Author Topic: Simulate Kinesis Footpedal for Remapping Keypad Toggle?  (Read 7420 times)

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Offline allthumbs

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Simulate Kinesis Footpedal for Remapping Keypad Toggle?
« on: Wed, 04 March 2015, 14:46:34 »
The Kinesis manual says "a Keypad Toggle action can be created by remapping **if you have a foot switch**."

I believe a switch merely creates a connection between two electrical contacts ...

If I want to remap keypad-toggle to ... say ... caps-lock but I don't own a foot switch, could I use a wire to momentarily connect the correct two contacts in the RJ11 connector to simulate a single press of the foot switch at the right step of the remapping?

If so, which two contacts would those be?

If not, what about this approach is incorrect?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Offline FoC_Tow

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Re: Simulate Kinesis Footpedal for Remapping Keypad Toggle?
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 04 March 2015, 18:49:08 »
I don't own a Kinesis but since I'm only aware of the Advantage supporting foot pedals I would guess you refer to that one.

After taking a quick look on their website which also features the manual I found the part you quoted...

More
Customizing a foot switch action
If you have a single Kinesis foot switch, you can use it to “shift” the embedded keypad to the
active state. If you have a Kinesis Triple Action foot switch the other default actions are Shift
and Keypad Enter. You can also customize any foot switch just like it was another keyboard
key.

Remapping the Keypad Toggle action
The Keypad Shift action cannot be moved or copied to another location. However, a Keypad
Toggle action can be created by remapping if you have a foot switch.
Remap a key or pedal
twice using the Keypad Shift pedal as the source action. Start with the keypad LED off, then
remap again after tapping the Keypad function key to activate the embedded layer.


It sounds to me that as stated in the manual:

'The Keypad Shift action cannot be moved or copied to another location.'
Meaning there is no way of remapping keypad toggle to caps-lock i guess unfortunately.

'However, a Keypad Toggle action can be created by remapping if you have a foot switch.'
Meaning altho you can't remap it on the Keyboard itself you can remap it to the foot pedal input if used I guess.

To your other question,
I would very much believe that the foot pedal just connects two contacts to register, so you could most likely imitate a foot pedal by using a jumper between the two correct pins.

So altho you for example couldn't remap keypad toggle on the keyboard itself, you could DIY a single external switch or connect a switch tester to the foot pedal input.
This could then be used for the functions otherwise only available to be mapped to the foot pedal to my understanding.

Offline allthumbs

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Re: Simulate Kinesis Footpedal for Remapping Keypad Toggle?
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 04 March 2015, 19:12:32 »
Yes, I'm asking about any of the current Kinesis Advantage models. Thanks for looking up the manual.

'The Keypad Shift action cannot be moved or copied to another location.'
Meaning there is no way of remapping keypad toggle to caps-lock i guess unfortunately.

'However, a Keypad Toggle action can be created by remapping if you have a foot switch.'
Meaning altho you can't remap it on the Keyboard itself you can remap it to the foot pedal input if used I guess.

the Manual says: "a Keypad Toggle action can be created by remapping if you have a foot switch. Remap a key or pedal twice using the Keypad Shift pedal as the source action."

I'm pretty sure this means you can indeed map one of the normal keys to be a keypad toggle (just not a keypad momentary shift)

I just need to know if connecting two of the RJ11 contacts will simulate the single foot pedal switch and if so, which contacts.

Offline alfa_lima_echo_xray

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Re: Simulate Kinesis Footpedal for Remapping Keypad Toggle?
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 04 March 2015, 22:40:52 »
Hey allthumbs, I have both the Advantage and Kinesis footswitch and in my experience you are correct.
I do exactly that... remapping the footswitch click to capslock for a keypad layer toggle on that key.

Interestingly even though it is a momentary footswitch, when it's mapped to the keyboard the function works like a latched switch. Not sure if anyone has found a way to alter that behavior or if that's just what it is.

