I was digging around out of interest to see how configuring the QMK keyboard works, and it seems… well, painful to say the least, or it is with the official QMK tools (which, have poor Linux support from what I’ve read).
I did run across a new project which is based on the QMK tools, but with greatly improved compatibility and with proper Linux support, but I’ve found out that, in order to use it, the keyboard firmware needs to support something called VIA.
So, does the keyboard (and numpad / RGB macropad) support VIA?
I can help with QMK and Vial questions.
To start with, Framework is building a firmware version that supports Via. I haven’t seen them say if that will be the default firmware they ship with. It may not be decided yet. If needed, you can flash over to it & then you can configure many basic functions in the Via web browser GUI. If you don’t want or need QMK’s more advanced things, then you don’t need to go further.
Are you talking about the QMK toolbox? You don’t need that. That’s just a helper for those that no experience doing anything in a terminal. Most Linux users can at least copy & paste commands into a terminal.
As I mentioned, Framework is building a firmware version that supports Via. But I think the information you’ve read about Vial is a little old. It used to be the case where Via support was enough, but since then, Vial has added features beyond what Via can do. To use Vial’s additional configuration options, Vial specific firmware is now needed. If Framework doesn’t create Vial specific firmware then the community probably will, porting over isn’t too hard. I’ve been tempted to do it, even though I haven’t even preordered a Framework-16 yet.
I suspect that they are busy with everything concerning the Framework-16, so it might be hard to get an official Vial fw build.
I do think Vial is a much better option than Via, more configuration option than Via, and it just aligns better with Framework’s ethos. But Vial is less known, so fewer voices to let Framework know it’s better.
No longer accurate.
It might have been accurate when he posted it, but it’s certainly outdated now. And he doesn’t say what “speed” is supposed to mean. All options preform just as fast. I presume he means time it takes to reconfigure, but just listing “speed” is much too unclear.
I’m going to necro this thread, because I just got my framework today and RIGHT off the bat the features I’m using on my Ergodex a LOT. (Tapdance) don’t seem to be supported in VIA. (Well limited support KP_LSPO etc. Not arbitrary keybinds. Now I could try and compile flash things, but /sigh I found Vial with support, and if we map the JSON from VIA to Vial maybe maybe it will work? (The web does detect the macropad, just doesn’t have the JSON to load the view??? Maybe other issues…)
I’m top of this, is it my imagination, or is layer 0 reserved for the num pad? I don’t know what happened but the macropad boots onto layer 1, and I can’t swap to layer 0, no clue what is up, maybe I need to bind a reset keybinding…
Yeah, Via doesn’t have tapdance. Whereas Vial does have tapdance, plus combos, key overrides, and a range of qmk settings. I use Vial on my 15 button mouse, where I couldn’t even live without tapdance anymore.
You could enter your tapdances directly into qmk, but having it available in a GUI is much nicer.
Now, Framework has made a few changes in their QMK fork that you should bring over to a Vial build, but I don’t know how many are absolutely necessary. For example, there is Airplane mode button support which Framework added, but if you don’t use that, then you might not bother bringing it over.
You can’t switch layers at all? The macropad uses numlock. So if your OS turns numlock on or off for any reason, that will control your macropad layer. Perhaps that’s happening?
Otherwise, yeah, maybe Via’s memory got screwed up & it’s stuck. For resetting, note that Via does not accept the EE_CLR alias, you need to use the full QK_CLEAR_EEPROM.
