Special Functions and Modes

Special Functions

In addition to the standard USB keyboard scancodes, EasyAVR supports several special functions, many of which are not available on regular keyboards.

Scancode	Description
SCANCODE_FN0	Activate the “Default” layer
SCANCODE_FN1	Activate the 1st function layer (or deactivate, depending on mode)
SCANCODE_FN2	Activate the 2nd function layer (or deactivate, depending on mode)
SCANCODE_FN3	Activate the 3rd function layer (or deactivate, depending on mode)
SCANCODE_FN4	Activate the 4th function layer (or deactivate, depending on mode)
SCANCODE_FN5	Activate the 5th function layer (or deactivate, depending on mode)
SCANCODE_FN6	Activate the 6th function layer (or deactivate, depending on mode)
SCANCODE_FN7	Activate the 7th function layer (or deactivate, depending on mode)
SCANCODE_FN8	Activate the 8th function layer (or deactivate, depending on mode)
SCANCODE_FN9	Activate the 9th function layer (or deactivate, depending on mode)
SCANCODE_BL_DIMMER	Cycle through backlight brightness levels, also controls indicator LED brightness
SCANCODE_BL_MODE	Cycle through the backlighting modes (static, breathing, reactive, and erosion)
SCANCODE_BL_ENABLE	Enable/disable the backlight and cycle through the different lighting zones
SCANCODE_KEEPAWAKE	(toggle) Jiggle the mouse by imperceptible amounts to keep the attached PC awake.
SCANCODE_KEYLOCK	(toggle) Disable sending scancodes to PC
SCANCODE_WINLOCK	(toggle) Disable the windows key
SCANCODE_ESCGRAVE	Acts like grave key if shift is pressed (to make tilde). Otherwise acts like Esc key. Used for 60% keyboards.
SCANCODE_BOOT	Jump to bootloader (Keyboard will not work again until it is reset)
SCANCODE_CONFIG	Go into interactive configuration console
SCANCODE_M1	Play macro 1
SCANCODE_M2	Play macro 2
SCANCODE_M3	Play macro 3
SCANCODE_M4	Play macro 4
SCANCODE_M5	Play macro 5
SCANCODE_M6	Play macro 6
SCANCODE_M7	Play macro 7
SCANCODE_M8	Play macro 8
SCANCODE_M9	Play macro 9
SCANCODE_M10	Play macro 10
SCANCODE_M11	Play macro 11
SCANCODE_M12	Play macro 12
SCANCODE_M13	Play macro 13
SCANCODE_M14	Play macro 14
SCANCODE_M15	Play macro 15
SCANCODE_M16	Play macro 16
SCANCODE_MRAM_RECORD	Start/Stop recording the RAM macro
SCANCODE_MRAM_PLAY	Play the RAM macro
SCANCODE_MOUSE1	Mouse button 1
SCANCODE_MOUSE2	Mouse button 2
SCANCODE_MOUSE3	Mouse button 3
SCANCODE_MOUSEXL	Move mouse pointer left
SCANCODE_MOUSEXR	Move mouse pointer right
SCANCODE_MOUSEYD	Move mouse pointer down
SCANCODE_MOUSEYU	Move mouse pointer up (Double-tap the mouse keys to move the cursor faster. Triple-tap for even more speed, and so on.)
SCANCODE_POWER	Power down the system
SCANCODE_SLEEP	Put the system to sleep
SCANCODE_WAKE	Wake the system from sleep state
SCANCODE_NEXT_TRACK	Skip to next track in Windows
SCANCODE_PREV_TRACK	Skip to last track in Windows
SCANCODE_STOP	Stop playback in Windows
SCANCODE_PLAY_PAUSE	Play or Pause playback in Windows
SCANCODE_BRIGHT_INC	Increase screen brightness in Windows
SCANCODE_BRIGHT_DEC	Decrease screen brightness in Windows
SCANCODE_MUTE	Mute main volume in Windows
SCANCODE_BASS_BOOST	Toggle bass boost in Windows
SCANCODE_VOL_INC	Increase main volume in Windows
SCANCODE_VOL_DEC	Decrease main volume in Windows
SCANCODE_BASS_INC	Increase bass equalizer in Windows
SCANCODE_BASS_DEC	Decrease bass equalizer in Windows
SCANCODE_TREB_INC	Increase treble equalizer in Windows
SCANCODE_TREB_DEC	Decrease treble equalizer in Windows
SCANCODE_MAIL	Open system mail reader in Windows
SCANCODE_CALC	Open calculator in Windows
SCANCODE_MYCOMP	Open My Computer in Windows
SCANCODE_SEARCH	Open search dialog in Windows
SCANCODE_BROWSER	Open web browser to homepage in Windows
SCANCODE_BACK	Navigate backward in Windows
SCANCODE_FORWARD	Navigate forward in Windows
SCANCODE_WWWSTOP	Stop navigation in Windows
SCANCODE_REFRESH	Refresh navigation in Windows
SCANCODE_FAVES	Open favorites dialog in Windows

