qmk_firmware/docs/feature_macros.md

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# Macros
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Macros allow you to send multiple keystrokes when pressing just one key. QMK has a number of ways to define and use macros. These can do anything you want: type common phrases for you, copypasta, repetitive game movements, or even help you code.
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!> **Security Note**: While it is possible to use macros to send passwords, credit card numbers, and other sensitive information it is a supremely bad idea to do so. Anyone who gets a hold of your keyboard will be able to access that information by opening a text editor.
## `SEND_STRING()` & `process_record_user`
Sometimes you want a key to type out words or phrases. For the most common situations, we've provided `SEND_STRING()`, which will type out a string (i.e. a sequence of characters) for you. All ASCII characters that are easily translatable to a keycode are supported (e.g. `qmk 123\n\t`).
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Here is an example `keymap.c` for a two-key keyboard:
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```c
enum custom_keycodes {
QMKBEST = SAFE_RANGE,
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};
bool process_record_user(uint16_t keycode, keyrecord_t *record) {
switch (keycode) {
case QMKBEST:
if (record->event.pressed) {
// when keycode QMKBEST is pressed
SEND_STRING("QMK is the best thing ever!");
} else {
// when keycode QMKBEST is released
}
break;
}
return true;
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};
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const uint16_t PROGMEM keymaps[][MATRIX_ROWS][MATRIX_COLS] = {
[0] = {
{QMKBEST, KC_ESC},
// ...
},
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};
```
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What happens here is this:
We first define a new custom keycode in the range not occupied by any other keycodes.
Then we use the `process_record_user` function, which is called whenever a key is pressed or released, to check if our custom keycode has been activated.
If yes, we send the string `"QMK is the best thing ever!"` to the computer via the `SEND_STRING` macro (this is a C preprocessor macro, not to be confused with QMK macros).
We return `true` to indicate to the caller that the key press we just processed should continue to be processed as normal (as we didn't replace or alter the functionality).
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Finally, we define the keymap so that the first button activates our macro and the second button is just an escape button.
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You might want to add more than one macro.
You can do that by adding another keycode and adding another case to the switch statement, like so:
```c
enum custom_keycodes {
QMKBEST = SAFE_RANGE,
QMKURL,
MY_OTHER_MACRO,
};
bool process_record_user(uint16_t keycode, keyrecord_t *record) {
switch (keycode) {
case QMKBEST:
if (record->event.pressed) {
// when keycode QMKBEST is pressed
SEND_STRING("QMK is the best thing ever!");
} else {
// when keycode QMKBEST is released
}
break;
case QMKURL:
if (record->event.pressed) {
// when keycode QMKURL is pressed
SEND_STRING("https://qmk.fm/\n");
} else {
// when keycode QMKURL is released
}
break;
case MY_OTHER_MACRO:
if (record->event.pressed) {
SEND_STRING(SS_LCTL("ac")); // selects all and copies
}
break;
}
return true;
};
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const uint16_t PROGMEM keymaps[][MATRIX_ROWS][MATRIX_COLS] = {
[0] = {
{MY_CUSTOM_MACRO, MY_OTHER_MACRO},
// ...
},
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};
```
### Advanced Macros
In addition to the `process_record_user()` function, is the `post_process_record_user()` function. This runs after `process_record` and can be used to do things after a keystroke has been sent. This is useful if you want to have a key pressed before and released after a normal key, for instance.
In this example, we modify most normal keypresses so that `F22` is pressed before the keystroke is normally sent, and release it __only after__ it's been released.
```c
static uint8_t f22_tracker;
bool process_record_user(uint16_t keycode, keyrecord_t *record) {
switch (keycode) {
case KC_A ... KC_F21: //notice how it skips over F22
case KC_F23 ... KC_EXSEL: //exsel is the last one before the modifier keys
if (record->event.pressed) {
register_code(KC_F22); //this means to send F22 down
f22_tracker++;
register_code(keycode);
return false;
}
break;
}
return true;
}
void post_process_record_user(uint16_t keycode, keyrecord_t *record) {
switch (keycode) {
case KC_A ... KC_F21: //notice how it skips over F22
case KC_F23 ... KC_EXSEL: //exsel is the last one before the modifier keys
if (!record->event.pressed) {
f22_tracker--;
if (!f22_tracker) {
unregister_code(KC_F22); //this means to send F22 up
}
}
break;
}
}
```
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### TAP, DOWN and UP
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You may want to use keys in your macros that you can't write down, such as `Ctrl` or `Home`.
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You can send arbitrary keycodes by wrapping them in:
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* `SS_TAP()` presses and releases a key.
* `SS_DOWN()` presses (but does not release) a key.
* `SS_UP()` releases a key.
For example:
SEND_STRING(SS_TAP(X_HOME));
Would tap `KC_HOME` - note how the prefix is now `X_`, and not `KC_`. You can also combine this with other strings, like this:
SEND_STRING("VE"SS_TAP(X_HOME)"LO");
Which would send "VE" followed by a `KC_HOME` tap, and "LO" (spelling "LOVE" if on a newline).
Delays can be also added to the string:
* `SS_DELAY(msecs)` will delay for the specified number of milliseconds.
