The Amazing Shortcut Keypad

[robinhartley94]

Hey! Robin here - the creator of TASK: The Amazing Shortcut Keypad. Great to see so many comments and some interesting engagement :D

A lot of you are identifying other ways to achieve this sort of automation either with AutoHotKey or custom scripts and if that works for you then good on ya, no point in changing :)

However, the keypad was designed to give you quick, easy and intuitive automation in seconds. No writing code, no binding keys or running scripts. You just drag and drop and it's there.

It's not supposed to be revolutionary new tech, it's just taking a fairly standard macropad and making it easier, faster and less bother to get working. Added benefits are you can share automation 'recipes' and it'll be open source so you can hack/tweak it to your own needs.

[charlesism]

    > No writing code, no binding keys or running scripts. 

This might be a dumb question, but why bother making hardware for that? Could you write software that works with an existing external num pad?

[bunkat]

I've been a part of many usability studies with 'drag and drop' editors and as easy as we tried and make it, it was still coding. People with coding experience do well, people without coding experience struggle. The other interesting thing we learned is that the macro writer and macro user are very often not the same person. Power users create macros that other users then take advantage of. Needing a physical hardware device for these types of macros might make this type of sharing much harder.

[desireco42]

It seems that others gave you a good hint. Since it is your software that is making a difference, ditch the hardware, adopt external numerical keyboard and go with that.

What do you think?

[kk_cz]

    > No writing code, no binding keys or running scripts

With all due respect I don't think this is the right pitch for HN crowd :)

Maybe you can provide a non drag and drop interface for power-users? After all your target audience are people who prefer pushing physical keys to moving around with mouse & clicking.

[kidproquo]

Very cool. Signed up for the crowdfunding update. How are you designing, sourcing, manufacturing your hardware (PCB, buttons, boxes)? What about the software?

We should compare notes. I am working on geting my hardware/software project[1] ready to launch.

[1] www.riffpod.io

[blacksmith_tb]

I like the idea, but can't you achieve most of the functionality just with an add-on $10 USB 10-key, and your choice of scripting? I have used the crazily versatile Controllermate[1] on macOS to do something similar with a gaming keypad that triggered Applescripts and shell scripts.

1: https://www.orderedbytes.com/controllermate/

[lfowles]

It'll send the same codes as any other 10-key you have. That was my issue when I was looking for something similar, as I still use the 10-key on my keyboard occasionally. I ended up getting a Logitech G13 for the same purpose but never ended up clearing the desk space so I could set it up.

[nebabyte]

Yeah, I was thinking this might have a niche in medium businesses/etc, but tbh if they have a bored tech guy they've probably already asked him/her to help automate basic tasks (for which any number of Python/AHK scripts already exist or can be trivially created)

[Slackwise]

My mechanical keyboard has all this functionality, built-in. No software. No coding required, as it just remembers your strokes. (Or emulated mouse input via its mouse input controls.)

The same company has a mechanical numpad/calculator that can do the same as this shortcut keypad as well, in about the same package, along with having a calculator and display.

These macro pads are all over r/MechanicalKeyboards. Plenty of parts and kits to get you started if you want to make your own.

[8draco8]

I use different solution that is arguable better than this and is right now on the market for not much money. I am talking about MMO mouses. Personally I am using Logitech G600 that have total of 20 programmable keys which can be programmed in 3 layers giving grant total of 60 macros, all within a reach of your thumb. This mouse is able to save macros onto on board flash memory which allows use on any system, even Androidm of course after configuring it either on Windows or MacOS.

[StavrosK]

Huh, really? That's very nifty, I didn't know it saved commands to flash and didn't need a companion utility. Very useful, thanks for the info.

[ForFreedom]

You can assign macro or function to keys on your keyboard, why the need for the extra hardware?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/237179/assign-macro...

[m_t]

Since you're citing a Microsoft page, let me give you my very recent experience.

We've acquired a Surface Book, which as you probably know can be used as a tablet or as a laptop. The tablet part can also be reversed and closed back on the keyboard. This makes for a very nice graphic tablet!

The only problem is that, in this configuration, no more keyboard for the essential shortcut used while drawing in Photoshop and the like.

One solution is to plug an external keyboard. Another solution would be to use this!

[gumby]

Wouldn't it be faster to just input a key accelerator (which you can do on your Mac straight from system preferences -- I would assume Windows has similar)? That way you don't have to take your hands off the keyboard, simply press command-foo.

I doubt cmd-foo is harder to remember than the bindings of blank keys on an accessory device.

[to3m]

Going by the screenshot, it looks like you can do a bit more than the System Preferences keyboard shortcut page lets you! Looks more like something like AutoHotkey, I'd say, but with a non-insane interface.

[coldtea]

>That way you don't have to take your hands off the keyboard, simply press command-foo.

And find out that most are taken by the system or various applications (including ones running as UI-level).

>I doubt cmd-foo is harder to remember than the bindings of blank keys on an accessory device.

It's amazing what a $2 permanent marker can do to fix the blank keys issue.

[arkitaip]

"I doubt cmd-foo is harder to remember than the bindings of blank keys on an accessory device."

Absolutely. I have a Corsair K90 keyboard with 18 extra function keys (actually that's 18x3) and never use them because I can't remember what G1, G2, G3, etc stand for.

[ekiminmo]

HammerSpoon already does a great job at this on Mac.

http://www.hammerspoon.org/

[epaga]

Or alternatively BetterTouchTool, which additionally allows Touch Bar customization if you have a tMBP. https://www.boastr.net/

[peterburkimsher]

I made a program that lets you use a laptop as an external keyboard, which is also based on an Arduino.

http://peterburk.github.io/programs/#keymouserial

As a clicker for presentations, I'm planning to buy a Sanwa Supply NT-MA1 Optical USB Numeric Keypad Mouse. But I still need to save up money for that.