Layers

The system contains ten keymap layers that may be configured by the user. There is a default layer which is used when no Fn keys are active. This is layer 0 by default, but that can be changed in the config console. The most used mapping layer should be default. There are also nine further function layers. ‘Layer 1’ is accessed using the ‘Fn 1’ special modifier key, ‘Layer 2’ by ‘Fn 2’, and so on.

Holding a Fn key in normal mode accesses the associated layer, and using one of the lock modes on that Fn key keeps the associated layer active from that point forward until another Fn key is pressed. If a new layer is locked while another layer is already locked, then the most recent lock takes precedence (only one layer can ever be locked at a time).

A Fn key may be accessed from within another Fn layer (chaining). The firmware keeps track of which Fn keys are active and the order they were activated.

Key Modes

Any individual key on any layer may be assigned a special operating mode. These modes change the key press behavior to something different than the normal momentary switch behavior. The possible settings are described in the table, below. These special modes only work on standard keys (HID scancodes), modifiers, and Fn keys.

A key ‘tap’ is a rapid press and release of a key by itself. A ‘double tap’ is two taps in quick succession. Think of mouse clicks.

Normal

Momentary switch. Press to activate the key and un-press to deactivate.

Toggle

Toggle switch. Press to change the state of the key. If the key is deactivated, pressing will activate it and vice-versa.

Sticky

A single-use modifier toggle. This is a common accessibility mode known as “sticky keys” in Windows. It makes it possible to build modified keystrokes with individual button presses. Pressing a modifier toggles it on. Pressing any alphanumeric key (or the same modifier again) toggles it back off. This is only available on modifiers and Fn keys.

Tap Key

Also known as a ‘dual use’ key. When a key is assigned to this mode, it acts the same as normal but, if tapped, will send a normal scancode of your choosing. This is only available on modifiers and Fn keys.

Lockable

Acts the same as normal but double tapping the key will toggle it active. Pressing the key again will deactivate it.

Rapid Fire

This is an auto-repeating mode. The key acts the same as normal except it will be rapidly retyped when the key is held. Think of old video game controllers. This is only available on standard keys.

When a scancode is bound to a tap key, it will be sent on the upstroke, but only if the mod/fn key was tapped and not combined with another key. This is useful in several situations. For example, the Application key may be used as a function key but also retain it’s use as a normal key. In another example, the function keys may be used to simulate Matias half-keyboard by making the space bar a Fn key with Space as its tap action.

Automatic Modifiers

Any key may be assigned an additional modifier state of any combination of Shift, Ctrl, Alt, and GUI (meta). As long as the key is pressed, it will also hold the assigned modifiers. This means you can create a “login” key by binding it to Del with Ctrl+Alt. Or, you could create a “#” key by binding it to Shift+3. This feature only makes sense when the key is in Normal mode. Remember that the auto mods can interfere with the actual modifier keys if they are held at the same time.

RAM Macros

The system supports one RAM-based macro that can be recorded on the fly. Simply press the ‘Macro Rec’ key, which will set the “Recording” LED Mode to indicate that the keyboard is listening. Type the pattern to be recorded and then press the ‘Macro Rec’ key again. To play it back, press the ‘Macro Play’ key. The macro will be lost when the keyboard loses power. Only normal scancodes are supported in the RAM macro at this time.