Macropad Prototype

Brief: Make a 16 key macropad for key phrases used in coding.

A short while back, I came up with the idea of making myself a small macropad to assist coding my DriveWorks projects. I was hoping to have key phrases like "if(and(", "tablegetvalue(", and "childspecificationlist(", among other commands at the push of a button.

To do this, I researched DIY macropads and found a plethora of kits, kitbashing, and arduino work arounds. So I decided with budget restraints and hardware already on hand that I would prototype with an arduino first (Arduino - a programmable microcontroller).

Staring off in an arduino sourcehub I found a code segment that I could manipulate for my macropad. Using that code enabled me to link each button on my keypad to a defined value. Once I had sorted the code I then began designing a test rig base (this is the plastic skeleton that holds the keypad and the arduino in place). I then brought in my trusty 3D printer to print the test rig design (which took approximately 12 hours with 2 failed attempts). Once all printing was complete, I assembled the test rig and hardware and compiled the software.

The prototype was a success!

So naturally I expanded my goals to include a small OLED screen and 'profile' system so I could have up to 64 phrases or commands set over four 'profiles' - such as: SolidWorks, DriveWorks, Excel, and other frequently used commands/shortcuts.

This project is still a work in progress... Check back later for further developments!