C++ Rewrite by Sapd · Pull Request #443 · Sapd/HeadsetControl

Sapd · 2025-12-14T15:21:54Z

Rewrite codebase from C to modern C++20.

A part of it was obviously done using AI Agents, it would have been impossible otherwise.
See docs/ for examples how now the modern library works.

Complete modernization introducing type safety, better error handling, and a cleaner architecture.

Language: C → C++20 (requires GCC 10+, Clang 10+, MSVC 2019+)
Structure: Reorganized into lib/, cli/, tests/
Error handling: Result type with rich error information
Device code: 50-70% reduction via protocol templates

High-level C++ API (headsetcontrol.hpp)
C API for FFI bindings (headsetcontrol_c.h)
Shared library support (-DBUILD_SHARED_LIBRARY=ON)
Protocol templates: HIDPPDevice, SteelSeriesNovaDevice
Data-driven capability system
Test suite

HIDDevice base class with virtual methods per capability
Device registry singleton for device lookup
Capability descriptors as single source of truth
Feature handler registry (replaces switch statements)

CLI interface unchanged - fully backwards compatible.

See docs/ADDING_A_DEVICE.md for adding devices
See docs/ADDING_A_CAPABILITY.md for adding features
See docs/LIBRARY_USAGE.md for library integration

Fixes #431

ChrisLauinger77 · 2025-12-14T16:25:30Z

I can test it on linux - are they changes how to build it or still
cd build
cmake ..
make
sudo make install ?

Sapd · 2025-12-14T16:47:00Z

I can test it on linux - are they changes how to build it or still cd build cmake .. make sudo make install ?

@ChrisLauinger77 Thank you, yes they are exactly as before.

Readme is also updated: https://github.com/Sapd/HeadsetControl/blob/236d4f79044b9bc313c65c9c1527c31111024637/README.md

ChrisLauinger77 · 2025-12-14T16:52:03Z

christian@debian:/var/data/dev/HeadsetControl/build$ headsetcontrol -o json { "name": "HeadsetControl", "version": "continuous-3-g236d4f7", "api_version": "1.4", "hidapi_version": "0.14.0", "device_count": 1, "devices": [ { "status": "partial", "device": "SteelSeries Arctis 7+", "vendor": "", "product": "", "id_vendor": "0x1038", "id_product": "0x220e", "capabilities": [ "CAP_SIDETONE", "CAP_BATTERY_STATUS", "CAP_INACTIVE_TIME", "CAP_CHATMIX_STATUS", "CAP_EQUALIZER_PRESET", "CAP_EQUALIZER" ], "capabilities_str": [ "sidetone", "battery", "inactive time", "chatmix", "equalizer preset", "equalizer" ], "battery": { "status": "BATTERY_AVAILABLE", "level": 100 }, "errors": { "chatmix": "Feature not supported by this device" } } ] }

looks like it still works :)

Good job !

ChrisLauinger77 · 2025-12-14T16:56:11Z

Ah sorry I was too fast.
It says chatmix not supported - which is wrong.
Here is the output from master to compare:
christian@debian:/var/data/dev/HeadsetControl/build$ headsetcontrol -o json { "name": "HeadsetControl", "version": "continuous", "api_version": "1.3", "hidapi_version": "0.14.0", "device_count": 1, "devices": [ { "status": "success", "device": "SteelSeries Arctis 7+", "vendor": "SteelSeries", "product": "Arctis 7+", "id_vendor": "0x1038", "id_product": "0x220e", "capabilities": [ "CAP_SIDETONE", "CAP_BATTERY_STATUS", "CAP_INACTIVE_TIME", "CAP_CHATMIX_STATUS", "CAP_EQUALIZER_PRESET", "CAP_EQUALIZER" ], "capabilities_str": [ "sidetone", "battery", "inactive time", "chatmix", "equalizer preset", "equalizer" ], "battery": { "status": "BATTERY_AVAILABLE", "level": 100 }, "equalizer": { "bands": 10, "baseline": 0, "step": 0.5, "min": -12, "max": 12 }, "equalizer_presets_count": 4, "chatmix": 64 } ] }

Chatmix is here so is equalizer_presets_count (the preset names for the count 4 - never worked for this headset - not sure if they supposed to)

