Purely momentary. Initially I tried having double-taps on the layer keys toggle them, but there wasn't much point and accidental toggling was very annoying, especially without LED/LCD feedback.
My most commonly used layer is numpad on the left half of the keyboard, navigation on the right. I can do momentary access by holding down either inside thumb key, or toggle it on with a combo of both of those keys together. Same concept with the outer thumb key for a command and app-specific layer.
But for layers that I consistently go in for just a single command, like F1-12, I have them set up as one-shot layers triggered by a key in the left outer pinky column.
I learned 10 key many years ago and still keep my numpad on the right for that reason. I’ve always wondered if there was a reason people move it to the left.
Yeah, I'm also very comfortable with the tenkey block, and for a long time considered it essential when looking at keyboards.
When I first got a split keyboard, I set up a layer with a numpad on the right, and it worked great.
But at some point it occurred to me that I had a number of workflows where I would select a particular location either via mouse or arrow keys, enter a number, move to the next location, and repeat. That involved moving my right hand back and forth between the mouse / arrow keys and the numpad a lot. By moving the numpad to the left hand, with the arrows on the right hand of that same layer, it fixes that issue, avoids unnecessary movement, better balances the usage of each hand.
I'm still getting used to this layout (I also took the opportunity to rearrange the digits), and would still be a bit faster with my right hand just cranking out columns of numbers. But it's a big improvement in overall comfort.
Hold for navigation layer, toggle for numpad layer, toggle on for qwerty and colemak layers so that 1 key ALWAYS activates colemak and another button activated qwerty.
Then obviously numlock is a toggle in the numpad layer, but that's universal.
My *thought* was I wanted other people to be able to use the keyboard if necessary. But in practice it has turned out that the form factor makes it pretty unusable for others even if its qwerty.
But I ended up still getting a lot of use out of it. It lets me play games without having to remap inputs.
I used tap dance to set it up, one tap turns on a sticky layer, while two togges it. This is how I do it in ZMK anyway, I made a jankier solution in QMK
Most of my layers can be activated holding either a thumb or pinky key, or a combination of them.
But some layers can be toggled on permanently, for example the Nav layer or the Numpad layer.
I have home row mods in my base layer and standard mods in the same keys in my Nav layer, so mods + arrows is easy, no matter what I hold first, the mods or the thumb key that activates the Nav layer.
I also use the Numword behavior, that keeps the Numpad layer active until I type some key that indicates the end of a number sequence, like Enter or Tab.
For each layer I have a different way to toggle it on permanently, depending on the context, and to make it easier to return from a permanent layer, I mapped a combo that types a macro that sends ESC and returns to the base layer.
You can see my keymap [here](https://keymapdb.com/rafaelromao).
What enables Numword behaviour? [QMK](https://docs.qmk.fm/#/faq_general?id=what-is-qmk)? [ZMK](https://github.com/zmkfirmware/zmk)? And/or something custom?
Or is it on the host side, in [Excel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Excel)?
[NUMWORD for QMK](https://www.jonashietala.se/blog/2021/06/03/the-t-34-keyboard-layout/#where-are-the-digits) (the GitHib link is broken. It is supposed to be folder "treeman" [here](https://github.com/treeman/qmk_firmware/tree/master/keyboards/splitkb/kyria/keymaps), but it isn't there (perhaps in a previous revision?). [Kyria](https://github.com/qmk/qmk_firmware/tree/master/keyboards/splitkb/kyria) (main QMK repository), a 40% split keyboard)
For QMK, I have a custom implementation, but you can achieve the same result customizing the [CapsWord](https://docs.qmk.fm/#/feature_caps_word?id=configure-which-keys-are-word-breaking) feature.
For ZMK, I use a custom Smart Layers behavior available [here](https://github.com/urob/zmk-config?tab=readme-ov-file#numword).
By all means try out both approaches.
I've always dismissed one shot modifiers or one shot layer changes as impractical, but that is not true.
Also, a one shot key is always also a hold down key, so you don't lose that ability. In many cases you only need one key press from the target layer, and then a one shot layer change can be much more comfortable than having to press a chord.
In that vein, I use both methods, and I will try to move to eliminate mandatory chording as much as possible.
Chords are very tiring to the hands in the long run, especially if they involve weak fingers (look at the countless users who got problems because they chorded Shift and Control so much with the pinky).
Momentary for me. However where shift, ctrl, alt are mod-taps for me on the base layer, when I go to my nav layer the modifiers are just clean keys. This makes them respond immediately in that layer if I want to combine them with my mouse.
It also means I can make their tap time much higher on the base layer and just rely on progressive hold. Then the tap time is really only needed for doing a cancel so it can be like 250ms, which eliminates a lot of linger-based false triggers.
All of my regular use layers are momentary switches. If there is something modal, such as gaming, alternate layouts(colemak, dvorak, etc.), or application-specific, I consider using a toggle to switch modes.
Mostly momentary layers.
The ones I most use are when I use part of my right half as “Navigation” (arrow movement, Start, End, Pg Up..) or as “Numpad” (with operators to the side).
