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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: SamirD on Sun, 11 October 2015, 12:04:34

Title: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: SamirD on Sun, 11 October 2015, 12:04:34
http://matias.ca/optimizer/

Is this a joke?  The shift key has done this for years on the IBM M's numeric keypad.  Do other keyboards not work like this as well?  :-\
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: njbair on Sun, 11 October 2015, 20:17:51
http://matias.ca/optimizer/

Is this a joke?  The shift key has done this for years on the IBM M's numeric keypad.  Do other keyboards not work like this as well?  :-\
Wait, so shift turns the numpad back into a nav control? I never knew that. I'm on a phone so I can't try it now.
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: Hyde on Sun, 11 October 2015, 20:40:56
Yeah shift basically temporary cancels number lock so you can use the 2nd layer function.

Though the optimizer functions are still slightly different...... even though most of it are the same as regular number pad.  :P
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: SamirD on Sun, 11 October 2015, 21:40:33
http://matias.ca/optimizer/

Is this a joke?  The shift key has done this for years on the IBM M's numeric keypad.  Do other keyboards not work like this as well?  :-\
Wait, so shift turns the numpad back into a nav control? I never knew that. I'm on a phone so I can't try it now.
Yep, I saw the matias site and then looked at my M numpad and was like 'they didn't...'.  I tried control alt and then shift and sure enough, I have an 'optimizer' too.  :))

And the cool thing is that this opens up some combinations for spreadsheet navigation that were a bit tough before.  Like we were discussing about keyboard shortcuts in another thread.  :thumb:
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: njbair on Sun, 11 October 2015, 21:46:17
http://matias.ca/optimizer/

Is this a joke?  The shift key has done this for years on the IBM M's numeric keypad.  Do other keyboards not work like this as well?  :-\
Wait, so shift turns the numpad back into a nav control? I never knew that. I'm on a phone so I can't try it now.
Yep, I saw the matias site and then looked at my M numpad and was like 'they didn't...'.  I tried control alt and then shift and sure enough, I have an 'optimizer' too.  :))

And the cool thing is that this opens up some combinations for spreadsheet navigation that were a bit tough before.  Like we were discussing about keyboard shortcuts in another thread.  :thumb:
Have you tried it on a non Model M?
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: SamirD on Sun, 11 October 2015, 22:00:48
http://matias.ca/optimizer/

Is this a joke?  The shift key has done this for years on the IBM M's numeric keypad.  Do other keyboards not work like this as well?  :-\
Wait, so shift turns the numpad back into a nav control? I never knew that. I'm on a phone so I can't try it now.
Yep, I saw the matias site and then looked at my M numpad and was like 'they didn't...'.  I tried control alt and then shift and sure enough, I have an 'optimizer' too.  :))

And the cool thing is that this opens up some combinations for spreadsheet navigation that were a bit tough before.  Like we were discussing about keyboard shortcuts in another thread.  :thumb:
Have you tried it on a non Model M?
I haven't, but I happened to have an older compaq 101 key, so let me see what happens...

It works!  But I also noticed that the Compaq has the same secondary legends the M has, so probably not a conclusive test.

Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: ika on Sun, 11 October 2015, 22:53:31
TIL shift un-numlocks on tenkey boards... that's mind blowing. Nifty feature for arrow/navkeyless keyboards (90%?). Works on my Ducky Shine 3 if I'm understanding the conversation above correctly.
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: blueangel2323 on Mon, 12 October 2015, 00:16:46
The date is not April 1st. I checked.
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: SamirD on Mon, 12 October 2015, 07:51:25
TIL shift un-numlocks on tenkey boards... that's mind blowing. Nifty feature for arrow/navkeyless keyboards (90%?). Works on my Ducky Shine 3 if I'm understanding the conversation above correctly.
If you're holding shift and your number pad is able to be used for navigation, then yep, it works!

Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: SamirD on Mon, 12 October 2015, 08:05:33
The date is not April 1st. I checked.
What date?

Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: SpAmRaY on Mon, 12 October 2015, 08:10:43
The date is not April 1st. I checked.
What date?
Your OP asks the question, 'Is this a joke?'

He said the date isn't April 1st (April Fools Day)

And to add to the thread are there any full size boards that don't function this way?
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: suicidal_orange on Mon, 12 October 2015, 08:10:45
But can you "combine with shift to select cells in Excel"?  Nope!  That's one of the main uses of arrow keys, for me at least...

Interesting to know that shift and num locked numberpad codes produce arrows though, might have to incorporate that into my pad's layout :)
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: SpAmRaY on Mon, 12 October 2015, 08:13:18
But can you "combine with shift to select cells in Excel"?  Nope!  That's one of the main uses of arrow keys, for me at least...

Interesting to know that shift and num locked numberpad codes produce arrows though, might have to incorporate that into my pad's layout :)
You can if you press both shift keys.
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: davkol on Mon, 12 October 2015, 08:39:31
You're ignoring the part about firmware-level layer similar to DreymaR's Extend Layer (http://forum.colemak.com/viewtopic.php?id=2014) or Neo Layer 4 (http://wiki.neo-layout.org/wiki/Tastaturbelegung#Ebene4).
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: SamirD on Mon, 12 October 2015, 10:46:42
The date is not April 1st. I checked.
What date?
Your OP asks the question, 'Is this a joke?'

