TMK USB to USB keyboard converter

[suicidal_orange]

Great!  So if Lucky_Marsupial loads the attached firmware then applies his(?) home row modifiers the tapping term change will still be in effect?  That's much easier than him setting up some way to compile

[Lucky_Marsupial]

@suicidal orange, thank you for trying!

Hasu, unfortunately I'm not going to be able to set up a VM or WSL for this—just seems beyond my skill set. But I'm wondering—since the website is somehow compiling the hex file on the backend, is there a way you could have a form on that page that would allow users to add variable settings like tapping term that would overwrite the defaults, and the site could just check for those before compiling? I really don't know how the compiling aspect works, but if I can define keymaps on the website, then maybe it could let users define some variable settings also? Or (and I know this is more work for you) there could be an optional section that lists all of the variable settings in the default and lets users edit them before downloading a compiled version? You could even start by just doing this for tapping term and any other settings that are commonly requested to change.

Lastly, "load keymap from firmware" after uploading a hex file is not working for me and "Keyboard output for debug" is always blank (I assume it is supposed to show something when you have the cursor in the box and type something). This is on Win 10 and Firefox 104. Any ideas on what to try to load the keymap? What is the keyboard output supposed to do/show?

Thanks for the help!

[hasu]

Keymap Editor doesn't compile firmware on line, it just replaces keymap portion in prebuilt firmware.
It is difficult or impossible to change the setting on current Keymap Editor.


I think "load keymap from firmware" should work with 'Unimap' firmware somewhat. Default prebuilt firmwares available on Keymap Editor or github are buillt as Unimap firmware by me.
Where does your firmware come from? (TMK firmware can be compilied with 8-bit 'keymap' and actionmap, in addition to unimap.)

And can you describe in detail about "after uploading a hex file is not working"? Screenshots of Keymap Editor would be helpful for me to understand the issue.

And you can upload your hex fire here or other place so that I can try it on Keymap Editor.

[Lucky_Marsupial]

I think "load keymap from firmware" should work with 'Unimap' firmware somewhat. Default prebuilt firmwares available on Keymap Editor or github are buillt as Unimap firmware by me.
Where does your firmware come from? (TMK firmware can be compilied with 8-bit 'keymap' and actionmap, in addition to unimap.)

Sorry if I am not following, but I am using the USB to USB converter. I didn't try to load firmware specific to my keyboard, because I thought that was only for keyboards that had the ability to be programmed directly. I just plug my keyboard (Unicomp) into the converter. For the TMK hex file and keymap editor, I chose the usb-usb converter firmware. I don't know what "unimap" is even though I see it mentioned on the editor page.

And can you describe in detail about "after uploading a hex file is not working"? Screenshots of Keymap Editor would be helpful for me to understand the issue.

And you can upload your hex fire here or other place so that I can try it on Keymap Editor.

I use the Keymap editor, dowloaded a firmware hex file, and used it to flash my usb-usb converter successfully. Later I closed the browser and restarted the computer. I opened the Keymap editor page and selected the radio button "File" under "Base Firmware File". I chose the hex file that I downloaded earlier and clicked "Load keymap from firmware". I expected to see the keymap that I created earlier appear on the Keymap Editor webpage so I could change a few key mappings. But, the keymap that I see on the Editor is the default map that the usb-usb converter ships with, rather than the new layout I created and flashed to the converter.

I will attach the hex file here. Thanks for the help.

[hasu]

Hi,
Yes, you are using correct firmware file. Firmware file that you attached is valid (unimap firmware) file for Keymap Editor.
I confirmed Keymap Editor loaded keymap from your firmware, see pictures below. I used Chrome(105) and Firefox(104) on ubuntu Linux to test it. In the pictures Chrome is shown on left and Firefox on right.

I opened the Keymap editor page and selected the radio button "File" under "Base Firmware File". I chose the hex file that I downloaded earlier and clicked "Load keymap from firmware".

This seems to me be correct procedure to load keymap from your firmware file. And this is exactly what I did for the test.



I don't know why this doesn't work on your site. This may be specific to Windows?

[Lucky_Marsupial]

Thanks for testing it. I was able to get it to work on Chrome (too many Firefox extensions perhaps).