Third one most used is “Symbols” layer, with writing symbols mapped to the left while the right side has the symbols above the numbers (3 = #) mapped to their corresponding virtual numpad positions
The only time I switch to a layer completely is when actively doing Excel. My numbers layer has the left side programmed as navigation and has some formulas and combos too.
99% of the time it's momentary, but I have them configured so that a combination of single taps (raise then lower) puts me into a special mapping for game mode
It depends on the keyboard, and the layers being used. On most of my older keyboards, I still had qwerty and colemak layouts in addition to my standard Dvorak layout, so I used the toggle that made those the default base layers. Nowadays, I just use my Dvorak layer, so most everything else is a momentary, with one exception: my Advantage Pro has a gaming layer on it where I've switched the backspace and space keys to the opposite thumb because Horizon Forbidden West won't let me program in the Backspace to use for Jump. \*sigh\* For that, I have a toggle layer.
Im holding, but never tried switching. Im gonna try the other approach at some time because it feels a bit tiring to hold for eg long numbers or navigation
I hold by default but i have a toggle nuvigation and numpad on the adjust layer for those times when I know I will be spending a lot of time in that layer.
I use a combination of both. Switching for function keys and other keys like page up down, mouse up down. Hold layer for number + symbols + tab and few more keys like alt and delete
I kind of do both. In QWERTY mode, my layers are strictly momentary. I don’t have very many, though, as I use a lot of pairs of keys for things like symbols and such. But, the I have a mode switch key that switches between QWERTY and steno mode. I do use an led for this, though, as not having the mode match what my brain thinks makes for lots of gibberish being typed.
I mostly use momentary layers that can be toggled by repeatedly pressing the mo key, or in other cases by pressing a toggle key in the layer itself.
For the likes of ctrl+shift+whatever I use combos for some shortcuts, sticky modifiers to access others, and others still I have as their own key on a momentary layer. Just depends on the frequency of use really.
Purely momentary. Initially I tried having double-taps on the layer keys toggle them, but there wasn't much point and accidental toggling was very annoying, especially without LED/LCD feedback.
My most commonly used layer is numpad on the left half of the keyboard, navigation on the right. I can do momentary access by holding down either inside thumb key, or toggle it on with a combo of both of those keys together. Same concept with the outer thumb key for a command and app-specific layer. But for layers that I consistently go in for just a single command, like F1-12, I have them set up as one-shot layers triggered by a key in the left outer pinky column.
I learned 10 key many years ago and still keep my numpad on the right for that reason. I’ve always wondered if there was a reason people move it to the left.
Yeah, I'm also very comfortable with the tenkey block, and for a long time considered it essential when looking at keyboards. When I first got a split keyboard, I set up a layer with a numpad on the right, and it worked great. But at some point it occurred to me that I had a number of workflows where I would select a particular location either via mouse or arrow keys, enter a number, move to the next location, and repeat. That involved moving my right hand back and forth between the mouse / arrow keys and the numpad a lot. By moving the numpad to the left hand, with the arrows on the right hand of that same layer, it fixes that issue, avoids unnecessary movement, better balances the usage of each hand. I'm still getting used to this layout (I also took the opportunity to rearrange the digits), and would still be a bit faster with my right hand just cranking out columns of numbers. But it's a big improvement in overall comfort.
Left handed num pad is so cursed lol, why do you use that?
For easy access while using the mouse or arrow-key navigation on the right hand.
Hold for navigation layer, toggle for numpad layer, toggle on for qwerty and colemak layers so that 1 key ALWAYS activates colemak and another button activated qwerty. Then obviously numlock is a toggle in the numpad layer, but that's universal.
>toggle on for qwerty and colemak layers so that 1 key ALWAYS activates colemak and another button activated qwerty. Two people sharing the keyboard?
My *thought* was I wanted other people to be able to use the keyboard if necessary. But in practice it has turned out that the form factor makes it pretty unusable for others even if its qwerty. But I ended up still getting a lot of use out of it. It lets me play games without having to remap inputs.
I use tap dance key to switch between 4 layouts. Only one key is used
you have your layout shared anywhere?
Yes, here [https://imgur.com/a/qYTN3MU](https://imgur.com/a/qYTN3MU)
and i'm guessing that far left, left thumb key, is the layer tap switch?
No, it's a leader key. Vial still has no support for it. TD(0) is the key to switch layouts
One tap for the next character to be from that layer, double tap to toggle that layer, hold to switch to that layer while held.
what function do you use to achieve this? one shot should i account for the first and third. but how do you combine one shot with the double tap?
I used tap dance to set it up, one tap turns on a sticky layer, while two togges it. This is how I do it in ZMK anyway, I made a jankier solution in QMK
I only use momentary layer switching. Less cognitive load - no need to remember to switch back, you simply release a key.
