42 lines
3.9 KiB
Markdown
42 lines
3.9 KiB
Markdown
# Hackpad
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## Overview
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The `Hackpad` is a 4x4 numpad/macropad designed for the Arduino Day 2023 in cooperation with the hackspace [Imaginärraum e.V.](imaginaerraum.de) and [Fablab-Bayreuth e.V.](fablab-bayreuth.de).
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It supports 16 MX-style switches, an EC-11 rotary encoder, and per key RGB LEDs based on SK6812.
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## Hardware Revisions
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In v0.2 all necessary components are through hole components (except for an optional reset switch and RGB-LEDs), but the ProMicro protrudes out of the case.
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In v0.3 this is fixed by moving some diodes to the bottom side. The bottom diodes however are SMD only.
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## Installing Firmware
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We support two kinds of firmware: low level [Arduino firmware](firmware_arduino), and the higher level [QMK firmware](firmware_qmk).
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### Arduino Firmware
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This firmware is mostly for educational purposes.
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Its low level code shows how keyboard firmware works on the electronical/physical level. There is a very [basic version](firmware_arduino/hackpad_simple/hackpad_simple.ino) that only includes the bare minimum to understand the keyboard matrix. The more [advanced version](firmware_arduino/hackpad/hackpad.ino) also includes functionality like debouncing.
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### QMK Firmware
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[QMK](https://qmk.fm) ([TLA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-letter_acronym) for Quantum Mechanical Keyboard) is an open source community centered around developing computer input devices. It provides a very comprehensive firmware library, which can be customized to different keyboard hardware and layouts without the need to write own code.
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#### Installing and locating QMK on your Computer
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With QMK it is simple to define custom layouts and up to 32 layers.
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Follow the instructions to [install](https://docs.qmk.fm/#/newbs_getting_started) QMK on your computer.
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After you've installed QMK there exists a directory `qmk_firmware` in your home directory.
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Under Linux, the path is `~/qmk_firmware`, while under Windows should be `C:\\users\your_username\qmk_firmware`.
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#### Adding support for the hackpad
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The QMK version from the official website, does not yet include the software definitions for the `hackpad`-keyboard, so we need to add it manually.
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For this you need to copy the directory `hackpad` found at [firmware_qmk/hackpad](firmware_qmk) into the `keyboards` directory in the `qmk_firmware` you have downloaded earlier.
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You can get a copy of the `hackpad` directory by downloading this repository and extracting it.
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Keep in mind that there are multiple directories called `hackpad` in this repository, i.e. the repository itself, one in the subdirectory `firmware_arduino` and one in the subdirectory `firmware_qmk`.
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You need to copy the `hackpad` directory of the subdirectory `firmware_qmk` into the `keyboards` directory of your `qmk_firmware` directory, to enable support for the hackpad keyboard in QMK.
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Notice the difference between the directories `qmk_firmware` and `firmware_qmk`.
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Once you have completed the previous steps, you should be able to compile your first firmware by typing `qmk compile -kb hackpad -km default` into the command line interface provided by QMK.
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#### Editing the layout
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You can find instructions on how to change you keymap in the [QMK documentation](https://docs.qmk.fm/#/newbs_building_firmware).
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You can find an exhaustive list of keycodes in the [Keycodes overview of QMK](https://docs.qmk.fm/#/keycodes).
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#### Flashing the firmware
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After you have made your changes to the keymap you need to upload the firmware to the keyboard.
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This is done by running `qmk flash -kb hackpad -km "your keymap name"`, where `"your keymap name"` is the name of the subdirectory in the `keymaps` directory which you want to upload to the keyboard.
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# Support
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If you have any questions regarding this keyboard feel free to contact me via [matrix](https://matrix.org/) in the [hackpad support room](#hackpad:ncxy.de), via [e-mail](mailto:n-hackpad@ncxy.de), or visit me at the hackspace [Imaginärraum e.V.](imaginaerraum.de)
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