# LegendCTL — FAQ

Short answers to the common questions, with links to the deeper docs. If your
question isn't here, check [Discussions](https://github.com/EvilHumphrey/LegendCTL/discussions)
or [SUPPORT.md](https://github.com/EvilHumphrey/LegendCTL/blob/main/.github/SUPPORT.md).

## Trust & privacy

### Is it safe? Will it brick my controller?
LegendCTL only writes the controller's *settings* over standard USB-HID — the
same kinds of values the official app changes. It is **not** a firmware flasher,
so it can't overwrite firmware. Before risky operations it captures a **Restore
Point** where one can be taken, wrapper events are recorded to a local
append-only ledger, and there are two recovery paths back (see
[Recovery in the README](https://github.com/EvilHumphrey/LegendCTL/blob/main/README.md#recovery--if-your-controller-feels-off)).
That said, it writes to hardware and is provided "as is" — see
[Disclaimer & risk](https://github.com/EvilHumphrey/LegendCTL/blob/main/README.md#disclaimer--risk). Nothing can promise zero risk
when touching hardware, but the safety net is real: every write reports its outcome,
and the verifying paths read the value back and compare it.

### Does it phone home? Any telemetry or tracking?
No. The LegendCTL process makes **zero** network calls — no telemetry, no
analytics, no auto-update, no "usage data." The About and Compatibility Report
GitHub buttons hand a URL to your default browser; the app itself opens no
socket. You don't have to take that on faith:
open the in-app **Trust Self-Check** (Diagnostics), which scans the shipped code
for networking and driver/virtual-device imports and shows the evidence it found
(it inspects the app's own footprint, not system-wide services), then copies
the result out — or [verify it yourself with Resource Monitor](verifying-no-network.md)
in a couple of minutes.

### Is it open source? Can I read/build it myself?
Yes — MIT licensed, the full source is on GitHub, and the README has a
[Build from source](https://github.com/EvilHumphrey/LegendCTL/blob/main/README.md#build-from-source) section. The "deliberately
absent" constraints (no drivers, no network, no macros, …) are enforced by the
test suite, not just promised.

### Was this built with AI?
Yes — LegendCTL was built with substantial AI assistance, under human direction
and review throughout: all changes are human-reviewed, and hardware-facing
changes are tested on a real controller where applicable, before shipping. We say so plainly in the [Acknowledgments](https://github.com/EvilHumphrey/LegendCTL/blob/main/README.md#acknowledgments) —
honesty is the whole point of the project. The code is fully open and
test-enforced precisely so you don't have to trust the process; you can read it.

### Can I trust an unsigned app from a new, pseudonymous repo?
Fair question — you shouldn't trust any of them blindly. Here's what you *can* do
instead of trusting: read the source (it's all here), build it yourself, run the
in-app **Trust Self-Check** (and export the **evidence card**), run the
[no-network check](verifying-no-network.md), and verify the published **SHA-256**
of your download against `SHA256SUMS.txt` in each release. Code signing (via the
free [SignPath Foundation](https://signpath.org) program for open-source projects)
is planned once the project is eligible — see the
[code-signing policy](code-signing-policy.md).

## Installing & running

### Why does Windows show "Windows protected your PC" (SmartScreen)?
Because the build is currently **unsigned**. SmartScreen may show that prompt for
unsigned or low-reputation downloads — it is not, by itself, a sign of malware.
Verify the SHA-256 (above), then choose **More info → Run anyway**. Full detail
under [First-run SmartScreen, and verifying your download](../README.md#first-run-smartscreen-and-verifying-your-download).

### My antivirus flagged it — is it a virus?
Often a false positive for this packaging pattern — but verify rather than
assume. LegendCTL is packaged with PyInstaller, whose self-extracting bundle
pattern is a well-known source of heuristic AV false positives. Cross-check the
file on [VirusTotal](https://www.virustotal.com/) against many engines and
verify the SHA-256 against the release's `SHA256SUMS.txt`; if a detection
doesn't resolve on cross-check, don't run the file. If you want zero packaged
binaries, build from source.

### Do I need the official ZD app installed?
No. LegendCTL runs **standalone** — it talks directly to the controller over
USB-HID, so the official ZD app is not required. (Firmware updates use ZD's **separate**
official firmware tool — not the config app, and not LegendCTL.) LegendCTL works
independently and doesn't depend on either.

