Where did this app source the key layouts?

[goldentoaste]

Hello @nickcoutsos, I'm looking to do a project relating to zmk keyboards, and I need to render a keyboard similar to what you did.
Im wondering how your program the user's keyboard layout when given the repo link?

When reading the source code in this repo, it is fetching for config/info.json and config/keymap.json, however firmware repo isn't structure like this. For example I have a Sofle keyboard, so I would have config/sofle.json (layout), config/sofle.keymap (keymap). Is the hosted api not the same as the api code in this repo perhaps?

Also, when the user's repo doesn't contain a config/<kbname>.json file, the program can still load the layout. Is there a backup source for the keymap?

Any pointers would be much appreciated!

[nickcoutsos]

The code in the repo is much older than the deployed app.

A version of the rendering still exists in app/src/Keyboard/KeyboardLayout.js, and some of the rendering code was pulled out and migrated to keymap-layout-tools. That repo contains a stanalone library for working with layouts (parsing/rendering) and a helper app for editing layouts.

When keymap-editor can't find a layout in config/info.json/config/<keyboard>.json it will attempt to generate one based on ZMK details if available, or if its a more common keyboard I may have prepared a layout already here.

[goldentoaste]

Wow thanks for the quick reply. I have a few follow up questions. For context, I am planning on making a overlay app that display the zmk key layout on screen, to help with learning and experimenting with layout easier.

1. Can I use the list of existing layout found in the keymap-editor-contrib repo?
2. When you mentioned the api tries to generate a layout when it is not provided, it takes the .keymap files and parse it in a grid pattern right?
3. I see this json layout format you used the editor works quite well, but it is not the same as QMK info.json format (although zmk website suggest your tool to convert into QMK json format), and is also different from ZMK's .dsti format. But I still want to use your format since it is more readable and parse-able, and suggest my potential users to use your layout editor if needed. Do you think this is a good idea?

[nickcoutsos]

1. Can I use the list of existing layout found in the keymap-editor-contrib repo?

Sure

2. When you mentioned the api tries to generate a layout when it is not provided, it takes the .keymap files and parse it in a grid pattern right?

Keymap files are difficult to make a layout out of, but if you can get at the appropriate devicetree files then matrix transforms are usually gridlike. The layout helper app lets you paste the board definition's devicetree code to generate a layout.

3. I see this json layout format you used the editor works quite well, but it is not the same as QMK info.json format (although zmk website suggest your tool to convert into QMK json format), and is also different from ZMK's .dsti format. But I still want to use your format since it is more readable and parse-able, and suggest my potential users to use your layout editor if needed. Do you think this is a good idea?

I haven't tried using ZMK's layout definition but from the looks of things it's still more or less the same data encoded differently so it shouldn't be too difficult to use either.