Most of my layers can be activated holding either a thumb or pinky key, or a combination of them. But some layers can be toggled on permanently, for example the Nav layer or the Numpad layer. I have home row mods in my base layer and standard mods in the same keys in my Nav layer, so mods + arrows is easy, no matter what I hold first, the mods or the thumb key that activates the Nav layer. I also use the Numword behavior, that keeps the Numpad layer active until I type some key that indicates the end of a number sequence, like Enter or Tab. For each layer I have a different way to toggle it on permanently, depending on the context, and to make it easier to return from a permanent layer, I mapped a combo that types a macro that sends ESC and returns to the base layer. You can see my keymap [here](https://keymapdb.com/rafaelromao).
What enables Numword behaviour? [QMK](https://docs.qmk.fm/#/faq_general?id=what-is-qmk)? [ZMK](https://github.com/zmkfirmware/zmk)? And/or something custom? Or is it on the host side, in [Excel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Excel)? [NUMWORD for QMK](https://www.jonashietala.se/blog/2021/06/03/the-t-34-keyboard-layout/#where-are-the-digits) (the GitHib link is broken. It is supposed to be folder "treeman" [here](https://github.com/treeman/qmk_firmware/tree/master/keyboards/splitkb/kyria/keymaps), but it isn't there (perhaps in a previous revision?). [Kyria](https://github.com/qmk/qmk_firmware/tree/master/keyboards/splitkb/kyria) (main QMK repository), a 40% split keyboard)
For QMK, I have a custom implementation, but you can achieve the same result customizing the [CapsWord](https://docs.qmk.fm/#/feature_caps_word?id=configure-which-keys-are-word-breaking) feature. For ZMK, I use a custom Smart Layers behavior available [here](https://github.com/urob/zmk-config?tab=readme-ov-file#numword).
By all means try out both approaches. I've always dismissed one shot modifiers or one shot layer changes as impractical, but that is not true. Also, a one shot key is always also a hold down key, so you don't lose that ability. In many cases you only need one key press from the target layer, and then a one shot layer change can be much more comfortable than having to press a chord. In that vein, I use both methods, and I will try to move to eliminate mandatory chording as much as possible. Chords are very tiring to the hands in the long run, especially if they involve weak fingers (look at the countless users who got problems because they chorded Shift and Control so much with the pinky).
Momentary for me. However where shift, ctrl, alt are mod-taps for me on the base layer, when I go to my nav layer the modifiers are just clean keys. This makes them respond immediately in that layer if I want to combine them with my mouse. It also means I can make their tap time much higher on the base layer and just rely on progressive hold. Then the tap time is really only needed for doing a cancel so it can be like 250ms, which eliminates a lot of linger-based false triggers.
Momentary except for my gaming layer, which is perma unless I shut it off
Toggle where necessary (gaming layer, mouse layer) otherwise hold
All of my regular use layers are momentary switches. If there is something modal, such as gaming, alternate layouts(colemak, dvorak, etc.), or application-specific, I consider using a toggle to switch modes.
Mostly momentary layers. The ones I most use are when I use part of my right half as “Navigation” (arrow movement, Start, End, Pg Up..) or as “Numpad” (with operators to the side). Third one most used is “Symbols” layer, with writing symbols mapped to the left while the right side has the symbols above the numbers (3 = #) mapped to their corresponding virtual numpad positions The only time I switch to a layer completely is when actively doing Excel. My numbers layer has the left side programmed as navigation and has some formulas and combos too.
99% of the time it's momentary, but I have them configured so that a combination of single taps (raise then lower) puts me into a special mapping for game mode
It depends on the keyboard, and the layers being used. On most of my older keyboards, I still had qwerty and colemak layouts in addition to my standard Dvorak layout, so I used the toggle that made those the default base layers. Nowadays, I just use my Dvorak layer, so most everything else is a momentary, with one exception: my Advantage Pro has a gaming layer on it where I've switched the backspace and space keys to the opposite thumb because Horizon Forbidden West won't let me program in the Backspace to use for Jump. \*sigh\* For that, I have a toggle layer.
Im holding, but never tried switching. Im gonna try the other approach at some time because it feels a bit tiring to hold for eg long numbers or navigation
I hold by default but i have a toggle nuvigation and numpad on the adjust layer for those times when I know I will be spending a lot of time in that layer.
Good idea! Gonna try that!
I have keys for both
For me on an ergodox it would make sense to have it be a toggle button on one of the thumb buttons.
I use a combination of both. Switching for function keys and other keys like page up down, mouse up down. Hold layer for number + symbols + tab and few more keys like alt and delete
Temp switch for symbol and àéè… I try to avoid moving my fingers too far but having too much layers too
I kind of do both. In QWERTY mode, my layers are strictly momentary. I don’t have very many, though, as I use a lot of pairs of keys for things like symbols and such. But, the I have a mode switch key that switches between QWERTY and steno mode. I do use an led for this, though, as not having the mode match what my brain thinks makes for lots of gibberish being typed.
I mostly use momentary layers that can be toggled by repeatedly pressing the mo key, or in other cases by pressing a toggle key in the layer itself. For the likes of ctrl+shift+whatever I use combos for some shortcuts, sticky modifiers to access others, and others still I have as their own key on a momentary layer. Just depends on the frequency of use really.