Newb questions regarding <Shift>

[Deacon Cole]

So, I am making my first keyboard for a Raspberry Pi word processor I've made so I can write a novel about lesbians fighting in giant robots.

The cheap tablet keyboard is adequate, but contains some flaws, so I'm making a new keyboard rather than just buying a new one which go for about $15 on Amazon at this writing. I have a Teensy 2.0 that I've had for a decade because I never made the USB Atari 2600 joystick out of it.

I have looked at Easy AVR and briefly at TMK as firmware options, but in both of these the character you get from holding shift seems to be pre-baked onto each key and this is not changeable using these options. There is a workaround in both using layers, but I would like to make it so that holding shift turns <Backspace> into <Delete>. I'm not happy with making this a different layer using a Fn key for this functionality. I would rather it just do that using <shift>. I can't seem to find options for doing this without first learning C and maybe upgrading to a 32-bit Teensy or other microcontroler.

So, I thought I would ask the community, since you all have more experience than I and can hopefully point me in the correct direction on what I can or can't do in this regard

[suicidal_orange]

If you use EasyAVR you can copy the default layer to layer 2 then on the default layer change shift to FN and tick with 'mods: shift' so all the keys on the layer will be shifted, then you can change backspace to delete on layer 2.  It is using layers but takes seconds to setup and you'd never notice while using it.

Is that good enough?

[nevin]

regular teensy 2.0 should be fine for most diy keyboards. if you're gong to do a full size, you're better off with a teensy ++2.0 (more i/o pins)

as far as using shift as you would like... it would work if you didn't "hold" shift. (if shift was only tapped like the alpha keys)
in qmk (a fork of tmk) there is... "LT(layer, kc)" which is:   Turn on layer when held, kc when tapped. again, which would work, if you didn't normally hold shift for normal use. you could easily assign this to another key, say "d" for example... when tapped it would be "d" when held, it would be Fn.

the "LT(layer, kc)" was made for existing boards that had limited keys that you couldn't dedicate a specific key to be Fn only. which is a really nice workaround.

you could also try a macro to get the desired output... shift + backspace = (outputs) delete.

there's also auto shift in qmk https://beta.docs.qmk.fm/using-qmk/software-features/feature_auto_shift

there's a couple ways to do what you want, just need to decide what is the best option for you.

if this board is only for writing, check out some of the tiny 40%+ keyboards. they are too small for what i need, but should be great for just writing.

qmk documentation: https://beta.docs.qmk.fm/
layers: https://beta.docs.qmk.fm/using-qmk/software-features/feature_layers#switching-and-toggling-layers


anyway, hope this helps answer some questions. do not hesitate to ask another or continue the dialog.

[Deacon Cole]

..and tick with 'mods: shift' so all the keys on the layer will be shifted,

You mean the checkboxes labeled "Automods" and I just tick either l-shift or r-shift because it shouldn't matter?

Is that good enough?

This was very helpful. Thank you.

[suicidal_orange]

Oh yes, the UI changed a couple of years ago.  It is the tickboxes at the bottom, not sure what the difference between left and right are but there must be a slight one in a specific scenario or layout.  I doubt you'll find it!