Once it’s all started up, the code has little work to do…just watch for key press events and encoder movement, taking some action when necessary.
If one were so inclined, the hardware and code could be extended for extra functionality. MACROPAD features a Stemma QT connector on the side, which might accommodate some interesting sensors or a NeoKey 1x4 QT for four extra key switches. The code as written does not handle any of this automatically…the additions would be a software project of your own.
Our hotkeys code uses MACROPAD’s encoder wheel to select among different application settings. It’s usually fine, but if you’re a big multitasker it can be awkward when the wrong app is selected (which is why color-coding with the LEDs is recommended, for at-a-glance familiarity).
Could there be some way to automatically switch based on the current application in use? CircuitPython can receive serial messages while also emulating a keyboard, so there’s ways to send information to MACROPAD. The host-side implementation though, that gets complex, and would vary with all the myriad system types and their particular scripting or development options, which is why it’s not done here. Food for thought!
