The Amazing Shortcut Keypad
theamazingshortcutkeypad.com
theamazingshortcutkeypad.com
A lot of you are identifying other ways to achieve this sort of automation either with AutoHotKey or custom scripts and if that works for you then good on ya, no point in changing :)
However, the keypad was designed to give you quick, easy and intuitive automation in seconds. No writing code, no binding keys or running scripts. You just drag and drop and it's there.
It's not supposed to be revolutionary new tech, it's just taking a fairly standard macropad and making it easier, faster and less bother to get working. Added benefits are you can share automation 'recipes' and it'll be open source so you can hack/tweak it to your own needs.
> No writing code, no binding keys or running scripts.
In the spirit of keeping it simple, I'm using an Arduino as the heart of it as they are simple to programme and people can hack and tweak to their own needs, rather than struggling with firmware upgrades etc.
I do really like your idea of making it work with a range of hardware. I'm actually going to release 4 different designs ranging from a single button right up to the 12 mechanical key version you see in the link. That way people can choose their price range. Could be as low as £15 !
What do you think?
> No writing code, no binding keys or running scripts
Maybe you can provide a non drag and drop interface for power-users? After all your target audience are people who prefer pushing physical keys to moving around with mouse & clicking.
We should compare notes. I am working on geting my hardware/software project[1] ready to launch.
[1] www.riffpod.io
This way it works out cheaper, more flexible and generally better for the end user. It also avoids things like import taxes, shipping costs and manufacturing delays.
Instead, I have created 4 designs at a range of different prices, all based around easily available components.
I will distribute software, 3D print files, circuit board designs, build instructions, and tutorials so that anyone can build their own. It will be completely open source.
This means you can tweak it to your own needs, use already purchased components and make as many as you like. I think it works out better for everyone :D
It also saves me the trouble of coordinating all the manufacturing and allows me to focus on the bit I like and am good at - improving the product.
I like the look of Riffpod, neat little product. Got to say I've done something similar with iRigg but no doubt there is plenty to set it apart. Good luck!
Thanks for the encouragement on RiffPod. Yeah I have looked at iRig - RiffPod has 2-channel (mic + guitar) streaming, has an headphone/amp output and supports iOS and Android. Those are the main features that set it apart from iRig.
These are the main parts really. I have spent nearly 1000 hours developing the software and the designs so it's really quite valuable in itself.
Ahh that's pretty cool, sounds like you've differentiated yourself - keep it up!
"Keypad 1"
"Keypad 2"
or even name the macros:
"Keypad sort"
If I'm not constantly repeating a macro, I like to keep my hands on my main keyboard.
I use VoiceAttack when playing Elite Dangerous in VR.
The speed of setting it up makes it possible to do short-term automation which I've not come across before.
The same company has a mechanical numpad/calculator that can do the same as this shortcut keypad as well, in about the same package, along with having a calculator and display.
These macro pads are all over r/MechanicalKeyboards. Plenty of parts and kits to get you started if you want to make your own.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/237179/assign-macro...
We've acquired a Surface Book, which as you probably know can be used as a tablet or as a laptop. The tablet part can also be reversed and closed back on the keyboard. This makes for a very nice graphic tablet!
The only problem is that, in this configuration, no more keyboard for the essential shortcut used while drawing in Photoshop and the like.
One solution is to plug an external keyboard. Another solution would be to use this!
I doubt cmd-foo is harder to remember than the bindings of blank keys on an accessory device.
Now any of that can be done in any combination and it's set up in less than 1 minute.
It hasn't got all the features of AHK - some things have to be sacrificed for simplicity but you are very right in saying it has a lot more to offer than simple key bindings. These are proper macros :)
Absolutely. I have a Corsair K90 keyboard with 18 extra function keys (actually that's 18x3) and never use them because I can't remember what G1, G2, G3, etc stand for.
And find out that most are taken by the system or various applications (including ones running as UI-level).
>I doubt cmd-foo is harder to remember than the bindings of blank keys on an accessory device.
It's amazing what a $2 permanent marker can do to fix the blank keys issue.
http://peterburk.github.io/programs/#keymouserial
As a clicker for presentations, I'm planning to buy a Sanwa Supply NT-MA1 Optical USB Numeric Keypad Mouse. But I still need to save up money for that.
I would like to have a pedal for the delete key, that feels like a car break pedal.
And maybe add a sound effect like "no thanks", and push it when I am deleting tech debt. It would make my job very satisfying.
Unfortunately nobody makes what might be a cheap display-enabled solution, namely a macropad with a regular, large LCD character display matrix, with buttons arranged on the side to each line, like a quickdial.
This is probably not super hard to realize with Arduino (though I would be unsure which interface to use; possibly serial over USB? Then implement an evdev driver?). Getting it nicely looking and sturdy would be much harder, though. So if anyone is going to market something like this let me know. ;)
In fact, the hardest bit is just designing a 3D printed case for it but that will only take an afternoon. I will look at adding this to the crowdfunding as a stretch goal.
I think I've finally settled on a good layout, so I'll be printing up some custom keycaps to permanently print the legends on the keys.
It's surprisingly useful! I've got some buttons to open websites, some to do git-things, some to open terminals to various places on my PC, some to open folders, and a few to open programs.
I was actually able to remap the keys of the Planck with some customizable firmware to remove the layer key and Ctrl/alt/etc... keys which made it easier to work with.
I'm talking small as in, number of keys. Ideally just one or two keys and a USB connection so that you can interact with a computer.
Think like a clicker.
I mostly use it as a quick play/pause video button.
However, you will be able to make a keypad consisting of anywhere between 1 and 16 keys using the TASK software. In fact, you will be able to make a highly functional single key for about £7 using the designs I will be releasing in the shortcut keypad crowdfunding campaign!
This one:
https://techkeys.us/collections/keyboards/products/onekeyboa...
would be perfect but it seems to be sold out. I'll contact them to get more info.
There's other great options in the website nonetheless.
The more keys you need to press simultaneously the worse it is for some people.
Not enough to justify buying these. Am I missing out? Any great macros for developers?
It sped me up so much and was so much more efficient, I decided to develop the project to help other people... and here I am today!
It's not just long tedious things which are worth automating, but sometimes, it's the things you use really frequently which need a slightly more efficient way to be accessed.
Most (all?) other manufacturers have also ruined that little magic block of keys, so there would certainly be a market from folks like me who were brought up in a world where you could delete a character or jump to the end of a row with a single finger.
Charge me $500 for the thing and I'll still buy it.
Is this what you were looking for?
Thanks!
Why would I get a new numpad when I can do this with vi/emacs/etc. macros?
AHK