KMonad configs

Explanations

The files are as follow

• *.kbd

  • Layouts and layer definitions for keyboard

• systemd/

  • Service to start in order to attach KMonad always on launch

• udev/

  • Rules to catch exact attribute name in order to expose to /dev/ which can be used to catch in the rule

Getting started

Prerequisites

• Install KMonad using your favourite package manager
• Ensure you have systemd

Create Keymaps

• Define your new layout for example cherrystream.kbd
• Create a new udev rules to expose the input method to /dev/
  • You may use udevadm monitor --property then disconnect and reconnect your device to find the NAME attribute which can be targeted within the .rule file
  • Map the name then symlink it to dev with the SYMLINK+="cherrystream"
  • This means that any time an input device matches the attribute will be exposed to /dev/cherrystream
  • Copy the rule file to /etc/udev/rules.d/ folder /etc/udev/rules.d/cherrystream.rules
  • Reconnect the device and ls /dev/ to test whether your udev rule is working - you should see /dev/cherrystream
• Create a new systemd service
  • You may reuse the kmonad@cherrystream and replace the latter part with your symlink token that we defined in the rule earlier - kmonad@sofle, kmonad@nuphyair75
  • Copy the new service to user defined service - in my case I am using ArchCraft which means it should be at /etc/systemd/system/
    • /etc/systemd/system/kmonad@cherrystream
  • Start the service systemctl start kmonad@cherrystream
  • Persist the service on every login/logout systemctl enable kmonad@cherrystream

The configuration

The main changes for the layout are as follows

• Tab on press becomes tab as expected but on hold it modifies your right home rows to have arrows (i,j,k,l) becomes (up, left, down, right)

  • This behaviour exists out of the inconvenience of having to move your fingers outside the home rows when trying to do arrows based movements
  • On keyboards lower than 75% with no function keys (like the Sofle) I would also add the functionality for this layer to include TabHold + Number key to become function keys
    • Tab+1 = F1
    • Tab+2 = F2
    • ...
    • Tab+10 = F10
    • Tab+Minus = F11
    • Tab+Equals = F12

• CapsLock is Enter on press then CTRL on hold

  • I personally have no requirement for the CapsLock key and have been using it as the Enter key for a good few years now, the CTRL part only came after I discovered Split Keyboards and QMK + Via configurations
  • The CTRL key on most keyboards are actually quite far to reach and have caused me discomfort a few times therefore having the option to press it right where my pinkie rests is quite comfy

• Space is Space on tap but symbols layer on hold

  • This came out of the necessity for not having enough symbols on the Sofle board though I have grown to enjoy the multi function usage for the spacebar. By simply adding a tap hold functionality I can access my parentheses, brackets, braces and most shift number symbols with ease.
    • Space+1 = !
    • Space+5 = %
    • etc...
  • There's also the modification to homerows where I put my common programming symbols there
    • Space+J = (
    • Space+K = )
    • Space+U = [
    • Space+I = ]
    • Space+M = {
    • Space+, = }
  • Finally there are macros for common shortcuts such as Ctrl + [A,Z,X,C,V]
    • Space+A
    • Space+Z
    • Space+X
    • Space+C
    • Space+V