Rewrite codebase from C to modern C++20 Complete modernization introducing type safety, better error handling, and a cleaner architecture. - **Language**: C → C++20 (requires GCC 10+, Clang 10+, MSVC 2019+) - **Structure**: Reorganized into lib/, cli/, tests/ - **Error handling**: Result<T> type with rich error information - **Device code**: 50-70% reduction via protocol templates - High-level C++ API (headsetcontrol.hpp) - C API for FFI bindings (headsetcontrol_c.h) - Shared library support (-DBUILD_SHARED_LIBRARY=ON) - Protocol templates: HIDPPDevice, SteelSeriesNovaDevice - Data-driven capability system - Test suite - HIDDevice base class with virtual methods per capability - Device registry singleton for device lookup - Capability descriptors as single source of truth - Feature handler registry (replaces switch statements) CLI interface unchanged - fully backwards compatible. - See docs/ADDING_A_DEVICE.md for adding devices - See docs/ADDING_A_CAPABILITY.md for adding features - See docs/LIBRARY_USAGE.md for library integration CI: Use GCC 13 on Ubuntu, add verbose test output

Sapd · 2025-12-14T17:43:30Z

@ChrisLauinger77 Indeed I missed parts of chatmix and equalizer. Can you please test again?

ChrisLauinger77 · 2025-12-14T18:15:36Z

here we go:
{ "name": "HeadsetControl", "version": "continuous-1-g1a0011e", "api_version": "1.4", "hidapi_version": "0.14.0", "device_count": 1, "devices": [ { "status": "success", "device": "SteelSeries Arctis 7+", "vendor": "", "product": "", "id_vendor": "0x1038", "id_product": "0x220e", "capabilities": [ "CAP_SIDETONE", "CAP_BATTERY_STATUS", "CAP_INACTIVE_TIME", "CAP_CHATMIX_STATUS", "CAP_EQUALIZER_PRESET", "CAP_EQUALIZER" ], "capabilities_str": [ "sidetone", "battery", "inactive time", "chatmix", "equalizer preset", "equalizer" ], "battery": { "status": "BATTERY_AVAILABLE", "level": 100 }, "equalizer": { "bands": 10, "baseline": 0, "step": 0.5, "min": -12, "max": 12 }, "equalizer_presets_count": 4, "chatmix": 64 } ] }
now it looks like before - except vendor and product are also empty

ChrisLauinger77 · 2025-12-14T18:15:56Z

When I add --test-device I get:
{ "name": "HeadsetControl", "version": "continuous-1-g1a0011e", "api_version": "1.4", "hidapi_version": "0.14.0", "device_count": 2, "devices": [ { "status": "success", "device": "HeadsetControl Test device", "vendor": "", "product": "", "id_vendor": "0xf00b", "id_product": "0xa00c", "capabilities": [ "CAP_SIDETONE", "CAP_BATTERY_STATUS", "CAP_NOTIFICATION_SOUND", "CAP_LIGHTS", "CAP_INACTIVE_TIME", "CAP_CHATMIX_STATUS", "CAP_VOICE_PROMPTS", "CAP_ROTATE_TO_MUTE", "CAP_EQUALIZER_PRESET", "CAP_EQUALIZER", "CAP_PARAMETRIC_EQUALIZER", "CAP_MICROPHONE_MUTE_LED_BRIGHTNESS", "CAP_MICROPHONE_VOLUME", "CAP_VOLUME_LIMITER", "CAP_BT_WHEN_POWERED_ON", "CAP_BT_CALL_VOLUME" ], "capabilities_str": [ "sidetone", "battery", "notification sound", "lights", "inactive time", "chatmix", "voice prompts", "rotate to mute", "equalizer preset", "equalizer", "parametric equalizer", "microphone mute led brightness", "microphone volume", "volume limiter", "bluetooth when powered on", "bluetooth call volume" ], "battery": { "status": "BATTERY_AVAILABLE", "level": 42, "voltage_mv": 3650, "time_to_empty_min": 302 }, "equalizer": { "bands": 10, "baseline": 0, "step": 0.5, "min": -12, "max": 12 }, "equalizer_presets_count": 4, "chatmix": 64 }, { "status": "success", "device": "SteelSeries Arctis 7+", "vendor": "", "product": "", "id_vendor": "0x1038", "id_product": "0x220e", "capabilities": [ "CAP_SIDETONE", "CAP_BATTERY_STATUS", "CAP_INACTIVE_TIME", "CAP_CHATMIX_STATUS", "CAP_EQUALIZER_PRESET", "CAP_EQUALIZER" ], "capabilities_str": [ "sidetone", "battery", "inactive time", "chatmix", "equalizer preset", "equalizer" ], "battery": { "status": "BATTERY_AVAILABLE", "level": 100 }, "equalizer": { "bands": 10, "baseline": 0, "step": 0.5, "min": -12, "max": 12 }, "equalizer_presets_count": 4, "chatmix": 64 } ] }

