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keybrd/tutorials/tutorial_3a_multi-layer_keyboard.md
2016-05-29 21:23:33 -06:00

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Tutorial 3a - multi-layer keyboard
==================================
When you finish this tutorial you will be able to be able to modify a multi-layer keybrd sketch to suite your own multi-layer keyboard design.
## Multi-layer nomenclature
**[layers](http://deskthority.net/wiki/Layer)** are key bindings provided by the keyboard firmware. For example,
* The classic [IBM PC keyboard](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PC_keyboard) has one layer.
* Many compact keyboards have an additional [Fn layer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fn_key).
* The [Neo layout](http://neo-layout.org/index_en.html) has 6 layers.
**layer id** - is an integer used to identify a layer.
**active layer** - is the layer currently used by the keyboard.
**layer scheme** - is a system for changing layers while typing (a single-layer scheme does not change layers).
## Pseudo code for simple layer scheme
The following pseudo code has just enough detail to show how layer schemes work.
**Key_Layer** objects are used to select an active layer.
The "layer" variable is a layer id number.
When a Key_Layer object is pressed, it tells LayerState to update the active layer.
```
class Key_Layer
{
int layer
LayerState& refLayerState
press() { refLayerState.setActiveLayer(layer) }
}
```
**LayerState** objects keep track of the active layer.
A LayerState's activeLayer is always up to date.
```
class LayerState
{
int activeLayer
setActiveLayer(int layer) { activeLayer = layer }
getActiveLayer() { return activeLayer }
}
```
**Key_Layered** objects contain multiple elements, one element for each layer.
Layer ids are used like indexes to send the appropriate element.
When a Key_Layered object is pressed, it gets the active layer from LayerState, and then sends the appropriate element.
```
class Key_Layered
{
Key** ptrsKeys //array of Key pointers, one Key pointer per layer
LayerState& refLayerState
press() { layer = refLayerState.getActiveLayer()
ptrsKeys[layer]->press() }
}
```
Dependency diagram
```
+-----------+
| Key_Layer |
+-----------+
|
|setActiveLayer()
|
v
+------------+
| LayerState |
+------------+
^
|
|getActiveLayer()
|
+-------------+
| Key_Layered |
+-------------+
```
## Layer-scheme classes
There are several layer scheme-classes to choose from.
You can view all the class definitions in the [keybrd library](../src/).
Key_Layer classes include:
* Code_LayerHold
* Code_LayerLock
A basic LayerState class is:
* LayerState
Key_Layered classes include:
* Code_LayeredScSc
* Code_LayeredCodeSc
* Code_LayeredCodeCode
* Key_LayeredKeysArray
## Single-layer Codes
Most Code objects only have one scancode or code.
They are not affected by the active layer.
Example single-layer Code classes include:
* Code_Sc
* Code_ScS
* Code_ScNS
* Code_Shift
* Code_LayerHold
* Code_LayerLock
<!-- todo -->
(Future version of keybrd library may change all Code classes to Key classes.)
## A simple multi-layer keybrd sketch
The [keybrd_3a_multi-layer_annotated.ino](keybrd_3a_multi-layer_annotated/keybrd_3a_multi-layer_annotated.ino)
sketch uses three layer-scheme classes:
* LayerState
* Code_LayerHold
* Key_LayeredKeysArray
Annotations in the sketch explain how the multi-layer feature works.
## Exercises
1) Modify the keybrd_3_multi-layer_annotated.ino sketch to use two Code_LayerLock objects.
| Layout | **0** | **1** |
|:------:|--------|--------|
| **0** | a 1 | b 2 |
| **1** | layer0 | layer1 |
<a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png" /></a><br /><span xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" property="dct:title">keybrd tutorial</span> by <a xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" href="https://github.com/wolfv6/keybrd" property="cc:attributionName" rel="cc:attributionURL">Wolfram Volpi</a> is licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License</a>.<br />Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at <a xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" href="https://github.com/wolfv6/keybrd/issues/new" rel="cc:morePermissions">https://github.com/wolfv6/keybrd/issues/new</a>.