If you are getting the same behavior from multiple joysticks, I'd fault the card or the code.
(Unless of course these somehow aren't joysticks compatible with the card...)

The bits talked about here I assume are part of your logic, not the related to the stick command.

"But when I tried it on the Compaq, only two of the directions work correctly. It was something like left and forward; I forget exactly. One
other direction turns on the wrong bits (1 and 4, same as its opposite
direction, rather than 2 and 3 which it should be), even though I'm a
million percent certain the code is right. Another direction works (bits 2
and 4) if I move the stick to its extreme edge, but while en route it turns on bit 3 for a second. That makes no sense! That's why I think the stick
might be funky or somehow misadjusted even if it does work on the Apple
side."

This sounds vaguely like the variable clobbering you had last year with the first lego code you were
working on last year when you thought there was a bug in BASIC. Can you post the code?

Have you tried a simple test program for the joystick by itself to prove in fact the joystick
is working right or not?

On 7/10/2018 11:53 AM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic wrote:

I'm using a Compaq Portable III (286). I forgot the card brand but I
vaguely recall it might also be Kraft. I'm programming in the BASICA from
the correct Compaq-branded boot disk. I use the STICK command; not
PEEK/POKE.

I can test the same joystick against the Apple side tomorrow.

In a test program, I was only getting a range of about 5 to 195, vs. 0-255.

To "port" the code from Apple to IBM platform, I replaced the Applesoft
PDL(0) and PDL(1) commands with STICK.

The way my code works is, when I move the stick beyond a neutral range
(say, within 75 of either end), then it turns on the robot motors on the
correct directions.

The logic is fine: works with the Apple joystick on the Laser 128, and as I
said I'll test that again with the Kraft tomorrow on the Laser.

But when I tried it on the Compaq, only two of the directions work
correctly. It was something like left and forward; I forget exactly. One
other direction turns on the wrong bits (1 and 4, same as its opposite
direction, rather than 2 and 3 which it should be), even though I'm a
million percent certain the code is right. Another direction works (bits 2
and 4) if I move the stick to its extreme edge, but while en route it turns
on bit 3 for a second. That makes no sense! That's why I think the stick
might be funky or somehow misadjusted even if it does work on the Apple
side.

On Tue, Jul 10, 2018, 9:36 AM Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic <
vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:

Bob/All,
In IBM systems one typically needs the drivers, controller card, and
joystick to all be designed to work together.  Also, the software often
expects one of a few model joystick to be available.  So, in Evan's case he
needs to look at the software and documentation of the program that will
use the joystick to see what kind of joystick it's looking for.  It may be
that the original IBM PC "Game Control Adapter" is an option, in which case
you'd need something compatible with that.  May be easy and you can get
away with a serial port joystick.  And so on.  From there, find something
compatible, install the drivers into autoexec.bat and config.sys and go
from there.  Newer machines often pair a soundcard like SoundBlaster with a
Microsoft joystick.

Evan may have working joysticks that "don't work" because the drivers are
not yet loaded.

Bill

On Tue, Jul 10, 2018 at 8:38 AM Bob Aviles via vcf-midatlantic <
vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:

 Hi,
  I have an IBM joystick, look at the picture and tell me if it works on
your systems.

Bobby    On Tuesday, July 10, 2018, 1:20:45 AM EDT, Evan Koblentz via
vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:

 I'm having issues with the VCF supply of Kraft joysticks, and there is
no time to fix them before HOPE. Does anyone have a tested and
fully-working / known-good IBM (or other non-Kraft) joystick which I
could borrow? I need it by Friday in order to test it at the museum this
weekend. Dean said he may have one, but in case he doesn't....

My backup plan is to program for keyboard control instead of joystick
control, but that's not nearly as much fun.