i wonder if i'm the only person operating the left/down/right cursor keys with my knuckles and also thinking about making a custom fw for my reform keyboard to turn the middle spacebar (which is split into 3 spaces) into a layer change key so i could use hjkl or hujk or so as the cursor keys
but instead something like this would be much more ergonomic (middle space as layer change, hjk... as cursor)
noticed that i often also use the left shift like this :D
@mntmn The keyboard that I use at home (Keyboardio Model 100) has a palm key that shifts you to a layer where hjkl are arrow keys. It works well I think! This feels similar ergonomically so I bet it'd also be pretty nice
@mntmn
I have been thinking along similar lines. I would really like the layer shift key to work as normal modifier + pressed key combo for any other key combination though.
While I have a few more scancodes that I would want to assign on that layer in the firmware, I am always in need for easily-reachable modifier keys to use in Emacs or as compose keys for other characters that I configure in user land.
I am still just waiting for some spare time to finally hack on my reform keyboards FW
I usually use holding caps to activate my layer for hjkl as arrows.
@mntmn About layer change for cursor keys, there are some existing layouts that already do this using M4 like the Neo2 layout or one of its successors, the Noted layout:
https://dl.neo-layout.org/grafik/bilder-einzeln/flat/neo-4-tkl.path.svg
Maybe existing solutions can be re-used or used for inspiration.
@mntmn I rarely use the arrows anymore and my primary keyboards a small split keyboards with no arrows at all. I used to have hjkl mapped to arrows but I have a hard time using the h key for navigation and eventually changed it to use ijkl instead....on a layer of cause. I have it remapped in vim as well and this is where I spend a lot of my day.
@mntmn huh, i always thought the MNT keyboards all ran qmk already :D
in any case, it sounds like you could use hold-taps for a variety of things :)
@mntmn I also do this! I go up/down with j/k, and left/right with ←/→.