Remote RetroPad: Controller disconnection pop-up issue with SDL2 driver

Expected behavior

"[Controller name] controller disconnected" should not pop-up.

Actual behavior

"[Controller name] controller disconnected" pop-ups up.

Steps to reproduce the bug

1. Launch RetroArch AppImage
2. Change "Settings -> Drivers -> Controller" from "udev" (default) to "sdl2"
3. Main Menu -> Restart RetroArch -- required for the controller driver to take effect
4. Main Menu -> Load Core -> Start Remote RetroPad

I pressed several buttons when the "[Controller name] controller disconnected" pop-up widget message shows up to demonstrate that it is not true. Note: The disconnection message appears even if you don't press any button immediately.

Then I completed the rest of them

Steps to demonstrate that the fallback controller is not used

1. Temporarily move your autoconfig directory somewhere else and create an empty autoconfig directory, in order to force RetroArch to make the controller use a fallback.
2. Launch RetroArch AppImage
3. Change "Settings -> Drivers -> Controller" from "udev" (default) to "sdl2"
4. Main Menu -> Restart RetroArch -- required for the controller driver to take effect
5. Main Menu -> Load Core -> Start Remote RetroPad
6. Press all buttons

As you can see, my fallback mode did not make Remote RetroPad to complete the buttons

Version/Commit

• RetroArch: 1.19.1 Appimage, 1.91.1 Flatpak

Environment information

• OS: Ubuntu MATE 20.04, 22.04, 23.04, and 24.04. All tested in live mode

Reproduce the issue through Settings -> Drivers -> Controller with the sdl2 driver, restart RetroArch, and use Main Menu -> Load Core -> Start Remote RetroPad. Trace the controller-disconnection notification and Remote RetroPad button handling; done means the false pop-up no longer appears while all buttons still behave correctly without relying on fallback configuration.