Articles on: Profiles & Mappings

Action Modes and Advanced Trigger Logic

Action modes change what PlayAbility sends after a trigger is detected. Advanced trigger logic can require repeated detections or combine several different inputs with AND or OR conditions.


Choose an action mode


  1. Open Mapping.
  2. Find the mapping you want to change and select Edit.
  3. Under Action Mode, choose the behavior you need:
    • Default keeps the action active while the trigger is active.
    • Toggle switches the action on with one activation and off with the next.
    • Short Press sends one 100 ms press.
    • Long Press sends one 300 ms press.
    • Double Press sends two quick 100 ms presses.
    • Triple Press sends three quick 100 ms presses.
  5. Select Save.


Use Default for controls that should follow you continuously, such as steering or holding a button. Use Toggle when holding an input would be tiring. Use a press mode for one-time actions such as jump, interact, reload, or menu navigation.


Mode-specific limitations


  • Voice and dwell triggers are single events, so they do not offer Default. They start with a press-style mode.
  • Scroll actions offer Default, Toggle, and Single Tick.
  • Directional mouse-movement actions offer Default and Toggle.
  • The modes shown in the editor are the modes supported by that trigger and action combination.


Require several detections of the same trigger


Use Require Multiple Events when one detection is too easy to activate accidentally. For example, you can require two eyebrow raises within half a second.


  1. Make sure the mapping already has one configured trigger. If its row says Select a trigger, assign a trigger first.
  2. Select Edit on the single-trigger mapping.
  3. Select Require Multiple Events.
  4. Set Required events from 2 to 5.
  5. Set Time window (seconds) from 0.1 to 5 seconds.
  6. Select Save.


The action activates only after PlayAbility detects the configured number of events inside the time window. If the sequence is too slow, the count starts again.


Start with two events and a generous window. Shorten the window after the sequence works reliably.


Require several different triggers with AND


An AND group is useful when two or more inputs must be active together. For example, require a key and a face gesture before activating a sensitive action.


Create an AND group on an empty action


  1. On an unmapped action row, select Select a trigger.
  2. Select two or more compatible trigger cards.
  3. Select Add as Group.
  4. Select Edit on the grouped mapping.
  5. Configure any trigger that still needs settings.
  6. Confirm AND is selected between the triggers.
  7. Select Save.


New groups use AND by default.


Add a second trigger to an existing mapping


  1. Select Edit on a mapping that already has one trigger.
  2. Select Add Second Trigger.
  3. Under the new trigger, choose how you want to control the action and configure the input.
  4. Select AND between the triggers.
  5. Select Save.


All triggers in an AND group must be active for the output to activate.


Allow any trigger in a group with OR


Use OR when several alternative inputs should perform the same action. For example, either a voice command or a gamepad button could open a menu.


  1. Create a trigger group or open an existing grouped mapping with Edit.
  2. Configure each trigger.
  3. Select OR between the triggers.
  4. Select Save.


Any configured trigger in an OR group can activate the shared action.


To add another alternative, select Add Trigger in the grouped editor. To remove one, use the remove button on that trigger card. If only one trigger remains, PlayAbility converts the mapping back to a single-trigger mapping.


Combine several outputs instead


If one input should send several actions, use Add as Combo rather than a trigger group:


  1. Select Add actions.
  2. Select at least two compatible non-axis actions of the same output type.
  3. Select Add as Combo.
  4. Assign one trigger to the combo.


Remember:


  • Trigger group: several inputs control one action.
  • Output combo: one input controls several actions.


Verify advanced logic


Test advanced mappings before entering a game:


  1. Confirm the correct profile is current.
  2. Enable Main Output and the required output type.
  3. For a press mode, activate the trigger once and confirm the output releases automatically.
  4. For Toggle, activate once to turn the output on and again to turn it off.
  5. For multiple events, deliberately try too few or too-slow detections, then complete the valid sequence.
  6. For AND, test each trigger alone before activating them together.
  7. For OR, test every trigger separately.


Troubleshooting and limitations


Toggle seems stuck on


Activate the trigger once more to toggle it off. If the state remains active, use a mapped Release All action or pause Main Output before editing the mapping.


Multiple events trigger too easily


Increase Required events or shorten the Time window. Also adjust the input's own sensitivity or detection delay if false detections continue.


Multiple events never complete


Lengthen the time window and test with two events. Each detection must return to its inactive state before the next distinct event can be counted.


AND never activates


Test each trigger separately and make sure their active periods overlap. A very short press-style or voice event can be difficult to overlap with another trigger.


OR activates unexpectedly


Each trigger is an independent way to activate the action. Remove the unwanted trigger or change the group to AND.


Action Mode is not shown for a group


The grouped editor uses AND/OR logic for the shared action and does not expose the single-trigger Action Mode or Require Multiple Events controls. Use separate mappings when each trigger needs independent timing behavior.


Add as Combo is unavailable


Combos need at least two compatible outputs and do not support analog axes, directional mouse movement, or profile-switching actions.

Updated on: 29/07/2026