For example:
SEND_STRING("VE" SS_DELAY(1000) SS_TAP(X_HOME) "LO");
Which would send "VE" followed by a 1-second delay, then a `KC_HOME` tap, and "LO" (spelling "LOVE" if on a newline, but delayed in the middle).
There's also a couple of mod shortcuts you can use:
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* `SS_LCTL(string)`
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* `SS_LSFT(string)`
* `SS_LALT(string)` or `SS_LOPT(string)`
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* `SS_LGUI(string)`, `SS_LCMD(string)` or `SS_LWIN(string)`
* `SS_RCTL(string)`
* `SS_RSFT(string)`
* `SS_RALT(string)`, `SS_ROPT(string)` or `SS_ALGR(string)`
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* `SS_RGUI(string)`, `SS_RCMD(string)` or `SS_RWIN(string)`
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These press the respective modifier, send the supplied string and then release the modifier.
They can be used like this:
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SEND_STRING(SS_LCTL("a"));
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Which would send Left Control+`a` (Left Control down, `a`, Left Control up) - notice that they take strings (eg `"k"`), and not the `X_K` keycodes.
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### Alternative Keymaps
By default, it assumes a US keymap with a QWERTY layout; if you want to change that (e.g. if your OS uses software Colemak), include this somewhere in your keymap:
```c
#include "sendstring_colemak.h"
```
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### Strings in Memory
If for some reason you're manipulating strings and need to print out something you just generated (instead of being a literal, constant string), you can use `send_string()`, like this:
```c
char my_str[4] = "ok.";
send_string(my_str);
```
The shortcuts defined above won't work with `send_string()`, but you can separate things out to different lines if needed:
```c
char my_str[4] = "ok.";
SEND_STRING("I said: ");
send_string(my_str);
SEND_STRING(".."SS_TAP(X_END));
```
## Advanced Macro Functions
There are some functions you may find useful in macro-writing. Keep in mind that while you can write some fairly advanced code within a macro, if your functionality gets too complex you may want to define a custom keycode instead. Macros are meant to be simple.
?> You can also use the functions described in [Useful functions](ref_functions.md) for additional functionality. For example `reset_keyboard()` allows you to reset the keyboard as part of a macro.
### `record->event.pressed`
This is a boolean value that can be tested to see if the switch is being pressed or released. An example of this is
```c
if (record->event.pressed) {
// on keydown
} else {
// on keyup
}
```
### `register_code(<kc>);`
This sends the `<kc>` keydown event to the computer. Some examples would be `KC_ESC`, `KC_C`, `KC_4`, and even modifiers such as `KC_LSFT` and `KC_LGUI`.
### `unregister_code(<kc>);`
Parallel to `register_code` function, this sends the `<kc>` keyup event to the computer. If you don't use this, the key will be held down until it's sent.
### `tap_code(<kc>);`
Sends `register_code(<kc>)` and then `unregister_code(<kc>)`. This is useful if you want to send both the press and release events ("tap" the key, rather than hold it).
If `TAP_CODE_DELAY` is defined (default 0), this function waits that many milliseconds before calling `unregister_code(<kc>)`. This can be useful when you are having issues with taps (un)registering.
If the keycode is `KC_CAPS`, it waits `TAP_HOLD_CAPS_DELAY` milliseconds instead (default 80), as macOS prevents accidental Caps Lock activation by waiting for the key to be held for a certain amount of time.
### `tap_code_delay(<kc>, <delay>);`
Like `tap_code(<kc>)`, but with a `delay` parameter for specifying arbitrary intervals before sending the unregister event.
### `register_code16(<kc>);`, `unregister_code16(<kc>);` and `tap_code16(<kc>);`
These functions work similar to their regular counterparts, but allow you to use modded keycodes (with Shift, Alt, Control, and/or GUI applied to them).
Eg, you could use `register_code16(S(KC_5));` instead of registering the mod, then registering the keycode.
### `clear_keyboard();`
This will clear all mods and keys currently pressed.
### `clear_mods();`
This will clear all mods currently pressed.
### `clear_keyboard_but_mods();`
This will clear all keys besides the mods currently pressed.
## Advanced Example:
### Super ALT↯TAB
This macro will register `KC_LALT` and tap `KC_TAB`, then wait for 1000ms. If the key is tapped again, it will send another `KC_TAB`; if there is no tap, `KC_LALT` will be unregistered, thus allowing you to cycle through windows.
```c
bool is_alt_tab_active = false; // ADD this near the begining of keymap.c
uint16_t alt_tab_timer = 0; // we will be using them soon.
enum custom_keycodes { // Make sure have the awesome keycode ready
ALT_TAB = SAFE_RANGE,
};
bool process_record_user(uint16_t keycode, keyrecord_t *record) {
switch (keycode) { // This will do most of the grunt work with the keycodes.
case ALT_TAB:
if (record->event.pressed) {
if (!is_alt_tab_active) {
is_alt_tab_active = true;
register_code(KC_LALT);
}
alt_tab_timer = timer_read();
register_code(KC_TAB);
} else {
unregister_code(KC_TAB);
}
break;
}
return true;
}
void matrix_scan_user(void) { // The very important timer.
if (is_alt_tab_active) {
if (timer_elapsed(alt_tab_timer) > 1000) {
unregister_code(KC_LALT);
is_alt_tab_active = false;
}
}
}
```