He said the date isn't April 1st (April Fools Day)

And to add to the thread are there any full size boards that don't function this way?
Ah yes, I missed that answer to my question.  ;D

I don't think there would be as I think this is a PC specific thing.  The only reason I remember it is because back in the day in typing class in high school, we had the xt/at Fs and I had to use the technique a lot to get my arrow keys.
But can you "combine with shift to select cells in Excel"?  Nope!  That's one of the main uses of arrow keys, for me at least...

Interesting to know that shift and num locked numberpad codes produce arrows though, might have to incorporate that into my pad's layout :)
That's a good point because I use that a lot too.  But for that I use the right shift and the regular arrow keys.

I think where this comes in handy is numerical data entry.  I always find myself going back and forth between the numeric keypad and then the arrow keys.  Now I can rest my left hand on the left shift and just get good at hitting it at the right time to introduce navigation when I need it.  I can't believe I forgot about this for 20 years though.  I guess that's aging...
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: cheddarbek on Mon, 12 October 2015, 17:23:16
TIL shift un-numlocks on tenkey boards... that's mind blowing. Nifty feature for arrow/navkeyless keyboards (90%?). Works on my Ducky Shine 3 if I'm understanding the conversation above correctly.

I had no idea. Just tried it on my AEKII -  works perfectly. 4,6,8, and 2 are up down left right, 7, and 1 are home and end, 9 and 3 are pg up and pg down.

MIND BLOWN
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: njbair on Mon, 12 October 2015, 20:13:05
ITT: a bunch of keyboard geeks who apparently don't know how keyboards work.
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: cheddarbek on Mon, 12 October 2015, 20:14:25
I just bash my face against my board repeatedly until what's onscreen looks like an approximation of what I intended. :D
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: njbair on Mon, 12 October 2015, 21:01:32
I just bash my face against my board repeatedly until what's onscreen looks like an approximation of what I intended. :D
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: SamirD on Mon, 12 October 2015, 23:21:16
ITT: a bunch of keyboard geeks who apparently don't know how keyboards work.
hahahaha...apparently so!  Me included!  I can't believe I forgot this trick--AND IT WAS RIGHT THERE ON MY M'S LEGENDS!

Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: SamirD on Mon, 12 October 2015, 23:22:15
TIL shift un-numlocks on tenkey boards... that's mind blowing. Nifty feature for arrow/navkeyless keyboards (90%?). Works on my Ducky Shine 3 if I'm understanding the conversation above correctly.

I had no idea. Just tried it on my AEKII -  works perfectly. 4,6,8, and 2 are up down left right, 7, and 1 are home and end, 9 and 3 are pg up and pg down.

MIND BLOWN
zero and . are Insert and Delete according to my M's legends, and I just tested them too.
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: chyros on Tue, 13 October 2015, 03:19:44
Yup, this should work on all standard keyboards. In fact, to those among us who work a lot with AT/XT this'll probably be quite obvious, because that's how nav clusters on XT are wired (i.e. if you do a key test on a board with a nav using XT, it'll go shift+numpad instead of lighting up the nav cluster.
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: suicidal_orange on Tue, 13 October 2015, 03:34:54
But can you "combine with shift to select cells in Excel"?  Nope!  That's one of the main uses of arrow keys, for me at least...

Interesting to know that shift and num locked numberpad codes produce arrows though, might have to incorporate that into my pad's layout :)
You can if you press both shift keys.

That's a big stretch on a fullsize :))  Could program both shifts onto a numberpad though...


And to add to the thread are there any full size boards that don't function this way?

If they send actual numberpad keycodes it will work.  Some separate Tenkeys send number row codes so I guess someone might do that in a fullsize but there's no good reason for it.

I think you've just found a use for crappy stock keycaps - most have the extra legends :thumb:
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: hasu on Tue, 13 October 2015, 15:17:40
I didn't know what you all were talking until tried other os :D
Matias says "Compatible with Windows, Mac, or Linux PCs.", this may be the point of the keyboard.
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: SamirD on Wed, 14 October 2015, 16:53:03
I didn't know what you all were talking until tried other os :D
Matias says "Compatible with Windows, Mac, or Linux PCs.", this may be the point of the keyboard.
While their Optimizer concept may encompass a little more than what is already built-in to most 101+ keyboards, the point is that most of what they are touting as 'benefits' are already gained by simply hitting shift and then the num pad.  And this should work on other operating systems as well as long as the keyboards function the same way (I don't know since I've only tried these M shortcuts on a windows based machine).

Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: hasu on Wed, 14 October 2015, 17:25:53
That is exactly what I wanted to say, I'd meant "you all guys are only on Windows :D"
It doesn't work for me or work wrongly on Linux at least. anyone tried this on OSX?
In Xorg/ubuntu 15.04 Shift + Numpad8 is translated to Shift + Up, not just Up. In the result it is not useful.

It is Windows feature, not keyboard built-in.
Title: Re: Matias 'Optimizier?
Post by: FoxWolf1 on Wed, 14 October 2015, 18:40:56
Keep in mind that Mac keyboards, as standard, do not have a num lock key or the associated layer (they have "clear" in that position instead)...they just send numbers all the time, without the arrow key/nav functions.