/apple-wasd-keyboards

Custom Apple keyboard layout.

WASD Keyboards—Custom Apple Layout

Completed keyboard template Completed keyboard photo

About

  • Template used
    • wasd-ai-104-8.28.2015.ai (104/87-Key US ANSI Layout)
    • Legends for the full-size 104 board are filled in.
  • Board pictured
    • WASD V2 87-Key Custom Mechanical Keyboard

Review & Thoughts

  • 2 year update: Sadly, the UV coating has started to age, there is yellowing on the most used keys, and coating has worn off on certain key edges. My desk is not in front of a window, and my hands are always clean. I probably wouldn't order a full white set again, unless there's a gentle way to restore them. There is no print wear or excessive shine, so that's nice.
  • No kerning issues on keys printed with words. (I used some custom kerning, so, success!)
  • No line-width related issues whatsoever. It's slightly bold compared to my macbook and old apple keyboards, printing in dark grey could offset this, as thinner lines might be risky.
  • The function row is printed in reverse, and looks just as good; possibly even sharper and less bold, but that might be an optical illusion.
  • I suggest using a more open command symbol (⌘) than mine. The counters are slightly muddy.

Design

Character Styles

  • Normal—sets SF Compact Text Light, inherited by other styles
  • Modifiers—keys with full words printed out (except media keys)
  • Functions—F keys
  • Stacked Keys—keys with two stacked legends (not numbers)
  • Stacked Keys (tall)—used on {, }, |
  • Denominator—lower character on number keys, larger
  • Numerator—upper character on number keys, smaller
  • Media keys—media key cluster + numpad “clear” and “enter”

Alignment

Some legends required optical centering, e.g. J, L, Q, P, F, delete.

Stylistic Alternates

I chose to use the straight 6, straight 9, and slashed 0. “*” was switched out for SF Mono Light. Proper mathematical symbols (×, +, −, /) used on numpad (in 104 key template)

System Font Symbols

Basic set of keyboard symbols were exported from the following fonts:

  • Apple Symbols
  • Arial Unicode MS
  • .Keyboard
  • Lucida Grande
  • Lucida Grande Bold
  • .Lucida Grande UI
  • .Lucida Grande UI Bold
  • Menlo Regular
  • Menlo Bold

Touchbar Symbols

I located the .car assets file for the Macbook Touchbar symbols, and used them instead of drawing my own.

Symbol Reference

Symbol Key Unicode Name
⌘ Command PLACE OF INTEREST SIGN
⌃ Control UP ARROWHEAD
⌥ Option OPTION KEY
⎇ Option ALTERNATIVE KEY SYMBOL
⇧ Shift UPWARDS WHITE ARROW
⇪ Caps Lock UPWARDS WHITE ARROW FROM BAR
↩ ︎ Return LEFTWARDS ARROW WITH HOOK
⏎ (actual return) RETURN SYMBOL
⌅ Enter UP ARROWHEAD BETWEEN TWO HORIZONTAL BARS
⌦ Delete ERASE TO THE RIGHT
⎋ Escape BROKEN CIRCLE WITH NORTHWEST ARROW
⏏ Eject EJECT SYMBOL
⇥ Tab RIGHTWARDS ARROW TO BAR
fn Function N/A
  • New keyboards seem to use the alternative option key symbol. When using Apple Symbols it will display (properly) as a wider version, rather than upside-down.
  • Enter ≠ Return
    • Apple uses the left hooked arrow rather than the actual return symbol.
  • Backspace ≠ Delete
    • The backspace key is labeled "Delete"
    • The delete key has the delete symbol
  • The Function Key has no symbol

Resources

DIP Switch Reference

The keyboard has six DIP switches for various functions and modes. My chosen arrangement: 1 enabled, 2-5 disabled, 6 enabled.

Switch State Function Notes
1 off, 2 off QWERTY mode
1 on, 2 off Mac mode Swap default CMD and OPT key positions
1 off, 2 on Dvorak mode
1 on, 2 on Colemak mode
3 off (L) CTRL = (L) CTRL, Caps Lock = Caps Lock
3 on (L) CTRL = (L) CTRL, Caps Lock = (L) CTRL Caps Lock function removed
4 off Scroll Lock = Scroll Lock
4 on Scroll Lock = OS Key Lock Use to enable/disable OS keys
5 off OS Keys enabled
5 on OS Keys disabled If disabled, OS Key Lock mode is disabled
6 off Menu Key = Menu Key
6 on Menu Key = Fn Key Use to access built-in media commands

Reading

Applications