going offline now - can continue tomorrow

Sapd · 2025-12-14T18:30:49Z

Ah yes thank you, they are now populated

ChrisLauinger77 · 2025-12-15T07:18:34Z

Here is a Meld Compare - NOW it looks good :)

Here is the output with --test-device
{ "name": "HeadsetControl", "version": "continuous-2-g181ba21", "api_version": "1.4", "hidapi_version": "0.14.0", "device_count": 2, "devices": [ { "status": "success", "device": "HeadsetControl Test device", "vendor": "HeadsetControl", "product": "Test Device", "id_vendor": "0xf00b", "id_product": "0xa00c", "capabilities": [ "CAP_SIDETONE", "CAP_BATTERY_STATUS", "CAP_NOTIFICATION_SOUND", "CAP_LIGHTS", "CAP_INACTIVE_TIME", "CAP_CHATMIX_STATUS", "CAP_VOICE_PROMPTS", "CAP_ROTATE_TO_MUTE", "CAP_EQUALIZER_PRESET", "CAP_EQUALIZER", "CAP_PARAMETRIC_EQUALIZER", "CAP_MICROPHONE_MUTE_LED_BRIGHTNESS", "CAP_MICROPHONE_VOLUME", "CAP_VOLUME_LIMITER", "CAP_BT_WHEN_POWERED_ON", "CAP_BT_CALL_VOLUME" ], "capabilities_str": [ "sidetone", "battery", "notification sound", "lights", "inactive time", "chatmix", "voice prompts", "rotate to mute", "equalizer preset", "equalizer", "parametric equalizer", "microphone mute led brightness", "microphone volume", "volume limiter", "bluetooth when powered on", "bluetooth call volume" ], "battery": { "status": "BATTERY_AVAILABLE", "level": 42, "voltage_mv": 3650, "time_to_empty_min": 302 }, "equalizer": { "bands": 10, "baseline": 0, "step": 0.5, "min": -12, "max": 12 }, "equalizer_presets_count": 4, "chatmix": 64 }, { "status": "success", "device": "SteelSeries Arctis 7+", "vendor": "SteelSeries", "product": "Arctis 7+", "id_vendor": "0x1038", "id_product": "0x220e", "capabilities": [ "CAP_SIDETONE", "CAP_BATTERY_STATUS", "CAP_INACTIVE_TIME", "CAP_CHATMIX_STATUS", "CAP_EQUALIZER_PRESET", "CAP_EQUALIZER" ], "capabilities_str": [ "sidetone", "battery", "inactive time", "chatmix", "equalizer preset", "equalizer" ], "battery": { "status": "BATTERY_AVAILABLE", "level": 100 }, "equalizer": { "bands": 10, "baseline": 0, "step": 0.5, "min": -12, "max": 12 }, "equalizer_presets_count": 4, "chatmix": 64 } ] }

ChrisLauinger77 · 2025-12-15T11:47:03Z

I get this when no headset is connected:
{ "name": "HeadsetControl", "version": "continuous-2-g181ba21", "api_version": "1.4", "hidapi_version": "0.14.0", "device_count": 1, "devices": [ { "status": "partial", "device": "SteelSeries Arctis 7+", "vendor": "SteelSeries", "product": "Arctis 7+", "id_vendor": "0x1038", "id_product": "0x220e", "capabilities": [ "CAP_SIDETONE", "CAP_BATTERY_STATUS", "CAP_INACTIVE_TIME", "CAP_CHATMIX_STATUS", "CAP_EQUALIZER_PRESET", "CAP_EQUALIZER" ], "capabilities_str": [ "sidetone", "battery", "inactive time", "chatmix", "equalizer preset", "equalizer" ], "equalizer": { "bands": 10, "baseline": 0, "step": 0.5, "min": -12, "max": 12 }, "equalizer_presets_count": 4, "errors": { "battery": "Device is offline or not responding", "chatmix": "Device is offline or not responding" } } ] }
The errors are new (and I like them).

