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 are key bindings provided by the keyboard firmware. For example,

• The classic IBM PC keyboard has one layer.
• Many compact keyboards have an additional Fn layer.
• The Neo layout 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.

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

(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 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.

keybrd tutorial by Wolfram Volpi is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at https://github.com/wolfv6/keybrd/issues/new.