What is this?
This is an utility for programming small keyboards like this one:
Such keyboards are popular on AliExpress and seller usually sends software for programming, but it:
- requires Windows,
- is very ugly and inconvenient,
- can only program one key at a time
- don't expose all keyboard features
There are several modifications of such keyboards with different number of buttons and knobs (see some photos) and with/without Bluetooth.
Both wired and wireless keyboards are supported, however programming is possible though wire only in both cases!
Utility was reported to work with:
- 3Γ4 with 2 knobs (Bluetooth version)
- 3Γ3 with 2 knobs
- 3x2 with 1 knob
- 3x1 with 1 knob
All these keyboards share same vendor/product IDs: 1189:8890 (hexadecimal). It is possible to override used vendor/product ID, but it is usually not needed. Use it only if you find same-looking keyboard with other vendor/product ID, I haven't seen such.
Ability to override vendor/product ID doesn't mean that you can use this software for programming arbitrary keyboards!
How to get it?
Get prebuilt release
Download latest release from GitHub releases
Build it yourself
Install cargo utility using rustup, then execute
cargo install ch57x-keyboard-tool.
How to use?
Note: on Windows you need to install USBDK first.
Now create you own config from provided example-mapping.yaml. Example config has extensive documentation and examples inside.
You can validate config:
./ch57x-keyboard-tool validate < your-config.yaml
Use 'show-keys' command to list all supported modifier and key names.
Finally, upload config to keyboard:
./ch57x-keyboard-tool upload < your-config.yaml
Use 'sudo' if you get 'Access denied (insufficient permissions)':
sudo ./ch57x-keyboard-tool upload < your-config.yaml
You can also change LED configuration, if you keyboard supports it:
./ch57x-keyboard-tool led 1
Notes
Number of layers
All keyboards I've seen have three layer (three keys configuration which may be switched). However I've been told there are keyboards without layer switch. If so, just keep single layer in configuration file and you are done.
Custom keyboard layouts
If you use custom keyboard layout, like Dvorak, note that what you write in configuration is in fact scan code of keyboard key and not character that will be produced.
So use QWERTY-letter of keyboard key you want to press.
Diagnostics
If you have any troubles using this software, please provide diagnostics.
Getting list of attached USB devices
MacOS
ioreg -w0 -l -p IOUSB
or
system_profiler SPUSBDataType
Linux
lsusb -v
Monitoring generated keyboard and mouse events
Most simple (and cross-platform) way I've found is using keyboard and mouse Python modules.
Monitoring keyboard:
pip3 install keyboard
sudo python3 -m keyboard
Monitoring mouse:
# Latest published 'mouse' module doesn't support MacOS, so use latest version from Git:
git clone https://github.com/boppreh/mouse
cd mouse
python3 -m mouse
Photos