Keymap Editor doesn't compile firmware on line, it just replaces keymap portion in prebuilt firmware.
It is difficult or impossible to change the setting on current Keymap Editor.

So the keymap doesn't need to be compiled, but the tap time setting does? And the keymap can be replaced in prebuilt firmware, but the tap time setting cannot? Is that right?

[hasu]

Right. 'Tapping Term' value is embeded in core system and needs compilation of its source codes. Keymap is simple data(array of key action code) and can be replaced easily even after the compilation.

I have a converter working with my keyboard. I'm trying to use home row modifiers, which I was using successfully before with an Atreus, but I got the converter so I could try home row modifiers with my Unicomp buckling spring. They are not working well,

Can you describe more details about difference between TMK and Atreus implementation of 'tap key'?
And can you share your keymap of 'home row modifiers' so that I can test on my site?


TMK tap key was implemented heavily depending on my taste and fingering habits. I'm a slow typist(50wpm) and don't type so much day to day. I mean, TMK tap key doesn't suit for you even with changing Tapping Term, perhaps.

There is other (hard-coded)parameters of tap key implementation and I can improve hopefully.

[suicidal_orange]

@Lucky_Marsuipial - have you confirmed if it's a timing issue or something else?  Easiest way is probably to change the modifier to a different letter so you can see which types when you double tap at your normal speed.  I've attached two more hexes with tapping term of 100 and 500, maybe one of them will work better?

[Lucky_Marsupial]

I'm not sure exactly why the Atreus worked for me and TMK currently isn't. The TMK problem is that I am constantly having keys act as modifiers when I intend to just tap (type) them. With the Atreus, I was able to slightly alter my typing to hold down the home row keys for shorter periods when typing, and that solved the problem. I am wondering if the TMK issue is that the setting for IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT is not active in my firmware. According to the page https://precondition.github.io/home-row-mods, that setting not being on causes similar problems—accidental activation of the mod key when the 1st key is not released until after the 2nd key is pressed. Does TMK include this option?

I am ok with pausing my normal typing style to hold the tap/mod key a bit longer to make it a mod, and then deliberately tap the 2nd key that I want to combine with the mod, if that will help. In other words, I am ok acting more like a hunt-and-peck typist when using the tap/hold keys as mods to invoke keyboard shortcuts. I just need to avoid them acting as mods when I don't want them to, when typing normal text.

I don't care about the ability to hold down a key and get a bunch of them auto-typed (like holding to produce "aaaaaaaaaa"). I'm willing to lose that ability to get home row mods.

Despite my ignorance of the low-level parts of this, I think I can understand the explanations on the "home row mods" webpage linked above, so feel free to ask about things referenced there in helping me troubleshoot. Thanks again for your help!

[Lucky_Marsupial]

@hasu, I know this isn't an easy fix, so I'm just curious if IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT is implemented in TMK and is ON by default? If not, would you recommend that if I want to try home row mods that I attempt to use QMK with the usb-usb converter instead? I assume that the process is pretty similar—use the web config page, download a file, flash it to the converter—is that right? I know you maintain TMK and not QMK but I would like to try to move forward on this issue in some way if I can. Thanks!

[hasu]

TMK doesn't has the option and I'm not sure how it works.
Yes, try QMK and let me know your result. I don't know much about QMK firmware, you better consult its documents. I believe that you can't mess up your converter with trying QMK.

[apastuszak]

1upkeyboards is out of stock on these.  Any idea when they'll be getting more in?

[KHAANNN]

I had to erase and reprogram my usb_usb converter today, for some reason it was recognized, it powered the keyboard, yet it didn't deliver any keystrokes before I reprogrammed - luckily I had the commands logged in a file:

dfu-programmer atmega32u4 erase --force
dfu-programmer atmega32u4 flash usb_usb.hex --force --debug 99999

Interesting event, and small chance it could be because I left the device with a faulty firmware (its connected to my tactile endgame, so shame on me if I did)

[hasu]

Just updated source code repository and default firmware on Keymap Editor.

Apple Magic Keyboard First gen.(A1644/A1843) is supported by default firmware now.

 https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard/commit/8fd2ba90e7f3bf87b2b634e5b9bd990ff89f42f2