qmk-dactyl-manuform-a/keyboards/planck/keymaps/callum

callum’s planck layout

This is a layout for the grid planck, built with a few ideals in mind. These ideals are just my opinion mind! The great thing about qmk is that we can all afford to have different opinions about what makes a good layout:

• Minimal response times should be maintained. i.e. keys that react differently depending on whether they are tapped or held, keys that react differently if they are double tapped, etc. should be avoided --- since they inevitably send their keycode later than a normal key, interrupting the immediate feedback from the screen. Therefore we restrict ourselves to chording.
• The hands should never need to leave the home position. The usual culprit for this is the arrow cluster, so the arrow cluster should be as close to home as possible.
• There should be two of every modifier (one on each side), since otherwise certain long key combinations become hard to make.
• Backspace should be in the “capslock position” as God intended.
• The keyboard should be usable without any firmware changes on any operating system. In my case that means it should work on Windows and Linux without any software modifications, while I can change the behaviour slightly on macOS in software since that’s my home OS. The images reflect the intended use on macOS after minor software tweaks; which will be noted.

We have four layers. A BASE layer, in colemak; a MOVE layer, with an arrow cluster etc, a SYMB layer, with numbers and symbols; and a FUNC layer, with function keys and media keys.

The BASE layer

This is the default layer; in colemak. esc and del are conspicuously absent but are especially easy to reach from either of the other main layers (see below). The backspace location is standard colemak. The caps key is still on the BASE layer but only because I don’t really use the bottom corners so there’s nothing else I would rather put there. Having enter on a thumb means I can still have quote immediately to the right of O, something that would have annoyed me endlessly otherwise. minus is in the upper right because I had an extra space and it’s probably my next most used key that didn’t yet have a home.

The MOVE and SYMB layers are reached by holding down the move and symb keys respectively. The FUNC layer is reached by holding down both the move and symb keys simultaneosly, or by holding down the fn key. The intended use is that whenever both hands are on the keyboard, the former method is used, and the latter is only used when, for example, reaching over to the keyboard with one hand to access the media controls.

The ctrl, alt, cmd cluster is asymmetric around the centre so that at least one of each of the modifiers can be reached with the thumbs. The intended use is to always hit the left cmd and the right ctrl, unless an awkward key combination dictates otherwise.

In firmware ctrl and cmd/GUI are swapped with respect to the image above --- I swap them to the illustrated location when using macOS and leave them be for Windows and Linux. (so that cmd-z,x,c,v,... becomes ctrl-z,x,c,v,... saving me some confusion)

The MOVE layer

This is fairly self explanatory. I almost exclusively use the right hand cluster so that movement is a one handed affair, but the left hand cluster is there if it’s needed.

On macOS I recommend using Karabiner and ticking Use PC Style Home/End #2 and Use PC Style PageUp/PageDown so that home and end jump you to the beginning and end of the line respectively and so that pg up and pg dn move the cursor instead of just scrolling.

None of the modifiers are overwritten so that shift-alt-arrows etc work as expected.

The SYMB layer

The symbol layer has all the numbers and their usual corresponding symbols in the first two rows, with the symbols on the home row since I use them more frequently than the numbers. The third row contains all the remaining symbols, arranged roughly so that the most used symbols are accessible with the strongest fingers.

esc and del are repeated here since I wanted to be able to reach either, one handed, with either hand.

Again none of the modifiers are overwritten so that shortcuts involving numbers or symbols work as expected.

The FUNC layer

The only thing of note here is that bl+ and bl- are short for backlight up and backlight down respectively, and in firmware are actually KC_PAUS and KC_SLCK respectively, since macOS interprets these as the backlight keys.

Other changes from the default

I have LEDs and sound disabled, simply because I have no need of them.