Arrow Keys on 60% Keyboards (like the PBT Pure)

[AnalogBlu]

So I'm planning on building a new keyboard through Sprit's PCB groub buy, and I'm shooting for a 7x keyboard with a shorter R-Shift and extra button like the PBT Pure.

What mostly concerns me is that I'm not completely familiar with how programming keyboards work. Is it possible to use the extra button to the right of the shift as a type of enabler that can convert the R-Ctrl, R-Alt, R-Shift, and R-Win into arrow keys? That's my only qualm and, quite frankly, preventing me from considering a 75% keyboard.

Also, has anybody converted the caps lock into an Fn key?

[bueller]

Is it possible to use the extra button to the right of the shift as a type of enabler that can convert the R-Ctrl, R-Alt, R-Shift, and R-Win into arrow keys? That's my only qualm and, quite frankly, preventing me from considering a 75% keyboard.

Also, has anybody converted the caps lock into an Fn key?

Yep that won't be a problem at all, that's what I'm planning on doing once I get mine!

[terran5992]

I think that you can use Autohotkey to program the key

[AKmalamute]

What you're describing is 'function layers' ... layer 0, the default, they're Ctrl/Alt/Shift, but in layer 1, or some other lower layer, they're arrows.

I haven't yet seen a hinted at software for reprogramming the FaceW boards, but they're avr-something based, which is a known / fixed problem. I think you could just use hasu/cubuniac's software but you might have to adjust the matrix. Actually I'm sure the wires aren't criss-crossing in exactly the same way as, say, the phantom. So once the exact matrix layout is known, it's a simple process to describe this key's meaning -- for each of the layers you describe.

One of the major reasons for choosing a custom PCB for a DIY kit, in fact. You can just reprogram the keys. Over, and over again. Whenever you'd like!
I plan on having dedicated arrows -- RCtrl can be in a lower layer

[AnalogBlu]

What you're describing is 'function layers' ... layer 0, the default, they're Ctrl/Alt/Shift, but in layer 1, or some other lower layer, they're arrows.

I haven't yet seen a hinted at software for reprogramming the FaceW boards, but they're avr-something based, which is a known / fixed problem. I think you could just use hasu/cubuniac's software but you might have to adjust the matrix. Actually I'm sure the wires aren't criss-crossing in exactly the same way as, say, the phantom. So once the exact matrix layout is known, it's a simple process to describe this key's meaning -- for each of the layers you describe.

One of the major reasons for choosing a custom PCB for a DIY kit, in fact. You can just reprogram the keys. Over, and over again. Whenever you'd like!
I plan on having dedicated arrows -- RCtrl can be in a lower layer

As a neophyte DIY-er, I kind of got lost in your second paragraph haha. Are you saying that programming the keyboards can be done on a hardware level? I'm assuming that software gains access to the firmware on the keyboard, and you would adjust the function of each key based on that, but then again, I'm not familiar with many of the tools in this hobby.