///////////////////////////// Linux effect parameters: time parameters ///////////////////////////// a) Because of the higher time resolution of DInput parameters (in microseconds instead of milliseconds), e.g. dwPeriod, and because truncating may result in "periodic.period == 0", while "1 <= dwPeriod (non-zero) < 1000", and because "periodic.period == 0" is an invalid argument, we might set periodic.period to the smallest non-zero value (that is 1) when dwPeriod is non-zero, to avoid unnecessary exceptions. So change in dinput/effect_linuxinput.c:488 : This->effect.u.periodic.period = tsp->dwPeriod / 1000; to : if (0 < tsp->dwPeriod && tsp->dwPeriod <= 1000) This->effect.u.periodic.period = 1; else This->effect.u.periodic.period = tsp->dwPeriod / 1000; b) Anticipate if dwPeriod < 0, otherwise periodic.period will incorrectly wrap around because it's unsigned. We can choose to let periodic.period be proportional to: - 0 (driver will generate EINVAL) - abs(dwPeriod) (no error, and is mathematically more correct) Choosing the latter, so change in dinput/effect_linuxinput.c:488 : if (0 < tsp->dwPeriod && tsp->dwPeriod <= 1000) This->effect.u.periodic.period = 1; else This->effect.u.periodic.period = tsp->dwPeriod / 1000; to : if (tsp->dwPeriod && abs(tsp->dwPeriod) <= 1000) This->effect.u.periodic.period = 1; else This->effect.u.periodic.period = abs(tsp->dwPeriod) / 1000; c) Something similar is needed for 'dwDuration': Set infinite replay-length in linux by "replay.length == 0": discussion: http://www.mail-archive.com/linux-input@vger.kernel.org/msg08459.html Knowing that DInput "INFINITE == -1", we convert -1 to 0. If "peff->dwDuration == 0", we can: - not start the effect - set the effect duration to the absolute minimum I would choose the latter, because otherwise more behaviour of the code would change. And lastly, we don't throw exceptions when "dwDuration < 0": MSDN does not require us to throw DIERR_INVALIDPARAM. So, change in dinput/effect_linuxinput.c:191 : if (dwFlags & DIEP_DURATION) { peff->dwDuration = (DWORD)This->effect.replay.length * 1000; } to : if (dwFlags & DIEP_DURATION) { peff->dwDuration = (This->effect.replay.length ? (DWORD)This->effect.replay.length * 1000 : -1); } And change in dinput/effect_linuxinput.c:424 : if (dwFlags & DIEP_DURATION) This->effect.replay.length = peff->dwDuration / 1000; to : if (dwFlags & DIEP_DURATION) { if (peff->dwDuration == -1) This->effect.replay.length = 0; // Infinity else if (peff->dwDuration > 1000) This->effect.replay.length = peff->dwDuration / 1000; else This->effect.replay.length = 1; // Smallest non-zero value }