When NumLock is on, the Framework 16 Numpad plus key works like it should (i.e. it types a plus character in typical applications). However, I always keep NumLock off because I need the Home and End keys. With NumLock off, the plus key toggles the backlight breathing animation. I don’t need that anyways, so I’d much rather have the plus key work like it should, independently of whether NumLock is on or off, since I use it for zooming in VS Code (Ctrl+NumPadPlus and Ctrl+NumPadMinus zooms in and out). (Edit: And yes, I can change the key binding, but I’m used to +)
Thanks!
It’s pretty frustrating to use, but I was able to change it how I wanted eventually.
Not sure where to put this feedback (I know there’s a GitHub page but some of these points are specific to Framework) so I’ll just drop it here:
I have no idea which plus is already assigned to the Numpad plus key because clicking on a physical key does not highlight the associated logical key in the list. (NumPad plus and “regular” plus are different things.)
There are layers 0 through 9 listed. It’s not obvious that layer 0 corresponds to NumLock on and layer 1 corresponds to NumLock off, because…
layer 1 only shows the two buttons for the backlight breathing animation and brightness, and…
all other buttons show ▽ (but they correctly do different things when NumLock is off). Do the other layers do anything?
And WTF is ▽?
What are any of the logical keys that I don’t know? “NUHS”? “LS (”? “!1” (arranged vertically) vs “1” is probably the key above “Q” vs NumPad 1, right? “TT(0)”? Some japanese and korean characters? (I am trying to get across that there should be tooltips that explain what the logical keys do.)
Is that literally an “Any” key I see there in the “Special” category?
It took me a very long time to understand that what I call “logical key” corresponds to what I know as a scancode (might not be exactly the right word here). I.e. logical key “Y” does not mean “type the letter ‘Y’”, but “send the scancode of <the key that’s at the ‘Y’ position on a QWERTY keyboard but corresponds to the ‘Z’ key on my QWERTZ keyboard>”. That explains a lot of weirdness that I saw. It does make sense, but it’s not obvious at all.
What does “Fast Key Mapping” do?
The feature where clicking on a logical key to assign it to a physical key moves the focus to the next physical key so you can quickly go through them should be optional. It happened to me multiple times that I accidentally clicked a logical key twice and I overwrote… well, something.
Speaking of accidents: There desparately needs to be a way to reset everything back to default!
Framework didn’t actually create the GUI interface you see at keyboard.frame.work. The Framework keyboards run QMK open source firmware, and the GUI is called Via which was made by a separate group.
The other layers do nothing by default. They are optional.
▽ means the key is passed down, or acts “transparent” as QMK says. It’s passed through to the next layer lower.
Yeah, Via is more than a little lacking if some areas on user friendliness. The developers behind QMK have been working to create their own GUI that would replace Via.
The Japanese and Korean keys would provide functions like switching Katakana/Hiragana, Han/Yeong, and it’s pretty much a case of, if you can’t read them, you don’t need them.
The Any key will let you type in QMK keycodes, if you know them. Via will suggest some if you start typing.
It’s supposed to save a file which has your current key layout / arrangement. I get a dialog asking where I’d like to save the file, but that might because I always set my browsers to ask me instead of saving to the default download folder.
[quote=“Niko_Ortner, post:1, topic:50991, full:true”]
When NumLock is on, the Framework 16 Numpad plus key works like it should (i.e. it types a plus character in typical applications). However, I always keep NumLock off because I need the Home and End keys. With NumLock off, the plus key toggles the backlight breathing animation. [/quote]
Could I also mention that visually impaired screen readers assign a lot of functionality to various keys including the numeric keypad when the numlock is off.
Ideally the BIOS should allow all such keys to be turned off.
Personally I always work with an external keyboard so this isn’t going to affect me much.
Security Note: While it is possible to use macros to send passwords, credit card numbers, and other sensitive information it is a supremely bad idea to do so. Anyone who gets a hold of your keyboard will be able to access that information by opening a text editor.
Use a password manager like bitwarden.com. It also stores credit cards, addresses, secure notes, etc. It’s fully end-to-end encrypted (bitwarden can not access anything, even if served with a court subpoena). If desired, one can create a self-hosted entirely local instance.
Also, Framework is using a locally hosted copy of Via at keyboard.frame.work, they might not even be passing such debug data. And note that Via, the GUI interface was made by a separate group from the QMK devs.
No they don’t. I just went to keyboard.frame.work, like instructed, and there is no such warning there.
I’m being facetious. I am well aware of password managers (and I use one) and the security implications of having a password be auto-typed by the keyboard firmware. But I was not aware at all that the site just blatantly siphons off everything you put into it.
And the warning you quoted does not mention that either. I’m too jaded to not attribute to malice that the developer left out that detail.
Anyways, that argument is stupid (this is not an attack against you). You don’t hide a camera in a public toilet and put up a warning sign two rooms over and then tell people that they should have read the sign when they get upset.
The average user isn’t going to expect a software that provides an inherently local function (and there are no online features on that site) to send their Macros off to the internet.
Heh, that’s def gonna help when my end just hands everything off to a tracking site. (Being facetious again, for the purpose of a half-joke. I’m tempted to look into it but I think the probability of finding something is low because the expectation towards the software is different.)
Take a look at the screenshot I posted in the GitHub issue.
I don’t have a FWL16 yet, but a community member made a Vial port here Keyboard: VIA / VIAL support?. Currently, it has files for the macropad and ANSI keyboards. Wouldn’t be hard to add the others.
