/dactyl_manuform_5x6-ZMK

This is a repo on how to make a dactyl_manuform

Dactyl Manuform Keyboard. Here is what you need to KNOW

Dactyl Manuform keyboards with ZMK (Zephyr-based Microcontroller Keyboard) firmware work by utilizing ZMK to manage keyboard functionality. ZMK is an open-source firmware designed for wireless mechanical keyboards. It's built on top of the Zephyr RTOS (Real-Time Operating System), providing a flexible and reliable platform for custom keyboard firmware.

To set up a Dactyl Manuform keyboard with ZMK, you typically start by flashing the ZMK firmware onto the microcontroller of your keyboard. This firmware enables wireless connectivity, key mapping customization, and other features. In our case SPLITS.

How to do this the simplest way is this:

Compiling and flashing

  • Fork this repo by clicking on the Fork button (basically with this you copy this code to your account) it has all the necessary code for you to start.
  • Then you go to this website Keymap Editor (which is from this guy https://github.com/nickcoutsos/keymap-editor all props to him for this amazing tool).
  • In here you connect your GitHub account and find your repo you can ask me any question that you might have by submitting an Issue.
  • When that is done click on save (in the site) this will also save all your changes in your GitHub account.

We are getting close. Four more steps

  • Go back to your repo (=repository) and go to actions. When it is done (hopefully without any errors if yes again send me an issue for help) download the file it should be a zip file called firmware.zip Last step flashing
  • In the zip file you should find two files with the name dactyl_manuform_5x6_left-nice_nano_v2-zmk.uf2 and dactyl_manuform_5x6_right-nice_nano_v2-zmk.uf2 this is your firmware
  • Now get one of the two halves and get it into bootloader mode. To do this first power it on and then connect it to USB with a computer, then with something like a paper clip press the button next to the USB (between the USB and the on-off switch)
  • This should make a new folder in your PC appear called NICENANO you then drag the corresponding file into that drive (the nicenano one) and that is it. You did it. (did it for the second half as well)

Known issues

  • ZMK only reports the battery of the central half the left one.
  • If you want to communicate with usb you can definitely do so by connecting the LEFT half the right one (the peripheral doesn't work like that)
  • You can charge by connecting them with a cable. As said above if the cable is connected to the left one it will both charge and also work at the same time without Bluetooth the right one just charges.
  • Your Bluetooth needs to be 4.2 at a minimum otherwise it will not work with Bluetooth.

NOTE: I would highly advise you to give ZMK a read it literally has everything you would need to know.