qmk-dactyl-manuform-a/keyboards/mitosis/keymaps/datagrok/readme.md

Keyboard layout editor source

a layout for the Mitosis

• Emphasis on momentary modifiers, all usable from either hand, arranged symmetrically, but distinguishable left/right by the OS. Shift, Fn1 ("Lower"), Fn2 ("Raise"), Super ("Windows"), Meta ("Alt"), Hyper.

• Fn1 and Fn2 are used to momentary-enable (like a shift key) one of three layers:

  • Fn1 (Red): Symbols layer
  • Fn2 (Blue): Numbers layer
  • Both: Functions layer

• The base layer is a slight variant of Workman. QWERTY may be toggled-on.

• Paired programming symbols (braces, brackets, parentheses) are arranged symmetrically in the symbols layer. ? and ! are moved to take the place of < and >.

• No OS keymap modification required.

Design notes

• I use an 8Mhz Pro Micro. If you want to use this keymap with the standard 16Mhz Pro Micro specified in the Mitosis design:

  • Remove the lines in rules.mk mentioning F_CPU and F_USB.
  • Remove the lines in config.h mentioning SERIAL_UART_BAUD.

• I'm learning a new key placement, so might as well go all out and use an optimal non-QWERTY layout.

• I like the way Workman feels and some of its advantages over Colemak. Unfortunately, it was designed using a weighting system based on a standard column-staggered keyboard so is probably not as optimal as one could achieve on an ergonomic board like the Mitosis.

• Arrows in the home position (on a layer). Mod+Arrows = PgUp/PgDn/Home/End, which is intuitive for me

Abandoned ideas

• "Since QWERTY and Workman keep angle brackets together, place other enclosing symbols on the same keys. This informs the numbers placement, which informs the function-key placement."

  • I tried this and it was bad. I don't like having to pick the right modifier to get the right flavor of bracket. Instead, now, one modifier activates a symbols layer where all brackets are easily accessible.

• Space/Enter to the left of layer select for Enter doesn't work well; I always trigger space first.

• I used to have Blue layer on ring finger, but that was too hard to use in conjunction with shift.

To do

• Improve LED indications (may require modding bluetooth firmware):
  • Is any board nonresponsive (which one?)
  • Does either board have a low battery?
• Add Insert, PrintScr, Pause/Break
• Make QWERTY base layer for people who customize layout in software? Store default base layer in eeprom?
• See if the henkans placement is at all useful for Japanese speakers, or abuse different keysyms
• Mod a speaker onto my receiver and enable tones
• Implement "layer lock" key
• Improve tri-layer behavior