false. BEHAVIOR: Modifies emulator input state until changed. PSP buttons (case-sensitive): cross, circle, triangle, square, up, down, left, right, start, select, ltrigger, rtrigger, home. Unrecognized button names return an error. RETURNS: Single line 'Set buttons: BUTTON+BUTTON+...' or '... (all released)' if nothing was pressed.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
buttonsYesMap of PSP button name → pressed (boolean). Valid names: cross, circle, triangle, square, up, down, left, right, start, select, ltrigger, rtrigger, home. Example: {"cross": true, "right": true} holds X and Right.

Implementation Reference

  • Tool definition (name, description, and inputSchema) for ppsspp_press_buttons. Describes setting persistent held-button state via PPSSPP's input.buttons.send. Input is a map of button name -> boolean.
    {
      name: "ppsspp_press_buttons",
      description:
        "PURPOSE: Set the PSP joypad button state — the buttons in the map are 'held' until you send another buttons command. " +
        "USAGE: Drive games with input. Unlike one-frame-only schemes on other emulators, PPSSPP's input.buttons.send updates the persistent button state — the buttons stay held until you call ppsspp_press_buttons again with them set false (or use ppsspp_press_button for a timed one-shot). To release all buttons, call with all keys set to false. " +
        `BEHAVIOR: Modifies emulator input state until changed. PSP buttons (case-sensitive): ${PSP_BUTTONS.join(", ")}. Unrecognized button names return an error. ` +
        "RETURNS: Single line 'Set buttons: BUTTON+BUTTON+...' or '... (all released)' if nothing was pressed.",
      inputSchema: {
        type: "object",
        required: ["buttons"],
        properties: {
          buttons: {
            type: "object",
            description: `Map of PSP button name → pressed (boolean). Valid names: ${PSP_BUTTONS.join(", ")}. Example: {"cross": true, "right": true} holds X and Right.`,
            additionalProperties: { type: "boolean" },
          },
        },
        additionalProperties: false,
      },
  • Handler for ppsspp_press_buttons tool. Calls ppsspp. call('input.buttons.send') with the button map, then returns a summary of which buttons are pressed.
    case "ppsspp_press_buttons": {
      await pp.call("input.buttons.send", { buttons: p.buttons });
      const pressed = Object.entries(p.buttons as Record<string, boolean>)
        .filter(([, v]) => v).map(([k]) => k);
      return ok(`Set buttons: ${pressed.length ? pressed.join("+") : "(all released)"}`);
    }
  • Canonical PSP button names array used by the tool's description and input schema documentation. Includes: cross, circle, triangle, square, up, down, left, right, start, select, ltrigger, rtrigger, home.
    const PSP_BUTTONS = [
      "cross", "circle", "triangle", "square",   // Face buttons
      "up", "down", "left", "right",             // D-pad
      "start", "select",                         // System
      "ltrigger", "rtrigger",                    // Shoulder buttons
      "home",                                    // Home
    ];
  • src/tools.ts:405-613 (registration)
    Registration of all tools (including ppsspp_press_buttons) via server.setRequestHandler for ListToolsRequestSchema and the switch-case in CallToolRequestSchema.
    export function registerTools(server: Server, pp: PpssppClient): void {
      server.setRequestHandler(ListToolsRequestSchema, async () => ({ tools: TOOLS }));
    
      server.setRequestHandler(CallToolRequestSchema, async (req) => {
        const { name, arguments: args = {} } = req.params;
        const p = args as Record<string, unknown>;
        const a = () => p.address as number;
    
        switch (name) {
          case "ppsspp_ping": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ version?: string; name?: string }>("version");
            return ok(`pong (${r.name ?? "PPSSPP"} ${r.version ?? "(unknown version)"})`);
          }
    
          case "ppsspp_get_info": {
            const status = await pp.call<{ game?: { id?: string; title?: string; version?: string } | null; paused?: boolean; stepping?: boolean }>("game.status");
            const lines: string[] = [];
            if (status.game) {
              lines.push(`Title:   ${status.game.title ?? "(unavailable)"}`);
              lines.push(`Disc ID: ${status.game.id ?? "(unavailable)"}`);
              lines.push(`Version: ${status.game.version ?? "(unavailable)"}`);
            } else {
              lines.push("No game loaded.");
            }
            const state = status.stepping ? "stepping (paused)" : status.paused ? "paused" : "running";
            lines.push(`State:   ${state}`);
            return ok(lines.join("\n"));
          }
    
