Add support for globe key (🌐︎) for macOS/iPadOS/iOS

[adiabatic]

Feature Request Type

• [ ] Core functionality
• [ ] Add-on hardware support (eg. audio, RGB, OLED screen, etc.)
• [x] Alteration (enhancement/optimization) of existing feature(s)
• [x] New behavior

Description

Now that Universal Control has been released (in beta) for macOS and iPadOS, I'm getting a chance to use my Ergodox EZ on more than just macOS. However, recent versions of iPadOS (and macOS) use a new modifier button — the globe key (🌐︎). On older Mac keyboards, this functionality is shoved onto the fn key, down in the lower left corner of the keyboard.

At any rate, having a binding for the globe key on macOS is somewhat useful. If your Mac has one, then the keyboard shortcut for Full Screen will be the simple 🌐︎F instead of ⇧⌘F or ⌥⌘F or whatever it is depending on the application. On iPadOS, having a globe key is even more useful — 🌐︎S will open Siri, 🌐︎← will show the previous application, etc.

However, when browsing https://docs.qmk.fm/#/keycodes, I don't see any "globe" or "fn" key listed. Any idea if it'd be possible to add this sort of key to qmk_firmware? I ask, in part, because I've never seen support for Apple's fn keys — which might mean it's some kind of never-before-been-emulated keycode that nobody's been able to tap into, see, and emulate.

[pyrho]

See https://github.com/qmk/qmk_firmware/issues/2179 for the discussion and AppleFn.patch for the actual patch. (I guess you can close this) Sorry my brain confused the apple's Fn key with the globe key. But I guess they're both very similar things.

[adiabatic]

Hm, pity this issue isn't getting linked from #2179. I'll keep it open just in case it's implemented differently, but I doubt it.

[github-actions[bot]]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had activity in the last 90 days. It will be closed in the next 30 days unless it is tagged properly or other activity occurs. For maintainers: Please label with bug, in progress, on hold, discussion or to do to prevent the issue from being re-flagged.

[github-actions[bot]]

This issue has been automatically closed because it has not had activity in the last 30 days. If this issue is still valid, re-open the issue and let us know. // [stale-action-closed]

[stanly0726]

any solution?

[adiabatic]

In Ventura, you can turn the otherwise-useless caps lock key into an fn/globe key:

[ultrasiq]

In Ventura, you can turn the otherwise-useless caps lock key into an fn/globe key:

THANK YOU

[HVR88]

Check page 76 -> Table 13-3 HID Consumer Page (0x0C) controls for use by keyboards

https://developer.apple.com/accessories/Accessory-Design-Guidelines.pdf

0x029D. AC Keyboard Layout Select. ---> Globe Key

[luohda]

Check page 76 -> Table 13-3 HID Consumer Page (0x0C) controls for use by keyboards

https://developer.apple.com/accessories/Accessory-Design-Guidelines.pdf

0x029D. AC Keyboard Layout Select. ---> Globe Key

just used this method to flash to my nuphy keyboard, works wonderfully! thanks!

[adiabatic]

https://developer.apple.com/accessories/Accessory-Design-Guidelines.pdf#page=86 if you don't want to press ⌘F to search for 029D.

[niruttitime]

Can anyone share a how-to for this? Seems like we have to use raw_hid_send() in keymap.c but a sample code, if not a step-by-step, would go a long way. Thanks in advance!

[HVR88]

Look over this discussion: https://gist.github.com/fauxpark/010dcf5d6377c3a71ac98ce37414c6c4 - the current releases already work with the required keycode.

[adiabatic]

Look over this discussion:

Things start to get interesting for us at https://gist.github.com/fauxpark/010dcf5d6377c3a71ac98ce37414c6c4?permalink_comment_id=4753144#gistcomment-4753144. Apparently, the behavior is rather buggy.

Personally, I think I'm going to stick with caplock-as-globe — I use my usual layout in Linux sometimes, and capslock there works great as a compose key, whereas a globe key would be totally useless.