qmk_firmware/docs/feature_dynamic_macros.md
Drashna Jaelre 542cb0a8ce [Core] Convert Dynamic Macro to a Core Feature (#5948)
* Convert Dynamic Macro to a Core Feature

This imports the code from Dynamic Macro into the core code, and handles it, as such.

This deprecates the old method but does not remove it, for legacy support. This way, no existing user files need to be touched.

Additionally, this reorganizes the documentation to better reflect the changes.

Also, it adds user hooks to the feature so users can customize the existing functionality.

Based heavily on and closes #2976

* Apply suggestions from code review

Co-Authored-By: fauxpark <fauxpark@gmail.com>
Co-Authored-By: noroadsleft <18669334+noroadsleft@users.noreply.github.com>

* Cleanup based on feedback

* Add short-form keycodes and document them

- add short-form keycodes to quantum/quantum_keycodes.h
- document the new aliases in docs/feature_dynamic_macros.md

* Add Dynamic Macros section and keycodes to docs/keycodes.md

* Make anti-nesting optional

* Add documentation for DYNAMIC_MACRO_NO_NESTING option

* Fix Merge artifacts

* Fix formatting typo in docs

Co-Authored-By: James Young <18669334+noroadsleft@users.noreply.github.com>

* Remove DYNAMIC_MACRO_RANGE as it's not needed

* Fix includes and layer var type
2019-11-04 22:59:13 -08:00

66 lines
4.5 KiB
Markdown

# Dynamic Macros: Record and Replay Macros in Runtime
QMK supports temporary macros created on the fly. We call these Dynamic Macros. They are defined by the user from the keyboard and are lost when the keyboard is unplugged or otherwise rebooted.
You can store one or two macros and they may have a combined total of 128 keypresses. You can increase this size at the cost of RAM.
To enable them, first include `DYNAMIC_MACRO_ENABLE = yes` in your `rules.mk`. Then, add the following keys to your keymap:
|Key |Alias |Description |
|------------------|----------|---------------------------------------------------|
|`DYN_REC_START1` |`DM_REC1` |Start recording Macro 1 |
|`DYN_REC_START2` |`DM_REC2` |Start recording Macro 2 |
|`DYN_MACRO_PLAY1` |`DM_PLY1` |Replay Macro 1 |
|`DYN_MACRO_PLAY2` |`DM_PLY2` |Replay Macro 2 |
|`DYN_REC_STOP` |`DM_RSTP` |Finish the macro that is currently being recorded. |
That should be everything necessary.
To start recording the macro, press either `DYN_REC_START1` or `DYN_REC_START2`.
To finish the recording, press the `DYN_REC_STOP` layer button.
To replay the macro, press either `DYN_MACRO_PLAY1` or `DYN_MACRO_PLAY2`.
It is possible to replay a macro as part of a macro. It's ok to replay macro 2 while recording macro 1 and vice versa but never create recursive macros i.e. macro 1 that replays macro 1. If you do so and the keyboard will get unresponsive, unplug the keyboard and plug it again. You can disable this completly by defining `DYNAMIC_MACRO_NO_NESTING` in your `config.h` file.
?> For the details about the internals of the dynamic macros, please read the comments in the `process_dynamic_macro.h` and `process_dynamic_macro.c` files.
## Customization
There are a number of options added that should allow some additional degree of customization
|Define |Default |Description |
|----------------------------|----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|`DYNAMIC_MACRO_SIZE` |128 |Sets the amount of memory that Dynamic Macros can use. This is a limited resource, dependent on the controller. |
|`DYNAMIC_MACRO_USER_CALL` |*Not defined* |Defining this falls back to using the user `keymap.c` file to trigger the macro behavior. |
|`DYNAMIC_MACRO_NO_NESTING` |*Not Defined* |Defining this disables the ability to call a macro from another macro (nested macros). |
If the LEDs start blinking during the recording with each keypress, it means there is no more space for the macro in the macro buffer. To fit the macro in, either make the other macro shorter (they share the same buffer) or increase the buffer size by adding the `DYNAMIC_MACRO_SIZE` define in your `config.h` (default value: 128; please read the comments for it in the header).
### DYNAMIC_MACRO_USER_CALL
For users of the earlier versions of dynamic macros: It is still possible to finish the macro recording using just the layer modifier used to access the dynamic macro keys, without a dedicated `DYN_REC_STOP` key. If you want this behavior back, add `#define DYNAMIC_MACRO_USER_CALL` to your `config.h` and insert the following snippet at the beginning of your `process_record_user()` function:
```c
uint16_t macro_kc = (keycode == MO(_DYN) ? DYN_REC_STOP : keycode);
if (!process_record_dynamic_macro(macro_kc, record)) {
return false;
}
```
### User Hooks
There are a number of hooks that you can use to add custom functionality and feedback options to Dynamic Macro feature. This allows for some additional degree of customization.
Note, that direction indicates which macro it is, with `1` being Macro 1, `-1` being Macro 2, and 0 being no macro.
* `dynamic_macro_record_start_user(void)` - Triggered when you start recording a macro.
* `dynamic_macro_play_user(int8_t direction)` - Triggered when you play back a macro.
* `dynamic_macro_record_key_user(int8_t direction, keyrecord_t *record)` - Triggered on each keypress while recording a macro.
* `dynamic_macro_record_end_user(int8_t direction)` - Triggered when the macro recording is stopped.
Additionally, you can call `dynamic_macro_led_blink()` to flash the backlights if that feature is enabled.