But
"battery": {
"status": "BATTERY_UNAVAILABLE",
"level": -1
},
AND
"chatmix": 64

Should be reported - I rely on them in my tools.
(My headset dongle ALWAYS reports a chatmix value.)

Sapd · 2025-12-15T11:59:06Z

Yep, fixed

ChrisLauinger77 · 2025-12-15T11:59:47Z

here we go:
{ "name": "HeadsetControl", "version": "continuous-3-g6fc0e7d", "api_version": "1.4", "hidapi_version": "0.14.0", "device_count": 1, "devices": [ { "status": "partial", "device": "SteelSeries Arctis 7+", "vendor": "SteelSeries", "product": "Arctis 7+", "id_vendor": "0x1038", "id_product": "0x220e", "capabilities": [ "CAP_SIDETONE", "CAP_BATTERY_STATUS", "CAP_INACTIVE_TIME", "CAP_CHATMIX_STATUS", "CAP_EQUALIZER_PRESET", "CAP_EQUALIZER" ], "capabilities_str": [ "sidetone", "battery", "inactive time", "chatmix", "equalizer preset", "equalizer" ], "battery": { "status": "BATTERY_UNAVAILABLE", "level": -1 }, "equalizer": { "bands": 10, "baseline": 0, "step": 0.5, "min": -12, "max": 12 }, "equalizer_presets_count": 4, "chatmix": 64, "errors": { "battery": "Device is offline or not responding" } } ] }

floraaubry · 2025-12-18T21:39:11Z

I cannot manage to build with MSVC. Mingw works fine.
This is a bit too complex for me, so sorry if the agent report is full of garbage

MSVC Compilation Failures Summary

Environment:

Compiler: MSVC 2026 (Visual Studio BuildTools)

Issues:

Missing POSIX Headers & Functions

File: tests/test_cli_output.cpp:73
- Missing: popen(), pclose()
Files: cli/argument_parser.hpp:15, cli/dev.cpp:14
- Missing: getopt.h
File: lib/devices/logitech_g633_g933_935.hpp:7
- Missing: unistd.h

C++20 Preprocessor Compatibility

File: lib/headsetcontrol.cpp:224 (and multiple locations)
- Error: VA_OPT requires /Zc:preprocessor flag in MSVC
- Warning: C5109: VA_OPT use in macro requires '/Zc:preprocessor'

Designated Initializers Parsing

File: lib/device.cpp:5-62 (multiple lines)
- Error: C2760: syntax error: '=' was unexpected here; expected '{'

This suggests MSVC may not be parsing designated initializers correctly even with C++20 enabled.

Sapd · 2025-12-19T09:21:18Z

@floraaubry Yeah it was not really programmed with MSVC in mind. That said providing that support was not too hard any more.

To do so:

Prerequisites:

# Install VCPKG first if not yet
git clone https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg C:\vcpkg
C:\vcpkg\bootstrap-vcpkg.bat

# Install getopt
C:\vcpkg\vcpkg install hidapi:x64-windows getopt:x64-windows

Build:

cd HeadsetControl
cmake -B build -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=C:/vcpkg/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake
cmake --build build

floraaubry · 2025-12-19T10:22:16Z

Managed to build!

