Very Odd Xwhatsit and F107 glitch

[matt-taco]

So, I want to preface with stating that Xwhatsit controllers and software/utility is the best keyboard controller ever, like, LITERALLY ever. It is the only good one.

Anyway, my first mechanical keyboard was an F107, I got it when I was 15 (so, 2015) for about 200 dollars. I stopped using it for a while because there was an issue with a key, turned out it was just the foam (duh). Just this week I finally replaced the foam and everything works with the exception of it spazzing out whenever I play oblivion and I play ES IV Oblivion. Very very odd. Anyone else have an issue with games?

[NathanA]

Have you considered trying to use the QMK firmware on your Xwhatsit controller instead of the original Xwhatsit software?  Just as a test?

[matt-taco]

Thats a good point, I will see it up and test it.

I never really considered it because QMK makes me really sad :<

[NathanA]

Thats a good point, I will see it up and test it.

I never really considered it because QMK makes me really sad :<

Heh, what about it in particular is it that you don't like about it?

If it's the need to do nearly every config or keymap change at the source code level, recompile, and then reflash your controller everytime, well...I'm with you.  But there are extensions to QMK these days that take that pain away.  Things like VIA and Vial.

I'm not sure that anybody has bothered putting together a Vial-enabled firmware for the F107 layout yet, but I think I could throw something together fairly quickly for you that should work, if you wanted to give that a spin...

(Also just realized this is the same poster asking about Xwhatsit controllers in another thread that I just responded to; heh.)

[NathanA]

Here is a Vial-enabled QMK firmware for the F107 that I threw together.

It's assumed that you are using an original xwhatsit controller, and not one of its many derivatives.  If you have a different variant of it (e.g., wcass, through-hole/"universal", etc.) then let me know.

Tried to make this as simple as possible to load onto your controller:

• Unpack attached ZIP archive
• Put controller into bootloader/flash mode (using xwhatsit app)
• Run the "flash-ibm_f107-qmk_vial_ansi" script (.bat file if on Windows, .sh file if on Mac)

Of course, I hope that it goes without saying that before you do this, you should back up your existing xwhatsit layout and config in case you want to return to it, because flashing QMK+Vial will wipe it out!

Once the flash is complete, you can download and run the Vial app to configure your keyboard layout.  By default, it just comes preloaded with a layout approximating ANSI.  But if you haven't converted your F107 to ANSI and have some of the other pads set up with flippers, you can go to the Layout tab and unhide those by checking the right boxes.  Then go back to Keymap tab to set those keys to the functions you want.

By default, "Fn" (layer 1) is the key immediately to the right of Right Shift (called "MO(1)").

If this doesn't solve your issue(s) and/or you just decide that this isn't for you and you want to go back to the original xwhatsit firmware, put your keyboard into bootloader mode (either with Fn + Space + R, or just through the Vial app under Security > Reboot to bootloader) & then run the "flash-ibm_f107-xwhatsit" script.  Then go back into the xwhatsit app and restore your layout from backup.

Hope this helps either you + others with xwhatsit-ified F107s who are perhaps interested in an alternative firmware.