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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: tofgerl on Sun, 13 September 2015, 12:23:48

Title: What do you think of the different ways of programming boards?
Post by: tofgerl on Sun, 13 September 2015, 12:23:48
So I've just finished my first week with my Pok3r, and I hate the programming system. Button combinations, resetting the entire layer, not being able to program the first layer... What the hell?

So right now I'm sort of idealizing the Planck I've ordered on Massdrop, and the possibility to just write the settings in a file and then write it to the board, try it out and then being able to just write a new version when I've decided.

But am I just a dreamer? What do you guys think about the two different ways of doing it?
Title: Re: What do you think of the different ways of programming boards?
Post by: Sifo on Sun, 13 September 2015, 12:31:52
Fully programmable is the best... whether it be through GUI (GON, Metalliqaz' software) or writing it and flashing it yourself (hasu's stuff, most DIY projects), it's generally the most flexible.

All off-the-shelf keyboards don't allow for fully programmable because of warranty issues I believe. If you brick your board they can't offer assistance and I guess they don't have faith in the general public to know what they're doing.

The best attempt at having a built in programming system was i3oilermaker's v2 Business Card.

If the Planck is like any of the other custom boards ran on MD, then you'll get exactly what you're asking for.
Title: Re: What do you think of the different ways of programming boards?
Post by: njbair on Sun, 13 September 2015, 15:03:01
Can confirm what Sifo said, that the Planck firmware is what you're looking for. The Planck you ordered (me too) ships with a preconfigured TMK firmware. I love, love love programming for TMK firmware. I use a TMK USB converter so that I can use my custom shortcuts on all my boards, even those that aren't programmable.

If you've ever compiled source code before, TMK is pretty easy to learn. If not, it's still easy but just a bigger learning curve. One of the more advanced features in TMK is something hasu calls "Boot Magic," which is basically virtual DIP switch settings for things like swapping Caps/Ctrl, disabling winkeys, and setting the default layout layer (e.g., Colemak or Dvorak).
Title: Re: What do you think of the different ways of programming boards?
Post by: Sifo on Sun, 13 September 2015, 15:34:37
Oh damn ok well if Planck comes with tmk then yeah you're golden. Hasu the best ^_^
Title: Re: What do you think of the different ways of programming boards?
Post by: KHAANNN on Tue, 15 September 2015, 12:56:23
It has a lot of shortcommings, yet, for me, the infinity firmware was the simplest to work with

I'm postponing learning the tmk_keyboard, yet tmk is obviously the future

Talking to myself: I also received one of hasu's usb-to-usb's, didn't work with my infinity out of the box, I should re-flash the firmware and start learning tmk asap :)
Title: Re: What do you think of the different ways of programming boards?
Post by: njbair on Tue, 15 September 2015, 13:04:34
It has a lot of shortcommings, yet, for me, the infinity firmware was the simplest to work with

I'm postponing learning the tmk_keyboard, yet tmk is obviously the future

Talking to myself: I also received one of hasu's usb-to-usb's, didn't work with my infinity out of the box, I should re-flash the firmware and start learning tmk asap :)

TMK on Infinity is not perfect: boot magic doesn't work, media keys don't work, and a couple of other "extra" features like that.

This is mostly because they haven't been implemented by hasu yet. I took a stab at this myself, but the code is beyond my knowledge level.
Title: Re: What do you think of the different ways of programming boards?
Post by: KHAANNN on Tue, 15 September 2015, 13:32:39
It has a lot of shortcommings, yet, for me, the infinity firmware was the simplest to work with

I'm postponing learning the tmk_keyboard, yet tmk is obviously the future

Talking to myself: I also received one of hasu's usb-to-usb's, didn't work with my infinity out of the box, I should re-flash the firmware and start learning tmk asap :)

TMK on Infinity is not perfect: boot magic doesn't work, media keys don't work, and a couple of other "extra" features like that.

This is mostly because they haven't been implemented by hasu yet. I took a stab at this myself, but the code is beyond my knowledge level.

I abandoned infinity's theoretically long ago, but just tested usb-to-usb converter connected to an infinity, somehow it didn't work either :)

I should test the adapter with a WASD V2 and re-flash it later on

------

Slightly on topic, my next PCB is a FaceW/Sprit one, checked their programming situation, but I hate windows GUI's, so it's a no-go, I will probably have to flash it once somehow for a base layout tho, and even that seems like a huge challenge - intending to use the PCB with the base-layout in place and extending things with a tmk ps2-to-usb or usb-to-usb adapter