nimpad

A Nim based client for a DIY macropad.

By communicating with an Arduino in the macropad, nimpad can send keyboard inputs or run shell commands.

Dependencies

• Linux, other platforms are not supported.
• A user in the "input" and "dialout" group. You can use sudo privileges but if you want to use this as a daemon to run shell commands, sudo is not recommended.
• Nimble packages: serial and libevdev

3D Model

https://www.printables.com/model/1400774-macropad

Usage

Nix:

• You can get the package in my flake repository.

Source:

• Clone the repo, cd to src
• Run nim c -r nimpad
• Edit the generated config file in your ~/.config/nimpad/config.json.
• You can also supply a config file with -f="<path to config.json>", and a serial port with -p="<port>" .
  • Arguments can be found by tacking -h or --help

Important

Nimpad ONLY supports pads with 10 or less keys.

Important

If your pad ever disconnects, it's device name may change. To prevent errors that happen with this, run with the port option set to your device in /dev/serial/by-id/. Ex: nimpad -p=/dev/serial/by-id/usb-Arduino_LLC_Arduino_Micro_HIDLD-if00

If you are using Nimpad for the first time, it will create a default config file and quit. Please configure this config file before running it again as it does send keyboard inputs and run commands. Details below.

Configuration (config.json)

The intended way to currently configure Nimpad is by the config.json. By default, it will create the config file like so:

[
  [ "KEY_ACTION", "VOLUMEDOWN" ],
  [ "KEY_ACTION", "VOLUMEUP" ],
  [ "KEY_ACTION", "VOLUMEMUTE" ],
  [ "KEY_ACTION", "SCROLLLOCK" ],
  [ "KEY_ACTION", "PREVIOUSSONG" ],
  [ "KEY_ACTION", "NEXTSONG" ],
  [ "KEY_ACTION", "PLAYPAUSE" ],
  [ "KEY_ACTION", "" ],
  [ "KEY_ACTION", "" ],
  [ "KEY_ACTION", "" ]
]

• 0: Volume down
• 1: Volume up
• 2: Mute system
• 3: Scrolllock, used for Discord press-to-mute and game push-to-talk
• 4: Media previous
• 5: Media next
• 6: Media play/pause
• 7: Unused
• 8: Unused
• 9: Unused

Standalone

If you don't want to use the Nimpad host client, you can find a completely standalone Arduino sketch in other. This still sends keyboard inputs, but does not allow running commands on the host.