[dln_eintr]

These guys have been making some pretty neat controllers for a while now: http://xkeys.com/XkeysKeyboards/

[robinhartley94]

They are really sturdy pieces of kit and they're UTF-8 too so great for custom characters etc. However, they're really expensive in the UK (where I'm from) and the interface is seriously old and clunky so there is room for improvement, especially if you're looking for a more customisable solution.

[partycoder]

They have pedals too. I think that's great.

I would like to have a pedal for the delete key, that feels like a car break pedal.

And maybe add a sound effect like "no thanks", and push it when I am deleting tech debt. It would make my job very satisfying.

[a3n]

I like their slogan.

[swah]

Alternative if you feel like spending a little more: https://rama.works/m10-a/

[cyberferret]

Nice, but nearly everything on their online store appears to be "Sold Out"?!?

[robinhartley94]

It's worth the money!

[eigengrau]

I’ve been wanting a macropad for a while, but to be a really useful complement to the keyboard this would need a display. There appear to exist some OLED solutions, but iirc they were very pricey and probably didn’t support Linux very well.

Unfortunately nobody makes what might be a cheap display-enabled solution, namely a macropad with a regular, large LCD character display matrix, with buttons arranged on the side to each line, like a quickdial.

This is probably not super hard to realize with Arduino (though I would be unsure which interface to use; possibly serial over USB? Then implement an evdev driver?). Getting it nicely looking and sturdy would be much harder, though. So if anyone is going to market something like this let me know. ;)

[robinhartley94]

Your comment has made me think about putting an LCD display on this. Like you say, with it being an Arduino, it's just a matter of wiring up a 16x2 LCD display and using the inbuilt library. Nothing too tricky there.

In fact, the hardest bit is just designing a 3D printed case for it but that will only take an afternoon. I will look at adding this to the crowdfunding as a stretch goal.

[Klathmon]

I actually made something similar using a small program called "luamacros" to intercept keys from a Planck ortholinear keyboard, then I printed out labels to put on the blank keycaps.

I think I've finally settled on a good layout, so I'll be printing up some custom keycaps to permanently print the legends on the keys.

It's surprisingly useful! I've got some buttons to open websites, some to do git-things, some to open terminals to various places on my PC, some to open folders, and a few to open programs.

[stcredzero]

Luamacros was used by the video editor of Linus Tech Tips to make an entire spare keyboard into a macro pad. He even used up every single key!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn8ExQ2Gjg

[robinhartley94]

That sounds like an awesome setup. Can't deny that programming up your own layout to your exact needs definitely gives you the best results.

[isaacremuant]

Kind of on-topic, does anyone know what's the smallest industry made USB keyboard/button presser one can find?

I'm talking small as in, number of keys. Ideally just one or two keys and a USB connection so that you can interact with a computer.

Think like a clicker.

[robinhartley94]

There are a couple of them kicking around the Mechanical Keyboard community. This sort of thing: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRSutzW...

However, you will be able to make a keypad consisting of anywhere between 1 and 16 keys using the TASK software. In fact, you will be able to make a highly functional single key for about £7 using the designs I will be releasing in the shortcut keypad crowdfunding campaign!

[topher200]

I have a USB foot petal I keep under my desk: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008MU0TBU/ref=oh_aui_se...

I mostly use it as a quick play/pause video button.

[nathancahill]

Maybe some accessibility hardware? Or for one press, repurpose a U2F key? I think Yubico has cheap ones branded with sites like Github.

[RichardHeart]

Less powerful than autohotkey, and requires you to use a separate keypad? Just use autohotkey and the keyboard you're already using? I just bind my capslock to my alternate layer. For instance holding caps turns j,k,l,i into arrow keys.

[monk_e_boy]

I have RSI so a single keypress for things like ctrl+c and ctrl+v is much easier.

The more keys you need to press simultaneously the worse it is for some people.

[stan_rogers]

Now picture doing that with a Wacom tablet or 3D manipulator as your main interface tool and your keyboard shoved off to the side.

[petey283]

I thought I was the only person to do this. Glad to know others had the same idea.

[gradstudent]

This is great. It's like a mouse only stationary and with lots of keys that you can press instead of clicking. And you can program the keys to do whatever you want! Wow!

[robinhartley94]

You've got it in one!

[nycdotnet]

This looks awesome. I have missed the Gateway 2000 AnyKey keyboard since my last one died a number of years ago, and perhaps this will fill that role.

[robinhartley94]

I hope so! If you have any tech questions, ask away.

[garyclarke27]

Steelseries keyboads offer the same functionality with numerous easily programmable keys. I use heavily with Sublime Text. Steelseries engine software is flacky on mac though, since sierra update often freezes, fine on Windows. Ideally keys should have programmable LCD icons aswell, I would happily pay $200 for such. I used to use Actions app on ipad, but a bit slow compared to steelseries, so stopped using.

[bastijn]

Slightly off topic but what kind of things are people automating behind macros here? I run autohotkey but only use 2-3 macros daily which are macros to start and kill apps I work on (hard kill to avoid waiting some shutdown time) and an "attach to app" macro.

Not enough to justify buying these. Am I missing out? Any great macros for developers?

[sundvor]

I like this. It also reminds me that I should make more use of my G keys on my Logitech mechanical keyboards.

[robinhartley94]

Very similar functionality to the G Keys - if you have them then definitely make use of them. I'm jealous, I want G keys.

[mercer]

I can also recommend QuadroSync, which basically turns your iOS device into a TouchBar. I don't use it much because I prefer keyboard shortcuts, but it's one of the first apps of its kind that I actually can see myself using for a bunch of things.