PHMPad Vol. 1

DONE. I am finally done with the PHM Pad Vol. 1! Sent it, completed the
GitHub repository
(https://github.com/LiterallyRylandGrace/PHM-Pad-Volume-1/tree/main if
you wanna check it out). All that is left is to hope and pray that I
didn’t accidentally make it out of antimatter or something haha.

Cheers!
Ryland Grace

So close! I am now essentially done with the GitHub. The only thing is that I noticed I haven’t accounted for the tolerances. Oups! Happens to the very best, I’m sure. All that is left is to adjust the affected files and voilà! My very own PHM Pad!

Almost done! I believe I am done with the firmware, as well as the PCB and the case! All that is left is to create the GitHub repository. In other words, the bane of my existence.

It took me quite a while to figure out why I couldn’t compile the QMK firmware for my PHM Pad. I couldn’t really figure out what was up with my matricies. The result was a couple of hours of essentially useless surfing across the web, until I finally thought of looking through the repo of the original HackPad, the orpheus. This allowed me to see the weird nomenclature of the matrix rows and columns. I then decided to go on a bit of an adventure to find the full table for the names of the different pins of the Xiao module. I replaced them and, would you know it, it worked. At last, I was done with the firmware.

I then proceeded to work a bit on the github and try to learn what goes where for the repository. Nothing much, really.

Cheers!
Ryland Grace

Didn’t do much today except learn and watch tutorials. At first I was searching for a way to identify the correct matrix column and rows pins, but honestly still haven’t really found the answer. Instead, I went on a whole “Side-Quest” and ended up essentially completely redesigning my PCB. That was about it, have a nice day!

Cheers!
Ryland Grace

I finished my case as well as the PCB for my PHMPad Vol. 1 (I need to figure out how to change the name of the project). I am now currently working on the headache that is the firmware. It will most likely take a while because it’s my first time making any kind of technical project, so I need to learn absolutely everything.

What is the PHMPad Vol. 1? Essentially, going to PC from a laptop, I have found the general absence of volume control keys to be very annoying. I have therefore decided to create a 2x3 hackpad with the controls as follows.

“ Previous, Pause/Play, Next
Mute/Unmute, Volume Down, Volume Up”
(stardance wanted to format it weirdly so I decided to quote myself hehe.)

In this Moment Lapse of (non-)Reasoning (wonderful album by the way, absolutely recommend a listen), I have manage to get confused an impressive amount of times. I’ll list a few of them here, along with the respective “a-ha” moments.

1. Why is the Xiao Seeeduino Moudle footprint missing??
   I forgot to search how to add the different libraries.

2. Where do I even paste all of this QMK code??
   Apparently you had to install the QMK MSYS program.

3. And WHY doesn’t any of this QMK code work?
   You had to set it up. And I forgot to set it up. I can’t add two and two.

That should be about it for today. I should point out that I forgot to record a timelapse of roughly two hours, which is why I made a somewhat significant progress from an absolute beginner in 1.5 hours. Hope to finish it soon. Cheers!