The RJ11 on my footswitch is pictured: It looks like it's the two middle pins on the RJ11 that are connected by the footswitch. That then connects to the male RJ11 pigtail on the keyboard via a female/female coupler. Logic would suggest that a wire between those two center pins on the Advantage's pigtail would simulate the footswitch (but of course I haven't tried this myself so ymmv.)
« Last Edit: Wed, 04 March 2015, 23:10:37 by alfa_lima_echo_xray »
kinesis advantage:mx brown  |  atreus keyboard:mx blue  |  unkown manufacturer:mx black

Offline allthumbs

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Re: Simulate Kinesis Footpedal for Remapping Keypad Toggle?
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 05 March 2015, 11:41:23 »
Interestingly even though it is a momentary footswitch, when it's mapped to the keyboard the function works like a latched switch. Not sure if anyone has found a way to alter that behavior or if that's just what it is.

Thanks for replying! The manual claims this is the intent -- when keypad-shift is mapped to a key it is restricted to be keypad-toggle instead and no longer keypad-shift.

The RJ11 on my footswitch is pictured: It looks like it's the two middle pins on the RJ11 that are connected by the footswitch.

What makes it look like those are the two that get connected? I found http://www.kw.igs.net/~schoedel/kinesis/ which has a wiring diagram comparing old and new Kinesis keyboards.



For 'new' switch 1 connects Red and Green. Above the diagram (in the page that was found) is a table where Red is RJ11-3 and Green is RJ11-4 ... and with rows in that table labeled 2 3 4 5 this means 3 and 4 are the middle two. So that matches what you're saying exactly.

(but of course I haven't tried this myself so ymmv.)

I don't suppose you'd try it for me  :p I've yet to buy the keyboard actually haha
« Last Edit: Thu, 05 March 2015, 11:46:14 by allthumbs »

Offline alfa_lima_echo_xray

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Re: Simulate Kinesis Footpedal for Remapping Keypad Toggle?
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 05 March 2015, 22:29:58 »
What makes it look like those are the two that get connected?

That the single footswitch's RJ11 connector I photographed for you only has two of the four pins populated in the connector housing. The two middle ones.

And yes the colors of the wires on the pigtail's two middles pins are red and green. You're good to go!

kinesis advantage:mx brown  |  atreus keyboard:mx blue  |  unkown manufacturer:mx black

Offline gevason

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Re: Simulate Kinesis Footpedal for Remapping Keypad Toggle?
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 30 April 2015, 13:47:41 »
@allthumbs @alfa_lima_echo_xray I tried the technique you were talking about and it worked great!  I wrote about it here: http://geoff.evason.name/2015/04/30/remapping-keypad-on-a-kinesis-advantage-keyboard

Offline alfa_lima_echo_xray

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Re: Simulate Kinesis Footpedal for Remapping Keypad Toggle?
« Reply #7 on: Fri, 01 May 2015, 11:34:31 »
Nice @gevason!

Also the footswitch is just connected with a female to female coupler. For a quick project one could always grab one of those and a scrap RJ11 cable... cut off the cable close to one connectors and wire in a switch to essentially have a dongle for remapping.

It really is a shame there isn't built-in functionality for remapping the keypad button on these. Hopefully in the next version!
kinesis advantage:mx brown  |  atreus keyboard:mx blue  |  unkown manufacturer:mx black

Offline Herothereu

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Re: Simulate Kinesis Footpedal for Remapping Keypad Toggle?
« Reply #8 on: Fri, 01 May 2015, 12:54:09 »
This keyboard just made it to Massdrop.

Offline Roshan

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Re: Simulate Kinesis Footpedal for Remapping Keypad Toggle?
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 05 August 2015, 19:53:14 »
@allthumbs @alfa_lima_echo_xray I tried the technique you were talking about and it worked great!  I wrote about it here: http://geoff.evason.name/2015/04/30/remapping-keypad-on-a-kinesis-advantage-keyboard

Thanks for the guide!

I mapped the 'Keypad' key to the 'Page Down' key.

The assigned key must be pressed once before typing numbers to toggle the keypad on, and once again after to toggle the keypad off. I prefer the keypad to be active while the assigned key is pressed which is how I use the keypad on the ErgoDox.
Poker IIKinesis AdvantageErgodoxCST2545