octokeyz
A simple USB macropad with 8 programmable buttons.
Requirements/Motivation
- I would like a simple macro pad that I can use to control my computer.
- I would like to be able to write userspace programs in Go that respond to the key press events from the macropad and then execute some Go code, rather than emulating complex key press sequences.
- I would like the PCB to be as simple as possible, with only PTH components, just buttons and a single indicator LED, and the smallest/simplest microcontroller that can handle USB 1.1 and 8 buttons, such as the
ATtiny4313. - I would like the case to be suitable for 3D printing at home.
- I would like the firmware to be as USB HID compliant as possible, so I can learn more about the USB stack and specifications.
- I would like the client library to support at least Linux and Windows.
Note
Following several months of use with the initial octokeyz macro pad, I recognized that incorporating a tiny OLED display would significantly enhance its functionality. To accomplish this, I chose a more powerful microcontroller, namely the STM32F042K6/STM32F042K4, although it's not a PTH part, it can be easily hand-soldered.
The introduction of these enhancements led to the creation of an updated version of the octokeyz macro pad, dubbed octokeyz-mega. This revised model boasts compatibility with more advanced 5-pin mechanical keyboard switches, rather than the simpler 12mm SPST push-button design found in the initial iteration.
Given the low cost of STM32 microcontrollers today, and for the sake of simplifying maintenance, I converted the original octokeyz variant to also use the STM32F042K6/STM32F042K4 parts. This allows us to use a single DFU-compatible firmware across all board variants, simplifying the deployment process.
Variants
Tip
The following resources are shared among all the variants:
octokeyz-mega
octokeyz
Program examples
Simple
package main
import (
"fmt"
"log"
"time"
"rafaelmartins.com/p/octokeyz"
)
func main() {
dev, err := octokeyz.GetDevice("")
if err != nil {
log.Fatal(err)
}
if err := dev.Open(); err != nil {
log.Fatal(err)
}
defer dev.Close()
for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
dev.Led(octokeyz.LedFlash)
time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
}
dev.AddHandler(octokeyz.BUTTON_1, func(b *octokeyz.Button) error {
fmt.Println("pressed")
duration := b.WaitForRelease()
fmt.Printf("released. pressed for %s\n", duration)
return nil
})
if err := dev.Listen(nil); err != nil {
log.Fatal(err)
}
}F.A.Q.
How do we implement more complex client software?
Please check the Go API documentation.
How can I use this macropad to control OBS in the same way as the Stream Deck does?
You can write Go code that interacts with OBS using the goobs library, which is available at https://github.com/andreykaipov/goobs. This library can be easily integrated with our existing Go client library.