Small errors when building shared:

# Library dependencies
if(MSVC)
    target_link_libraries(headsetcontrol_lib PUBLIC ${HIDAPI_LIBRARIES})
else()
    target_link_libraries(headsetcontrol_lib PUBLIC m ${HIDAPI_LIBRARIES})
endif()

Conditional import for libm, but missing same conditional for shared

    # Optionally build shared library for FFI bindings
if(BUILD_SHARED_LIBRARY)
    add_library(headsetcontrol_shared SHARED ${LIBRARY_SOURCES} ${LIBRARY_HEADERS})

    set_target_properties(headsetcontrol_shared PROPERTIES
        OUTPUT_NAME "headsetcontrol"
        VERSION "${GIT_VERSION}"
        SOVERSION 1
    )

    target_include_directories(headsetcontrol_shared PUBLIC
        ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/lib
        ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/lib/devices
        ${HIDAPI_INCLUDE_DIRS}
    )

    target_link_libraries(headsetcontrol_shared PUBLIC m ${HIDAPI_LIBRARIES}) # <--

    # Export symbols for the C API on Windows
    if(WIN32)
        target_compile_definitions(headsetcontrol_shared PRIVATE HSC_BUILDING_DLL)
    endif()
endif()

Another issue when building shared:
DLL import library overwrites static library

i manged to fix it by temporary renaming

# Set library properties
set_target_properties(headsetcontrol_lib PROPERTIES
    OUTPUT_NAME "headsetcontrol"
    POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE ON
)

to

# Set library properties
set_target_properties(headsetcontrol_lib PROPERTIES
    OUTPUT_NAME "headsetcontrol_static"
    POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE ON
)

Sapd · 2025-12-19T10:30:09Z

@floraaubry Can you try again please?

floraaubry · 2025-12-19T10:32:55Z

@Sapd Build is succesful with d0071f2

floraaubry · 2025-12-19T12:19:52Z

device.hpp

struct capability_detail {
    // Usage page, only used when usageid is not 0; HID Protocol specific
    uint16_t usagepage;
    // Used instead of interface when not 0, and only used on Windows currently;
    // HID Protocol specific
    uint16_t usageid;
    /// Interface ID - zero means first enumerated interface!
    int interface;
};

interface is treated as an MSVC reserved keyword.

Renaming to interface_id allowed me to compile my application

Everything (that i support) seems to be working so far :)

sonarqubecloud · 2025-12-19T13:43:26Z

Quality Gate failed

Failed conditions
5.0% Duplication on New Code (required ≤ 3%)

See analysis details on SonarQube Cloud

Sapd · 2025-12-19T16:35:32Z

@floraaubry I also renamed it in code. You are linking the application right (not using json output or similar)?, so I guess that aspects works fully now

floraaubry · 2025-12-19T16:42:05Z

Yep i diteched the executable in profit of the lib. All i can test is sidetone, lights, battery status and level, and everything is working flawlesly

Sapd · 2025-12-26T20:20:15Z

Will merge it shortly after new year if nothing else comes up

The chatmix level calculation had game and chat directions swapped: max game volume produced level > 64 (indicating chat), and vice versa. This bug originated in the old C implementation (steelseries_arctis_7.c) and was carried over verbatim during the C++ rewrite (#443). It went unnoticed because the old code returned a plain int with no defined semantics for direction, users just saw a changing number. The bug became observable once ChatmixResult defined < 64 as game and > 64 as chat.

Sapd mentioned this pull request Dec 14, 2025

Rewrite to C++ #431

Closed

Sapd force-pushed the cpp-rewrite branch from 236d4f7 to 1a0011e Compare December 14, 2025 17:40

Populate vendor / productname

181ba21

Show battery section on error too

6fc0e7d

Sapd added 4 commits December 17, 2025 20:48

cleanup

77f946d

cleanup2

1d0c430

fix test bug

6420e19

Small code dup fix

2d821c6

Sapd mentioned this pull request Dec 18, 2025

Nova 7 Wireless Gen2 #441

Closed

Sapd mentioned this pull request Dec 19, 2025

Missing/wrong information for real device if test device is enabled #444

Closed

Sapd added 2 commits December 19, 2025 10:12

MSVC++ support

4a1c46e

replace sleep_us

0a8a3fd

Sapd added 2 commits December 19, 2025 10:46

Rework how capabilities are defined

4505f13

Update docs

1dba02e

Fix shared build

d0071f2

Rename interface

40a434a

Sapd merged commit d4fb352 into master Jan 7, 2026
8 of 9 checks passed

Sapd mentioned this pull request Feb 5, 2026

Fix inverted ChatMix level for SteelSeries Arctis 7/Pro (#475) #480

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MSVC Compilation Failures Summary

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