Turning your phone into a virtual-joystick

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Image
Update: I kept working on this and I have released it as a package for Windows, Linux and macOS. Check it out: https://github.com/zenineasa/joystick/releases/tag/v1.0.0 -- During the days when I was pursying my master's programme, my friends and I used to occasionally go to a classroom in the university, turn on a projector, connect devices like Nintento Switch or Gaming computers and loads of joysticks, and play different simple multiplayer games; MarioKart was my favourite. From time-to-time, when I get together with people, I ponder that it would be a good idea if I bought such devices. Indeed, I do have a laptop, which could easily run such games; SuperTuxKart is similar enough to MarioKart and it can run on Linux, Windows and Mac. However, I do not have joysticks with me at the moment. Therefore, I think it would be a good idea if I simply worked on a project that would enable using our phones as joysticks. From a high-level, the plan is to host APIs on a NodeJS server that wo
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Image to a string in JavaScript

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There may be various methods to convert an image into a one dimensional data. JavaScript enables you to convert and store images in string format and most modern browsers would be able to render that image.

For instance, the following string contains Google's logo. You can check this by copy-pasting it on a browser addressbar. It is possible that some of you may think the the image could be loaded from an external website. For those people, I would like to recommend them to turn their internet off and paste the following on their addressbar.

data:image/png;base64,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

It is possible to use <img> HTML tag to display the image as well. Just paste the entire string inside src attribute. If someone asked you a question on how to store images in a MySQL database, this is a pretty good method.

How can one create an image like this? Well, I simply went to Google and opened it's logo. Then I opened the Chrome Developer Console (press CTRL+Shift+J and click on Console tab) and ran the below mentioned JavaScript code to get the URL


var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();
xhr.open('GET', 'https://www.google.com/images/branding/googlelogo/2x/googlelogo_color_92x30dp.png');
xhr.responseType = 'blob';
xhr.send();
var reader = new FileReader();
setTimeout(function(){
    reader.readAsDataURL(xhr.response);
    console.log(reader.result);
}, 3000);

If the console.log does not return anything, simply type in reader.result again on the console and you will get the string for the image. It's as simple as that. 

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