Tankstick with Trackball/Tankstick MAX: How to Set Up MAME for Trackball and Spinners (PC Only)

If your trackball and spinners are not functioning correctly in MAME on a PC, follow these steps to ensure proper setup:

Step 1: Test Trackball and Spinners

Before configuring MAME, confirm that your trackball and spinners are functioning as a mouse on your PC:

• Spinner 1 and Spinner 2 should control mouse movement in either the X or Y direction.
• If this works, proceed to the MAME setup steps.

Step 2: Configure Input Device Options in MAME

1. Open the MAME emulator on your PC.
2. Navigate to Configure Options → Input Device Options.
3. Set all options to Mouse.
4. Leave Input Providers set to Auto.

Step 3: Enable Multi-Mouse Support

1. Navigate to Configure Options → Advanced Options.
2. Under Input Options, turn Multi-Mouse ON.

Step 4: Remap Trackball and Spinner in Each Game

If the trackball or spinner doesn’t work in a specific game by default, it may have auto-mapped to another connected mouse. To remap it:

1. Launch the game in MAME and press TAB to open the in-game menu.
2. Navigate to Input (this machine) → Player 1 Controls.
3. Locate the dial or trackball you wish to remap.
4. Press Enter, then roll the spinner or trackball you want to assign.
5. To clear a mapping, press Enter, then ESC.

Note

This guide applies to PC MAME only. The setup may differ for other devices or emulators.

If you continue to experience issues, feel free to contact our support team for further assistance.

Source article: <https://support.xgaming.com/support/solutions/articles/12000102752-tankstick-with-trackball-tankstick-max-how-to-set-up-mame-for-trackball-and-spinners-pc-only->

Mouse buttons work in Windows but not MAME

For a legacy wooden X-Arcade upgraded with a Tri-Mode PCB, the trackball and three mouse buttons use the mouse input path, not the programmable joystick/button mappings. In one reviewed case they worked in Windows and other applications but not MAME across two PCs. The customer found Mouse was off in MAME's UI/input settings; enabling it restored the buttons.

1. Confirm trackball movement and mouse clicks outside MAME first.
2. Check that MAME's Mouse input option is enabled for the configuration you are actually launching. Menu labels can vary by build. Enabling MultiMouse or selecting a mouse provider alone is not the same as enabling mouse input.
3. Save, reopen the affected game and retest clicks and movement, then check game-specific assignments if needed.
4. If the failure remains, report MAME version/frontend, exact game and whether the same inputs still work in Windows.

Do not prescribe Arcade2TV-XR firmware or Factory Reset for a legacy Tri-Mode controller because mouse clicks fail only inside MAME. The successful step here was the MAME setting, not a controller reset.

Tankstick MAX red exit button in PC MAME

The Tankstick MAX red illuminated button reports as the trackball mouse's M3 / middle-click input. Support recommends assigning that input to MAME's Cancel action when you want it to exit the game. Enable mouse input for the MAME configuration being launched, as described above, and check that the intended button is the input being assigned. Save and test in the affected game; menu labels and frontend exit handling can vary by version.

This is a staff-recommended configuration, not a customer-confirmed fix in the reviewed manual inquiry. It does not change the button's hardware mouse identity, provide a Steam or other-emulator mapping, or establish a universal spinner speed value. If it does not work, report the MAME version, frontend and whether middle-click is detected outside MAME before changing hardware or firmware.