          case "ppsspp_read8": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ value: number }>("memory.read_u8", { address: a() });
            return ok(`${addrHex(a())}: ${fmtHex(r.value)}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_read16": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ value: number }>("memory.read_u16", { address: a() });
            return ok(`${addrHex(a())}: ${fmtHex(r.value)}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_read32": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ value: number }>("memory.read_u32", { address: a() });
            return ok(`${addrHex(a())}: ${fmtHex(r.value)}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_read_range": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ base64: string }>("memory.read", { address: a(), size: p.size });
            const bytes = Buffer.from(r.base64 ?? "", "base64");
            const hex = Array.from(bytes).map((b) => b.toString(16).padStart(2, "0").toUpperCase()).join(" ");
            return ok(`${addrHex(a())} [${bytes.length} bytes]:\n${hex}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_read_string": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ value: string }>("memory.readString", { address: a(), type: "utf-8" });
            return ok(`${addrHex(a())}: ${JSON.stringify(r.value ?? "")}`);
          }
    
          case "ppsspp_write8": {
            await pp.call("memory.write_u8", { address: a(), value: p.value });
            return ok(`Wrote ${fmtHex(p.value)} → ${addrHex(a())}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_write16": {
            await pp.call("memory.write_u16", { address: a(), value: p.value });
            return ok(`Wrote ${fmtHex(p.value)} → ${addrHex(a())}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_write32": {
            await pp.call("memory.write_u32", { address: a(), value: p.value });
            return ok(`Wrote ${fmtHex(p.value)} → ${addrHex(a())}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_write_range": {
            const bytes = Buffer.from(p.bytes as number[]);
            const base64 = bytes.toString("base64");
            await pp.call("memory.write", { address: a(), base64 });
            return ok(`Wrote ${bytes.length} bytes → ${addrHex(a())}`);
          }
    
          case "ppsspp_press_buttons": {
            await pp.call("input.buttons.send", { buttons: p.buttons });
            const pressed = Object.entries(p.buttons as Record<string, boolean>)
              .filter(([, v]) => v).map(([k]) => k);
            return ok(`Set buttons: ${pressed.length ? pressed.join("+") : "(all released)"}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_press_button": {
            await pp.call("input.buttons.press", { button: p.button, duration: p.duration ?? 1 });
            return ok(`Pressed ${p.button} for ${p.duration ?? 1} frames (auto-released)`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_send_analog": {
            await pp.call("input.analog.send", { stick: p.stick, x: p.x, y: p.y });
            return ok(`Set analog stick ${p.stick} to (${p.x}, ${p.y})`);
          }
    
          case "ppsspp_pause": {
            // cpu.stepping is fire-and-forget per PPSSPP source ("No immediate
            // response. Once CPU is stepping, a 'cpu.stepping' event will be
            // sent."). Send it, then poll cpu.status until stepping=true.
            await pp.fireAndForget("cpu.stepping");
            await pp.waitForState((s) => s.stepping === true);
            return ok("Emulation paused");
          }
          case "ppsspp_resume": {
            await pp.fireAndForget("cpu.resume");
            await pp.waitForState((s) => s.stepping === false);
            return ok("Emulation resumed");
          }
          case "ppsspp_step": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ pc?: number }>("cpu.stepInto");
            return ok(`Stepped one instruction. PC: ${r.pc !== undefined ? addrHex(r.pc) : "(unknown)"}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_reset": {
            await pp.call("game.reset");
            return ok("Game reset");
          }
          case "ppsspp_screenshot": {
            // PPSSPP's gpu.buffer.* events all require CORE_STEPPING_CPU (or GPU
            // stepping) state — they fail with "Neither CPU or GPU is stepping"
            // otherwise. We transparently pause→capture→resume so callers can
            // screenshot any time without managing pause state. If the emulator
            // was already paused, we leave it paused.
            //
            // source='render' (default) uses gpu.buffer.renderColor → reads the
            // active GPU render target. Safer: GPU_GetCurrentFramebuffer hits a
            // different code path than the crash-prone GPU_GetOutputFramebuffer.
            //
            // source='output' uses gpu.buffer.screenshot → reads the final
            // composited output (what's on screen, post scaling/shaders). Can
            // CRASH PPSSPP on some games: upstream has an `_assert_(buf != nullptr)`
            // after GPU_GetOutputFramebuffer that fires when the function returns
            // true with a null buffer (observed on some homebrew). We can't catch
            // a process abort from outside, but v0.1.2's auto-reconnect means MCP
            // recovers when PPSSPP is relaunched.
            const source = (p.source as string | undefined) ?? "render";
            const event  = source === "output" ? "gpu.buffer.screenshot" : "gpu.buffer.renderColor";
            const statusBefore = await pp.call<{ stepping?: boolean; paused?: boolean }>("cpu.status");
            const wasStepping = !!statusBefore.stepping;
            if (!wasStepping) {
              await pp.fireAndForget("cpu.stepping");
              await pp.waitForState((s) => s.stepping === true);
            }
            try {
              // type: "base64" returns the raw base64 payload; the default "uri"
              // returns a "data:image/png;base64,..." prefix which we'd have to strip.
              const r = await pp.call<{ base64?: string; uri?: string }>(event, { type: "base64" });
              let b64 = r.base64;
              if (!b64 && r.uri) {
                // Belt-and-suspenders: if PPSSPP returned a URI anyway, strip the prefix.
                const m = /^data:image\/png;base64,(.*)$/.exec(r.uri);
                if (m) b64 = m[1];
              }
              if (!b64) {
                throw new Error(`PPSSPP did not return screenshot data from ${event} (no game loaded, or framebuffer not readable?)`);
              }
              return {
                content: [
                  { type: "text" as const, text: `Screenshot captured (source: ${source}, event: ${event}).` },
                  { type: "image" as const, data: b64, mimeType: "image/png" },
                ],
              };
            } finally {
              if (!wasStepping) {
                try {
                  await pp.fireAndForget("cpu.resume");
                  await pp.waitForState((s) => s.stepping === false, { timeoutMs: 2000 });
                } catch { /* best-effort */ }
              }
            }
          }
    
