Macro keyboards are mini programmable USB keyboards that can be pressed to trigger shortcuts, a sequence of keypresses etc. They can have several layers so switching to a different one will trigger different keypresses from the same key, so e.g. different IDEs can be represented.
I’ve just bought one with a view to setting up shortcuts for debugging. Each IDE has its own unique keys for navigating through the code, so I figure it’ll be nice to just press one key to start debugging and one key to step into instead of a combination of ctrl+whatever etc
Do you use one? If so, what do you use it for and what size do you use? Is it too big / too small?
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I use an old Stream Deck- not the Steam deck- from Elgato. It’s essentially a small touchscreen with a transparent button pad laid over the top, making for a fully programmable macropad with fully customisable screen-per-key.
Not only can I have esoteric shortcuts, but I can also dynamically label them, depending on layer. I have a ‘home’ layer with icons representing each other layer. So, for example I can load up a video game, and press the corresponding icon on my macropad. It will then change the icons to match whatever command it does- various whistle commands in Ark, for example. I can then change programs into my CAD, and have the icons now be various shortcuts for modelling tools.
It sounds beautiful! It’d be really nice if there were transparent rubber keypads available that could be put over phone screens. Then you could fashion an old phone as a keyboard with infinite layers. A simple flutter app to set up the shortcuts and make them configurable and badda boom!
Do you use a macro keyboard for shortcuts?
No. I think that macro functionality is useful, but I don’t do it via the physical keyboard.
My general take is that chording (pressing some combination of keys simultaneously) that lets one keep one hands on the home row is faster than pressing one key. So, like, instead of having separate capital and lowercase letter keys, it’s preferable to have “shift” and just one key.
I think that the main arguments for dedicated keys that one lifts one hands for would be for important but relatively-infrequently-used keys that people don’t use enough to remember chorded combinations for – you can just throw the label on the button as a quick reference. Like, we don’t usually have Windows-Alt-7 on a keyboard power on a laptop, but instead have a dedicated power button.
Maybe there’s a use to have keyboard-level-programmed macros with chording, as some keyboards can do…but to me, the use case seems pretty niche. If you’re using multiple software environments (e.g. BIOS, Windows, Linux terminal, whatever) and want the same functionality in all of them (e.g. a way to type your name), that might make some sense. Or maybe if you’re permitted to take a keyboard with you, but are required to use a computer that you can’t configure at the software level, that’d provide configurability at a level that you have control over.
In general, though, I’m happier with configuring stuff like that on the computer’s software; I don’t hit those two use cases, myself.
I’m not a programmer but I want to share my experiences anyway. >:3
I have DOIO KB16 because I really needed something to allow me for scrolling and usage of shortcuts while using the drawing tablet. It has 4 layers and onboard memory so I can take it to a new pc and have all the same functionality. I disconnected my mouse and put it on a shelf due to wrist pain in favor of a game controller or drawing tablet + macropad combo for interacting with my pc. I ended up mostly using the macropad as a mouse/keyboard with shortcuts for manipulating webpages and so on. My favourite part about it is that it has 3 whooping knobs which I really wanted to have as many of as I could. By looking at the sellers discord support channel I was really lucky to actually have the macropad delivered at all because it’s some chinese seller with lacking support. Here’s the pic of it:
Edit: The post asked about how I feel about the size. My opinion is that I wish it had 1 (ideally 2) more vertical sets of keys because that would allow me to use my thumb for button pressing too. But overall I’m happy and I think it’s my only real problem with it.
Edit: The post asked about how I feel about the size. My opinion is that I wish it had 1 (ideally 2) more vertical sets of keys because that would allow me to use my thumb for button pressing too. But overall I’m happy and I think it’s my only real problem with it.
Check aliexpress. You’re going to find things that excite you including a kb that’s very similar
EDIT: I thought I’d go searching, some ideas:
- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007032783471.html
- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008256166426.html
- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007032783471.html
- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006814738256.html - an extra row. Sure it’ll take another USB port but you could stick them together!
I already did so when looking for a macropad but didn’t find anything that would fit my criteria. Macropads with a bigger amount of knobs are stupidly hard to find which is something I didn’t expect when looking for one to buy.
Edit: Oh right, I just remembered that there was a bigger option that was out of stock and waaaaay out of my price range:
That’s 145 USD +shipping. It’s not something I can afford for a small keyboard. I think it may come without caps as well based on the pic included. lmao
Wow. I updated the post above with some cheapo alternatives that have mechanical keys.
There’s also MIDI controllers like: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007444327683.html maybe more listed under DJ / mixing controllers
The first three have one too little horizontal row for a comfortable hand position. The last one is something I contemplated but with knobs instead and I failed to find something like that. I also get an impression that it would be uncomfortable to constantly move my hand between two keyboards but maybe I’m wrong as I never had two small keyboards to use. When hunting in the past I also read that a lot of this stuff has some shitty config apps and/or quality problems. I gave some thought making an ideal macropad myself but I’m too broke for an expensive hobby like that. I’m very happy with the macropad I managed to get because it was really hard to find something that would fit what I was looking for. It’s my first macropad ever and my first mechanical keeb as well so I was very lucky to settle on something good despite my lack of knowledge on this stuff. The settings app, onboard memory, and layers with display are also very satisfactory. It feels so good to use that the macropad I sent above feels like the only thing that would fully satisfy my more advanced needs and I would be willing to buy it if I could afford it. The size is perfect as well, it has a lot of buttons and enough knobs while not taking up too much space to leave a lot of room on my desk for the drawing tablet.
Edit: Us constantly making edits makes it a bit confusing. I’m not sure if the midi thing was there when I started writing the message or if it was added during that time. lol
Anyway, I contemplated a midi board for knobs but midi boards have limited turn radius +that would require finding some special software to actually use it. Additionally there wouldn’t be onboard memory which I’m enjoying a lot. Nothing will beat VIA/QMK programmable purpose specific keyboard.
I’m really happy that it works for you! Well done on doing the hard work to find it!
Yea, doing all the research was a grind. I expected it to be a simple purchase because I thought macropads weren’t that niche but I was proven very wrong on that. xD
Mechanical keyboards have a huge, fanatical following! /c/mechanical_keyboards - shame it’s dead. I expected to see posts of why the IBM Model M is better than everything else!
Looks nice. How much did it cost?
I just have a 36 key split keyboard with layers and combo keys, don’t need a separate macro pad when my main keyboard just is one
36??? I have trouble doing a 70
No macro keyboard but I have a programmable mouse with 12 buttons which I assume is similar. You can have different modes with different key bindings so I made 4 modes = 48 buttons.
I don’t have that many macros though, it’s mostly control keys that are used a lot, arrow keys etc. For coding I have some bindings with ctrl-C, ctrl-V, ctrl-Z, ctrl-/ which work in most editors. Something that’s a bit more interesting, I have a button that places the word “exit” in the clipboard, so you can then press the ctrl-V button to paste the word in a terminal, cause a lot of processes (like the ruby console) can’t be closed with ctrl-C.
Most REPLs can be closed with Ctrl+D which is the EOF character.
Huh true, I’ll have to check again see if it works with the usual programs (it probably does)
