Macro keyboards are mini programmable USB keyboards that can be pressed to trigger shortcuts, a sequence of keypresses etc. They can have several layers so switching to a different one will trigger different keypresses from the same key, so e.g. different IDEs can be represented.
I’ve just bought one with a view to setting up shortcuts for debugging. Each IDE has its own unique keys for navigating through the code, so I figure it’ll be nice to just press one key to start debugging and one key to step into instead of a combination of ctrl+whatever etc
Do you use one? If so, what do you use it for and what size do you use? Is it too big / too small?
Surprised I haven’t seen it mentioned here, but I’ve had both the DuckyPad and recently backed the DuckyPad Pro and love them both!
https://github.com/dekuNukem/duckyPad
https://dekunukem.github.io/duckyPad-Pro/
I use it for a variety of shortcuts, Markdown notes, numpad for my Lily58, and it’s compatible with Autohotkey!
$70 for a macropad? You can buy an entire kb for that price.
I’m not a programmer but I want to share my experiences anyway. >:3
I have DOIO KB16 because I really needed something to allow me for scrolling and usage of shortcuts while using the drawing tablet. It has 4 layers and onboard memory so I can take it to a new pc and have all the same functionality. I disconnected my mouse and put it on a shelf due to wrist pain in favor of a game controller or drawing tablet + macropad combo for interacting with my pc. I ended up mostly using the macropad as a mouse/keyboard with shortcuts for manipulating webpages and so on. My favourite part about it is that it has 3 whooping knobs which I really wanted to have as many of as I could. By looking at the sellers discord support channel I was really lucky to actually have the macropad delivered at all because it’s some chinese seller with lacking support. Here’s the pic of it:
Edit: The post asked about how I feel about the size. My opinion is that I wish it had 1 (ideally 2) more vertical sets of keys because that would allow me to use my thumb for button pressing too. But overall I’m happy and I think it’s my only real problem with it.
Edit: The post asked about how I feel about the size. My opinion is that I wish it had 1 (ideally 2) more vertical sets of keys because that would allow me to use my thumb for button pressing too. But overall I’m happy and I think it’s my only real problem with it.
Check aliexpress. You’re going to find things that excite you including a kb that’s very similar
EDIT: I thought I’d go searching, some ideas:
- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007032783471.html
- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008256166426.html
- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007032783471.html
- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006814738256.html - an extra row. Sure it’ll take another USB port but you could stick them together!
A rare case of a topic text opening with providing context on what it is talking about. Thank you! I love it.
I don’t use one. I don’t feel like I have conflicting keybindings, or a need for additional keys. When I do, I customize my bindings through settings.
I just had mine arrive yesterday!
I have one of these
I’m using ch57x-keyboard-tool to configure it, because I don’t fancy running some random closed-source Chinese code (the manual links to a file on Google Drive). It also means I can move over my config when I switch to Linux.
I have two keys for switching between headphones and speakers, and some set up for shortcuts I forget (like ctrl-shift-e for the network monitor in Firefox). One key types “hello” just because I can.
I’ve got the large knob controlling volume, and I can click it to toggle mute. The other two are currently set to scroll, but I don’t need that as my mouse has better ergonomics for scrolling.
I still have plenty of unused keys and it’s got three layers so I won’t be running out in the foreseeable future.
I just have a 36 key split keyboard with layers and combo keys, don’t need a separate macro pad when my main keyboard just is one
Which keyboard is that?
Not sure if your interest is specifically the programmable split keyboard or rather programmable in general but my Launch Heavy has this programmable layers feature. Its not split though.
I’ve got a couple keyboards with VIA/QMK and layers, I’m specifically interested in the 36 key split keyboard they mention.
It’s called a chocofi https://github.com/pashutk/chocofi
It’s based on a corne. I’ve got a bunch of bare pcbs available still if you want some, will just have to pay postage, I’m not really going to be doing anything with them.
I’d definitely be interested. What else would I need to build it?
There should be a parts list on that GitHub. You’d need two microcontrollers, two batteries, all of the switches and keycaps you want a bunch of resisters and hot swap sockets if you want hotswappable switches.
The keyboard is a modification of the corne so if you can’t find a tutorial on this one specifically I’d you want to watch a video, a corne one would suffice.
Well, I can’t see a parts list in that repo, but I did find others. If the offer’s still open, I’ll definitely take a couple PCBs. Where did you buy the rest of the parts from?
