gustawxyz/dactyl_manuform_pi_pico

dactyl_manuform_pi_pico

Intro

This is a dactyl_manuform on Raspberry Pi Pico guide.

Vial

Here is vial firmware fork, which allows hot-configuration of keymaps via vial.rocks https://github.com/GustawXYZ/vial-qmk/tree/vial

QMK

For now you need to use my fork: https://github.com/GustawXYZ/qmk_firmware Hopefully it will get merged and will be available in: https://github.com/qmk_firmware/qmk_firmware/tree/master/keyboards/handwired/dactyl_manuform_pi_pico

Build

I strived to make soldering as similar as possible to dactyl_manuform guide.

abstracthat/dactyl-manuform

Switched connections:

ProMicro	PiPico
4	GP10
5	GP11
6	GP12
7	GP13
8	GP14
9	GP15
A1	GP21
A0	GP20
15	GP19
14	GP18
16	GP17
10	GP16

I used a 4 pin jack 3.5mm connection. It uses SERIAL_USART_FULL_DUPLEX (whatever that means).

Connections are as following:

Left PiPico	Right PiPico
3V3	3V3
GND	GND
GP9	GP8
GP8	GP9

GP8 and GP9 are switch in "X" pattern, so that TX and RX are switched on the other board.

For the keyboard to be able to tell the right side from the lefts - it needs two jumpers to set the SPLIT_HAND_PIN:

Side	Jumper from	to
Left	GP22	3V3
Right	GP22	GND

Flashing firmware

Vial

First do the setup qmk from QMK section.

Then clone my fork somewhere that is NOT ~/qmk_firmware, e.g. git clone https://github.com/GustawXYZ/vial-qmk/ ~/vial-qmk

Then cd ~/vial-qmk make git-submodule and make handwired/dactyl_manuform_pi_pico:vial

If the build fails try make claen and rm -r lib/* (qmk/qmk_firmware#15125)

If this succeeds you will have ready firmware in .build folder.

To flash, open .build folder in your file editor of choice, and set your keyboard into bootloader mode by holding the RESET button and plugging in the USB. After that you can open the new "drive" that should be called something like RPI-PICO, and drag .build/handwired_dactyl_manuform_pi_pico_default.uf2 to the new drive. This should flash the keyboard and automatically unmount it. Wait a few seconds and repeat for other half (with the same .uf2 file)

QMK

You need to set up qmk toolchain as per here: https://docs.qmk.fm/#/newbs_building_firmware

If my fork is not yet merged you need to use qmk clone to use it.

Next proceed with the following commands for a simple update/flash:

cd ~/qmk_firmware/keyboards/handwired/dactyl_manuform_pi_pico/keymaps/default &&
qmk flash

This should build the firmware and try flashing it. When qmk says "waiting for drive" unplug your keyboard, then plug it back again while holding RESET button on the Pi Pico. It should show up in your file manager, if needed mount it e.g. by clicking on it in Thunar File Manager. QMK then should automatically pick it up and complete.

Setting EPROM (both QMK and Vial)

(Note: this can be run from Vial directory: cd ~/vial-qmk/keyboards/handwired/dactyl_manuform_pi_pico/keymaps/vial and will be less error prone)

If this is your first flash use the following for setting up the EPROM so the keyboard knows which is left and which is right half.

qmk flash -bl uf2-split-left

Plug left half while holding RESET.

qmk flash -bl uf2-split-right

Plug right half while holding RESET.

With QMK Configurator

This will be only available after the fork is merged.

1. Go to QMK Configurator
2. Create you keymap
3. Download the .json
4. run qmk flash my-file.json
5. When qmk says waiting for the drive, unplug your keyboard, plug it while holding RESET and mount the drive (repeat for other half)