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DreymaR / BigBagKbdTrixPKL

"DreymaR's Big Bag of Keyboard Tricks" for Windows with EPKL
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Overhelmed by the number of files with settings. Need simple stuff. #31

Open OleksiL opened 2 years ago

OleksiL commented 2 years ago

Hi guys.

It seems to be a great tool, but I fail to grasp how it works and what files I need to modify. Every time I open a file I see plenty of settings which I don't need. I am also afraid that it re-maps stuff which I don't want to be changed.

I use DZ60 qwerty keyboards at work and home where on the second layer (accessed with Caps) I mapped navigation keys, delete, insert, home, end with QMK configuration (must say it is so much easier to use than this tool): layer_dz_60

I want to use this tool to add the same functionality on my laptop. Any guidance on how to do it? Can I remove like 90% of those other files which I believe I don't need, and just add a simple one where I only will specify mappings as on the picture? So that all other laptop Fn keys will keep working? Can you give me such file with one of the keys being mapped? I will map the rest by myself following the example.

Cheers, oleksii

17521121 commented 2 years ago

I agree that the UI of the app is very user-unfriendly

DreymaR commented 2 years ago

QMK has lots of people working on it, this program is made by one person at a time. If you wish a more user-friendly experience, you should contribute to making it happen. Whining and insulting is not the way to do so, @17521121 – just so you know.

A few people have contributed guides, but the "EPKL 4 Dummies" guide is a bit outdated now as it doesn't cover everything the Settings GUI can do to make things simpler for you.

I can't program graphical GUIs like QMK has. Also, QMK does something which is actually a lot simpler at heart, as it only remaps key presses. If you want that kind of simplicity you may program it yourself with AHK which at that level will be comparable to QMK in complexity. Once you get into more advanced stuff it gets difficult – both using EPKL/AHK and QMK/KMonad.

@OleksiL What you're describing is an Extend layer. Now, EPKL already has that and it's in the Extend file. There are four possible such layers but just focus on the Ext1 one (NavEdit). Your desired layer is very primitive and you could do so very much better once you understand the power of home-row mods in combo with nav keys! Please study the Extend topic of the BigBag to understand this better.

https://dreymar.colemak.org/layers-extend.html

You could remove lots of files if you wish, but chances are you'll remove something you need eventually so I wouldn't quite recommend it. Any layout folders you don't need can quite safely be removed, except the main Colemak ones which are used by other Colemak variants much of the time.