I have fallen down another rabbit hole.
It’s part of the configuration for an app called Kanata. It allows you to customize your #keyboard in many neat ways.
https://github.com/jtroo/kanata
(I’m going to use the #kanatakbd hashtag to differentiate it from other things named Kanata.)
Reasons why I decided to try it out:
First, the typographic layout. I’ve been using one for *looks at a clock* more than a decade, probably longer. Windows can panic when there is no default en-US layout and add one, which is annoying.
Second, I have wanted a keyboard launcher for a while. I can make one here. The third layer in the picture, “apps,” is my current version. If I hold down the Caps Lock¹ key and press one of the buttons, a program launches (@aaf for Firefox, @aak for Krita, @aap for Pale Moon, @aaw for WezTerm, etc.).
¹ — Just tapping it switches the keyboard layout.
Third, I like tinkering.
How often do you need to type fractions? Probably rarely. That’s why I put them all on one key:
```
fractionsOneOver (multi
(unicode ½)
(unicode ⅓)
(unicode ¼)
(unicode ⅕)
(unicode ⅙)
(unicode ⅐)
(unicode ⅛)
(unicode ⅑)
(unicode ⅒)
)
```
It types them all out in a row, and then I delete the ones I don’t need. I think it’s a neat trick that can be used with other characters (other fractions, arrows, currency symbols, etc.) as well.
In my experience, all software keyboard remappers have one flaw: there’s still a chance the original will come through. For this reason, I avoid processing Alt, Ctrl, Shift, and Super¹ keys unless it’s absolutely necessary.
My mouse, which has a couple of keyboard shortcuts, was acting up, but removing those modifiers from #kanatakbd fixed the issue.
¹ — Kanata calls it Meta. That’s its biggest flaw. :)
Andrew