          case "ppsspp_get_registers": {
            // PPSSPP's cpu.getAllRegs returns categories with PARALLEL arrays:
            //   { categories: [{ name, registerNames: [...], uintValues: [...], floatValues: [...] }] }
            // Not an array of {name, value} objects as I first assumed.
            const r = await pp.call<{
              categories?: Array<{
                name: string;
                registerNames?: string[];
                uintValues?: number[];
                floatValues?: string[];
              }>;
            }>("cpu.getAllRegs");
            const lines: string[] = [];
            for (const cat of r.categories ?? []) {
              lines.push(`── ${cat.name} ──`);
              const names = cat.registerNames ?? [];
              const vals  = cat.uintValues ?? [];
              for (let i = 0; i < Math.max(names.length, vals.length); i++) {
                const nm = names[i] ?? `r${i}`;
                const v  = vals[i];
                lines.push(`  ${nm.padEnd(8)} = ${v !== undefined ? addrHex(v) : "(unavailable)"}`);
              }
            }
            return ok(lines.join("\n") || "(no registers returned)");
          }
    
          case "ppsspp_breakpoint_add": {
            await pp.call("cpu.breakpoint.add", { address: a() });
            return ok(`Breakpoint added at ${addrHex(a())}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_breakpoint_remove": {
            await pp.call("cpu.breakpoint.remove", { address: a() });
            return ok(`Breakpoint removed at ${addrHex(a())}`);
          }
          case "ppsspp_breakpoint_list": {
            const r = await pp.call<{ breakpoints?: Array<{ address: number; enabled?: boolean; condition?: string }> }>("cpu.breakpoint.list");
            const bps = r.breakpoints ?? [];
            if (bps.length === 0) return ok("No breakpoints set.");
            const lines = bps.map((b) => `  ${addrHex(b.address)} ${b.enabled === false ? "(disabled)" : ""}${b.condition ? ` if ${b.condition}` : ""}`);
            return ok(`${bps.length} breakpoint${bps.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}:\n${lines.join("\n")}`);
          }
    
          default:
            throw new Error(`Unknown tool: ${name}`);
        }
      });
    }
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

The description fully discloses the persistent button state behavior, noting that buttons stay held until changed, which goes beyond the missing annotations. It also lists case-sensitive button names and error handling.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is well-structured with labeled sections (PURPOSE, USAGE, BEHAVIOR, RETURNS) and every sentence adds essential information without redundancy.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a single-parameter tool with no annotations or output schema, the description is fully complete, covering purpose, behavior, parameter details, return format, and error handling.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The parameter is well-documented in the schema, but the description adds value by listing valid button names, giving an example, and noting case-sensitivity, earning a score above the baseline of 3.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the purpose as 'Set the PSP joypad button state' and distinguishes it from one-frame-only schemes, making it specific and actionable.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It provides explicit when-to-use guidance (drive games with input) and contrasts with the sibling ppsspp_press_button for timed one-shots. It also explains how to release all buttons.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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