3.7 KiB
Kaleidoscope-Steno
Stenography is a way to write in shorthand, a chorded input system that allows
very fast input (considerably higher than normal touch typing), by using
shorthand chords and a dictionary. This plugin implements the GeminiPR
protocol that supports a number of systems, including Plover.
While Plover supports a normal QWERTY keyboard too, having a dedicated plugin comes with important advantages:
- No need to toggle Plover on and off, because the normal keys are not taken over by Plover anymore.
- Easier toggling, because you only have to toggle the layer, not Plover too. If you switch back to a keyboard layer, without toggling Plover off, nothing unexpected will happen. Plover will not take over the keys.
- The
GeminiPR
protocol supports language systems other than English.
Do note that the GeminiPR
protocol is implemented over the virtual serial
port, so any plugin that wants to use that port too, will run into
conflicts with the Steno plugin. In other words, don't use it together
with Focus.
What is Steno? Why should I use it? How do I learn?
As mentioned above, steno (short for "stenography") is a shorthand, chorded input system that allows very fast input - licensed stenographers are required to type 225 WPM at 95% accuracy to get their license. Although reaching that speed typically takes 2-6 years of practice and training, lower speeds comparable to or exceeding that of touch typing can reportedly be reached in only a few months.
This talk (YouTube link) gives a brief introduction to Steno, how it works, and why it is cool.
One recommend way to get started with learning Steno is with Plover. Plover is software for your computer that will interpret the steno input from your Model 01 (or other NKRO QWERTY keyboard); it is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Plover's Beginner's Guide is a great place to get started with Steno in general and Plover in particular.
Using the plugin
To use the plugin, simply include the header in your Sketch, tell the firmware
to use the GeminiPR
object, and place Steno keys on your keymap. It is best
illustrated with an example:
#include <Kaleidoscope.h>
#include <Kaleidoscope-Steno.h>
// Somewhere in the keymap:
S(S1), S(S2), etc
KALEIDOSCOPE_INIT_PLUGINS(GeminiPR);
void setup() {
Kaleidoscope.setup();
}
Keys provided by the plugin
The plugin provides a number of keys one can put on the keymap, that allow
correspond to various Steno keys. All of these must be used together with the
S()
macro provided by the plugin, as can be seen in the example above.
The provided keys are: FN
, N1
, N2
, N3
, N4
, N5
, N6
, S1
, S2
,
TL
, KL
, PL
, WL
, HL
, RL
, A
, O
, ST1
, ST2
, RE1
, RE2
, PWR
,
ST3
, ST4
, E
, U
, FR
, RR
, PR
, BR
, LR
, GR
, TR
, SR
, DR
,
N7
, N8
, N9
, NA
, NB
, NC
, ZR
.
See the example for the default/suggested placements of each of these keys.
Plugin methods and properties
The plugin provides a GeminiPR
object, with no public methods or properties.
Dependencies
Further reading
Starting from the example is the recommended way of getting started with the plugin.