deskthority

As things in the world begin to return to normal, I'll be heading into my place of work most days in the near future. Working from home, I've loved using an Anykey for daily use. While the key feel is a little stiff for the amount of typing I do, the hardware macro functionality has been incredibly useful. Unfortunately my Anykey ain't long for this world and would also be a hassle to take into the office each day. Again, not to mention the key weighting...

My ideal portable work set-up is looking like a HHKB, along with the Epson B10 KB and then a small macro pad (6+ keys). The type of macros I use are frequently used email addresses, opening lines to emails and letters, etc.. There's obviously always templates for emails and letters but because of how the two admin systems I use behave, it's actually fairly convoluted/slow to use templates. I have a user profile that I either use virtually/remote into on one of my personal machines, log onto on my dedicated work laptop or use via a work desktop when I'm in the office. It's all locked down for security purposes so Auto Hotkey is out. It's gotta be hardware. Hence, macro pad.

So basically, I'm looking for something that I can chuck into my bag each day, 6 keys or more, that I can program medium-long strings of text into. I've considered using a Soarer's or something but I found it quite easy to max out the character limit while mapping my M122.
I've had a look about DT and, partly due to my lack of knowledge, it's not obvious what I should be looking for. I don't care about key feel, it can be a rubber dome piece of shit for all I care. I just need the macro functionality that my Anykey offers me.

Any recommendations?

Just get something cheap like this: https://www.ebay.ca/itm/184552640615

Anything that runs QMK can do what you want.

That simple? Thanks for the advice!

I recommend getting a Duckboard from Doodboard. Bought 2, love both of them to bits.

Those Duckboards do look cool.

I've been looking into programming macros with QMK this afternoon and it seems like a right ball ache. Running a Linux distro and all that... Does no one make macro pads with the ease of programming like that of Gateway or Focus any more?

My tip for macros is Soarer's Controller: his overlooked sister project to his much better known converter. I've used it a fair bit over the years, and naturally included it in my 64 bit tools rebuild. Macros were always his strong point. Love the way he let you define the matrix right in the .sc file too.

Wouldn't handle the Duckboard's rotary knob, though, let alone that cute wee display.

Muirium wrote: 03 May 2021, 14:49 My tip for macros is Soarer's Controller

Having read through that thread, and the documentation that accompanies the controller, it seems a little over my head. However, I said that about mapping an M122 so it isn't likely to be too far outside my grasp. Thanks for the tip!

You can always ask me (and other Soarer verterans) for assistance: just write it on this thread! I'm fairly fluent at Soarer-ese and I'm not the only one.

My gracious thanks, brother!