What is SpaceFN and why you should give it a try
The SpaceFN concept - setting up your space key as a layer switch when held - is probably one of the most useful tweaks in the keyboard hobby. Let me explain how it works. My SpaceFN article on kbd.news made some rounds recently - quite surprisingly given the age of this concept. This piece you're reading is a condensed version of the full post. If you're left with unanswered questions, you'll most likely find the info you're looking for in the original write-up. On my imaginary top list of the most useful keyboard features, tweaks and hacks, SpaceFN would deserve a podium finish for sure. But what makes it so special? In short: SpaceFN is easy to implement, easy to learn, costs nothing, can be used with any keyboard, and can improve your productivity instantly. I will list its benefits below, but can state right at this point that the SpaceFN concept, setting up your space key as a layer switch when held, is clearly one of the most useful tweaks in the keyboard hobby....
Apr 30, 2024
when i plug it in tho, the leds light up with the rainbow effect and everything works as far as i can tell, EXCEPT the fn and menu keys under the right shift.
the FN key is just a winkey and the menu key does not seem to anything at all. this is under win10 x64 ultimate.
do i have to install a specific driver, or flash the board? like this i cannot control the leds at all, which is really annoying.
how do you guys control the LED lighting?
If it's the keys that don't work, I would try removing the keycap and taking the switch out since they are hot swappable. It may just not be seated correctly.
If the LEDs don't work, you received a defective board and will need to open a support ticket to have MD send you a new one.
LED lighting will be controlled by software that is not yet completed. The board shipped earlier than expected and IC hasn't finished the configuration software yet.
right, so i had the following problem. all keys work, all leds light up. the only only two keys that were not working properly were FN and menu, whereby FN was just a normal winkey and menu did not work at all, even though the led is lit.
so i found out that this is a matter of firmware flashing. i flashed the firmware to the "no animations" just to get the fn key working and to get rid of the stupid unicorn vomit animation :)
so the FN key is now functional and i can manipulate the LED brightness and turn them on/off, but the menu key still does not work. the led under it is lit, but for instance when i select a file in windows file explorer and press menu, nothing happens. i'd expect the context menu on the file to appear.
i have already tried a different switch in its place (since they included a switch puller, which is awesome :) still it's the same situation.
Steps I followed. - Downloaded the latest default firmware from https://input.club/configurator/ (in the top-ish left select K-Type standard from the drop down, then click the red button on the right named download firmware) - Extracted the firmware - Followed the steps here https://github.com/kiibohd/controller/blob/master/Documentation/Keyboards/K-Type.md for flashing NOT entering the flash mode(up to dfu-util -D kiibohd.dfu.bin, type that in but don't press enter) - Opened the on screen keyboard - Followed the steps for entering flash mode - Using the on screen keyboard press enter in the console