FCE Ultra - save state and controller

This is a question about the emulator FCE Ultra, ver. 0.98.12

Is there a way to set the Save State button from (default) F5 to a button on a controller? For easier access? I have a PS2 controller hooked to my PC via a USB-PS2 port, and have all my emulators set to control using this controller. It would be great to be able to set the F5 save state to like one of the shoulder R and L buttons. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I don't think you can do that. It can be done only through keyboard. That's good idea but I do not think so. Since I had been used the emulators for over 5 years and it cannot be done. I might be wrong.

I've been wanting this ability for years but it doesn't look like it's gonna happen anytime soon unless people starting petitioning for it. Will just have to make due.

Well, my memory isn't 100% accurate, but I remember a bit about programming from this old DOS class I took a few semesters back. If the program itself can be manipulated to take inputs from a controller for control functions, it should be able to be manipulated to take inputs from a controller for any controllable button-press activity. If you could find the line of code in the program that basically says "When I press F5, save state", there should be a way to edit it so it's like "When I press R2 (or ButtonXX in code form), save state". It might be a little more complicated than that, and the language may be a few lines, but maybe there's a way. It's a wild shot, and I may be off base, but it's a thought.