I want to be able to enter ASCII codes on the Macropad for my new Laptop 16. Can the Macropad be configured / programed to either designate keys for special symbols such as the degree symbol (°) OR enter Alt+ASCII code (Alt+0176)?
So it looks like the best way is to send Unicode using the UC(c) code, where c is the Unicode code point: Unicode | QMK Firmware
You’re looking to use the macropad on windows only, correct?
I’m presuming here because Alt codes were created by microsoft for windows, and wouldn’t work on linux without some setup.
Do you have a FWL16 & macropad already and need help on setting up alt codes, or just a question before you buy?
The macropad should do alt-codes fine. You should be able to set it up using Via, the point-and-click GUI at https://keyboard.frame.work.
If I recall correctly, when setting the numbers, you must use keypad digits in your macros. They are distinct keys different from normal keyboard digits. I believe windows will only accept alt-codes using the keypad digits.
There are 16 macro slots available by default.
To get more macro slots it would require you being able to make a configuration change in the firmware, building the firmware, and flashing it over to the keyboard.
That might be a better way, but I believe it would require building and flashing firmware. As I do not see UNICODE_COMMON = yes being already set in the stock firmware to enable that.
Yes, my Laptop 16 is running on Windows 11. I have a regular Numpad installed. I’ve been using Surface Studio laptops for a long time; they don’t have numeric keypads. I wanted a new computer with a numeric keypad, and I bought a Framework Laptop 16 DIY, only to discover that the numpad doesn’t work for Alt combinations, alas. So I’m looking into swapping it out for a Macropad, but I haven’t ordered it yet (out of stock apparently anyway), because I want to know first if it will allow me to do what I want: entering Alt+ASCII code for obtaining symbols, especially the degree symbol — or some other way to do it. Thank you for your response; I appreciate it.
I know what Unicode is, but I don’t know what the rest of it means: : Unicode | QMK Firmware.
Thank you for the advice; I will learn.
Yeah, it seems that windows sometimes accepts alt-codes when the numbers come from a separate numpad, and other times it refuses to accept them. And FWL16 keyboards are each full independent usb keyboards.
You can try it out on your numpad. And you don’t strictly need a macropad at all, unless you just don’t like using a numpad for macros, or you want the 2 extra keys a macropad has.
Every current FWL16 keyboard, numpad, macropad can preform the same functions. Only difference is the key layout & that some have RGB. You can go to https://keyboard.frame.work and set alt-code macros for any key on your numbpad you want, the keyboard too.
Thank you for the remapping advice. I have tried the link, but I have a big learning curve to use the VIA program.
Just curious: would the same Numpad problem have occurred if I had installed Linux on my Laptop 16 instead of Windows 11?
No, Linux doesn’t care that the numpad is technically a separate device. Not accepting the modifier (Alt) together with numbers from an external numpad is just an odd limitation in Microsoft’s implementation of their alt-codes.
Linux uses Unicode hex codes normally. You press Ctrl+Shift+u (cursor changes to u) then type the unicode hex code. But I’d suggest checking out the Compose Key instead, as it’s much easier to remember than random numbers. The degree symbol ° can be typed with Compose thenoo. That is, press the compose key, or key combo that’s setup to serve as compose (cursor changes to · ), then press the letter o twice.
Want to type ½? Compose12. I’ll give anyone three guesses how to type ¼ or ¾. But a lot of symbols have alternatives for whatever is logical, and in whatever order. So you can just guess half the time!
Cent symbol ¢ has 4 options, /c, c /, |c, c|.
EuroSign € has 10 options I think! =c, c =, =e, e=, plus capital E, and a couple Cyrillic letters.
Personally, it’s a lot easier than remembering random numbers like 0176.
wikipedia.org/wiki/Compose_key#Common_compose_combinations
A more full list, cgit.freedesktop.org/xorg/lib/libX11/plain/nls/en_US.UTF-8/Compose.pre
Wow! Excellent, promising information! Thank you very much for sharing your expertise.
Last question, I think: Since my Laptop 16 has Windows 11 installed, can I simply follow the Framework directions for installing Linux Fedora as if there’s nothing on the hard drive already?
MJ1, thank you for all your detailed help with Linux. I have installed Ubuntu 24.04 LTS on my FW Laptop 16, and it is working splendly! Thank you very much! --Heinz