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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: yoippari on Fri, 09 June 2017, 01:46:59

Title: Has anyone put a multi-directional switch (trackpoint-ish) on a keyboard?
Post by: yoippari on Fri, 09 June 2017, 01:46:59

Any completed examples come to mind? I've seen several actual "trackpoint on keyboard" posts but I'm wondering about how to actually mount something like the thumb joystick (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9032) from sparkfun or one of the heavier duty (?) multi direction switches (http://www.mouser.com/search/refine.aspx?Ntk=P_MarCom&Ntt=138633190) from ALPS/mouser. A couple of them look like they have "feet" that would allow them to sit on a bottom plate and the pins could be hand wired but some look like they would fit on a prototyping board (http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/TinyCircuits/ASD2009-R/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtgbBHFKsFQgqvxd2XGUZHj6cC8RLhrywIM6wC6Ll0Czw%3d%3d) with a little drilling. I'm not even thinking programming yet. I'm guessing firmware that works for a regular trackpoint would work but I'm holding off on getting the plates cut for this build until I know if/how I can mount one of these.

Title: Re: Has anyone put a multi-directional switch (trackpoint-ish) on a keyboard?
Post by: algernon on Fri, 09 June 2017, 02:16:13

The Shortcut (http://shortcut.gg/) has thumb sticks, which are 4-way switches under the hood. On the firmware side, they appear as just another key. While these 4-ways are very different than true multi-directional, trackpoint-ish things, they are a reasonable compromise between practicality and usability.

I've no clue about how to mount these things, I only now the firmware side :)

Title: Re: Has anyone put a multi-directional switch (trackpoint-ish) on a keyboard?
Post by: vextanys on Fri, 09 June 2017, 05:12:20

Its possible to get the thumbsticks already mounted to a PCB with mounting holes, so it shouldnt be too hard to drill and mount to a custom PCB or protoboard. They seem to have 4 mounting pins that can be soldered to unconnected pads for mounting. https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9110 (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9110)

The thumbstick may need some custom firmware, as its an analog value (it shouldnt be too hard, and there are plenty of arduino analog input examples to look at), and I'm not sure how the trackpoint stuff works :)

Title: Re: Has anyone put a multi-directional switch (trackpoint-ish) on a keyboard?
Post by: sinusoid on Fri, 09 June 2017, 14:01:34

This guy did:
http://forum.bongofish.co.uk/index.php?topic=2568.0

topmost left and right keys are multidirectional.