### Installer or portable ZIP — which should I use?
The **portable ZIP** is the simplest: no admin, no UAC, runs from any folder, and
you uninstall by deleting the folder. Use the installer if you want a Start-Menu
entry and an entry in Windows' Apps list. Both ship the identical wrapper.

### The official ZD app can't find my controller — can LegendCTL help?
Maybe, depending on your goal. If Windows sees the controller in its normal wired mode,
LegendCTL may still read and apply **supported settings** (deadzones, sensitivity, polling,
buttons, lighting, vibration, profiles) and show live stick output — even when the official
app is having trouble connecting. It **can't** help with firmware flashing/recovery, official
calibration, warranty/support, or app/account/pairing issues — those stay with ZD's official
tools. Quick triage: try a known-good cable and a direct USB port, confirm Windows lists it
under Game Controllers, close other controller tools, and read state in LegendCTL before
applying changes. If LegendCTL also can't see it, please file a
[compatibility report](https://github.com/EvilHumphrey/LegendCTL/issues/new/choose).

## Compatibility

### Will it work on my controller?
If you have a **ZD Ultimate Legend**, the core settings very likely work. It was
developed and bench-tested on a single unit (known-working firmware **v1.18**,
incl. 8K polling, and **v1.24**, incl. 8-point sensitivity curves and the latest "0609"
optimized-latency build). The controller
ships in six variants with different stick modules/firmware; other variants and
firmware are **best-effort** — the HID protocol may differ. The app is built to
report unsupported paths and write-only fields explicitly rather than pretend a
write succeeded. See the maintained
[compatibility matrix](compatibility-matrix.md) for the current evidence ledger
across variants/firmware; if something's off on your unit, please file a
[compatibility report](https://github.com/EvilHumphrey/LegendCTL/issues/new/choose).

### Does the live stick tester work on non-ZD controllers?
The **Live Verify** stick/circularity view reads from XInput, so it is largely
controller-agnostic for *viewing*. The full settings (deadzone, sensitivity,
polling, etc.) are ZD-Ultimate-Legend-specific because they ride that controller's
HID protocol.

### Why can't I select 8K polling or 8-point stick curves?
Those paths are **firmware-gated** by the controller. **8000 Hz polling** needs firmware
tested at **v1.18+**, and **8-point sensitivity curves** need **v1.24+**. On older firmware,
LegendCTL reports the path as unsupported rather than faking a successful write. To enable
them, update firmware with ZD's official firmware tool, then reconnect and re-read state in
LegendCTL — LegendCTL itself is not a firmware updater.

## What it does

### What settings can it actually change?
Polling rate, the button-binding matrix, stick deadzones / sensitivity curves /
axis inversion / step-size, trigger range & modes, lighting, vibration, and
back-paddle bindings, plus wrapper profiles and Restore Points. The full list is
in the README [Features](https://github.com/EvilHumphrey/LegendCTL/blob/main/README.md#features) section.

### Does it have macros, turbo, or rapid-fire?
No — and that's deliberate. Macros / turbo / automation / input injection / a
background service are *intentionally absent* (and enforced by tests). LegendCTL
configures your controller; it doesn't play it for you.

That boundary is useful, but it is **not a tournament/legal guarantee** — LegendCTL
has no macros, turbo, or input-injection by design, but tournament rules, game
anti-cheat, and competition-firmware requirements are outside its control. If you
play somewhere regulated, check the event/game/controller rules.

### Does it update or change my controller's firmware?
No. It reads and writes *settings* via HID. It is not a firmware updater and
cannot flash firmware.

## About the project

### Is this affiliated with ZD Gaming?
No. It's an independent, unofficial third-party project — not developed by,
affiliated with, or endorsed by ZD Gaming. ZD asked the project to carry a short
disclaimer, which it does verbatim. Trademarks belong to their owners.

### How do I report a bug or ask a question?
See [SUPPORT.md](https://github.com/EvilHumphrey/LegendCTL/blob/main/.github/SUPPORT.md). Reproducible bugs → a **Bug report** Issue;
questions and "is this expected?" → **Discussions**; hardware that wasn't on the
bench → a **Compatibility report**. There's no private DM/email support channel —
keeping it public means the next person finds the answer.