Using Kanata to open pie menu

[skylhire]

This is an introduction to Kanata for opening pie menus with custom shortcuts.

When creating a pie menu with Kando, you will generally want to use shortcuts that are not already used by any software. One way to solve this issue is to use function keys from F13 to F24, which are usually unused since most keyboards dont include them.

Let’s now see how Kanata can be used to access these keys efficiently.

There are multiple ways to do this. I’ll introduce three of them:

• tap-hold: Change the output of a key when it is held.
• layer-while-held: Access an alternative keyboard layout while holding a key.
• combos/chords: Press multiple keys at the same time to output another key.

Installation

Follow this link](https://github.com/jtroo/kanata/releases) to install Kanata.

Once downloaded and extracted, create a configuration file named kanata.kbd in the same directory.

If you have downloaded the original [kanata.kbd](https://github.com/jtroo/kanata/blob/main/cfg_samples/kanata.kbd), you can directly modify it or keep it in a subfolder as a reference.

Configuration file

Basic remapping

Before explaining the actions available in Kanata, let's start with the most basic config file.

If you have unused keys or extra mouse buttons you want to remap, this config will be sufficient.

1. First, define defsrc to list all the physical keys you want to modify.
   Inside (defsrc ), list all the keys separated by whitespace. You can find the syntax for keys in the [kanata.kbd](https://github.com/jtroo/kanata/blob/main/cfg_samples/kanata.kbd) file or in [mod.rs](https://github.com/jtroo/kanata/blob/main/parser/src/keys/mod.rs).
2. Next, add a layer using (deflayer ). Inside it, name the layer then list the keys that will replace those define in defsrc.

(defsrc mousebackward mouseforward F1 ⧵ IntlBackslash )

(deflayer default F13 F14 F15 F16 F17)

In this example:

• the mouse back button becomes F13,
• the mouse forward button becomes F14,
• etc...

Tap-Hold fonction

1. Defcfg: Add (defcfg process-unmapped-keys yes) [more info](https://jtroo.github.io/config.html#introduction-defcfg)

2. Defsrc: Choose the physical keys to remap with: (defsrc )

3. Aliases: (defalias ) define all your functions.

   • I'm adding a [tap-hold](https://jtroo.github.io/config.html#tap-hold) fonction named q_F15 that send Q when tap and F15 when hold for more than 200 ms

4. Deflayer: Replace the original q key by the tap-hold function (@name)

(defcfg
  process-unmapped-keys yes
)

(defsrc
  q w e r t y
)

(defalias
 q_F15  (tap-hold 200 200  q  F15 )
 
)

(deflayer default
  @q_F15 w e r t y
)

layer-while-held function

Let's reuse the previous configuration to implement a keyboard layer.

1. Choose a key to activate our Function layer. Here, we add the spacebar (spc) to defsrc.

2. Add a layer-while-held function in defalias
   syntax: $name (layer-while-held $layer-name)

3. (optional) Use a tap-hold function to activate the layer-while-held function.

4. Define the new layer using deflayer.

(defcfg
  process-unmapped-keys yes
)

(defsrc
  q w e r t y spc
 
)

(defalias

 q    (tap-hold 200 200  q  F15 )

 Fn   (layer-while-held Function)
 spc  (tap-hold 200 200  spc  @Fn )
)


(deflayer default
  @q w e r t y @spc
)

(deflayer Function
  F13 F14 F15 F16 F17 F18 spc
)

In this exemple if you hold Space and then tap E, it will output F15.

Combos / Chords

Let's see an example of a chord configuration, it will send F19 if Q and W is are pressed together and send F20 for Q and E.

There are multiples way to create chords in Kanata. I personally use defchordsv2. To see the other methods check the configuration guide.

1. To use defchordsv2, we need to add "concurrent-tap-hold yes" in defcfg
2. Add defchordsv2 [syntax](https://jtroo.github.io/config.html#input-chords-v2)
   you can list in () layer were chords should be disable and choose if the chord activate at first-release or all-released

(defcfg
  process-unmapped-keys yes
  concurrent-tap-hold yes
)

(defsrc
  q w e r t y spc
)

(defalias
 q    (tap-hold 200 200  q  F15 )

 Fn   (layer-while-held Function)
 spc  (tap-hold 200 200  spc  @Fn )
)


(defchordsv2
  (q w)    F19         200 all-released  (Function)
  (q e)    F20         200 first-release  ()
)


(deflayer default
  @q w e r t y @spc
)

(deflayer Function
  F13 F14 F15 F16 F17 F18 spc
)

Exemple of configuration:

Here is an example from my own configuration for inspiration. You can find more example on the [Kanata Github page](https://github.com/jtroo/kanata/tree/main/cfg_samples)

In this configuration, I'm also using a repeat action
([rpt](https://jtroo.github.io/config.html#repeat-key): String action that outputs the single most-recently typed key ).

Kanata doesn't read the key output of Kando, which makes possible to use the rpt action to reopen the last pie menu instead of typing a chord twice. This can be more ergonomic.

(defcfg
  process-unmapped-keys yes
  concurrent-tap-hold yes
)

(defsrc
  grv   1   2   3   4  
  tab   q   w   e   r
  caps  a   s   d   f              
  lsft  z   x   c   v  
)

(defvar
  tap-time 200
  hold-time 200
)

(defalias
  caps  (tap-hold $tap-time $hold-time  esc  sft )
   a    (tap-hold $tap-time $hold-time   a   alt )
   q    (tap-hold $tap-time $hold-time   q   grv  )
   w    (tap-hold $tap-time $hold-time   w    z  )
)

(defchordsv2
  (a w)    F6         200 all-released  ()
  (q w)    F5         200 all-released  ()
  (s d)    F15        200 all-released  ()
  (d w)    F16        200 all-released  ()
  (a s)    F17        200 all-released  ()
  (w e)    F18        200 all-released  ()
  (z x)    bspc       200 all-released  ()
)

(deflayer photoshop
  grv      1    2    3    4     
  rpt     @q   @w    e    r
  @caps   @a    s    d    f               
  lctl     z    x    c    v        
)

Making your own config

To make your own configuration I recommend using the [Kanata simulator](https://jtroo.github.io).
It allows you to test your config and will point out exactly where errors occur if something is wrong.

For more actions or issues not covered in this guide, you can find detailed explanations in the complete configuration guide:
https://jtroo.github.io/config.html

[yar2000T]

This is cross-platform solution, am i right?

[skylhire]

yes for Linux, macOS and Windows.