Hi,
I am thinking about creating my custom multi-layer layout and would like to ask for your experiences, ideas, warnings. My idea is having all important symbols, diacritics, navigation, maybe even ctrl/alt keys easily reachable from "basic" hand positions (e.g ASDF and +-1 row around for left hand) - I am not speaking now about basic alpha-num layout (qwertz in my language), it would stay the same. I am speaking about modifers, symbols, diacritics, navigation....
LAYERSBasic layer will stay the same (qwertz which is default in my language + numbers in top row), but I would like to create new layers which would move symbols, parenthesis etc towards home row (to keys around ASDF JKL; clusters), instead of using distant keys (my language also heavily uses diacritics so I have even more characters to add to layout). For example:
- there could be layer 2 with parenthesis, e.g. [()] parenthesis would be under JKL; keys, <> under NM etc.
- layer 3 would move some other important symbols under the same easily reachable keys - JKLNMUIO etc.
- layer 4 could be used for navigation, vim-like: hjkl for arrows etc
DUAL-MODE KEYS AS MODIFIERSAnd now I would like to switch to these layers using dual-mode keys = keys which will function normally as alphas, except when pressed together with other keys they would work as modifiers. I do not want to use normal modifiers from ergonomical reasons - reaching for them. Plus I would like to leave normal modifiers intact so as not to disrupt predefined key combos with many programs.
- I would like to use keys, which are easily reachable, but not used heavily in my language, as I am aware that these letters will appear at the screen with some short delay - not until release of the button (because of evaluating whether I will use key combination or I want to use this key alone). It is possible to program Karabiner in this way and I tested it and delay is almost not noticeable and I can write normal text without hassle. So no problem here.
- I would like to use F G and H (maybe ; ) for such dual-mode modifiers/keys and these keys would thus switch to layer 2, layer 3 etc. (if used with combination with other keys)
- I am aware that from ergonomic reasons I should not press two keys with one hand, so layers would be created only in one half of the keyboard (e.g. layer switched by F key would be only in right side, so I can push F by left hand and "layered" keys by right hand)
MY QUESTIONIt can be done in Karabiner, by "complex modifications", no problem for me how to do it technically. (I want to use it as default layout in all my apps, I know that e.g. in emacs you can define something similar, but that would not be solution for me)
So my question is not about how to implement it but if it is good idea/if you have some experiences with similar solutions or if I omit something important/do not see something. Or are there already similar, ready solutions with layers and dual-mode keys?
Thank your for your comments
EDIT: I have noticed that similar discussion already runs here:
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=41685.0;all . I will check posts there so you do not have to repeat what is written there. But if you have special tip for my situation, I will be glad if you share it here.