Bug: brdown brup work inconsistently in macos

[justin-calleja]

Requirements

• I've searched platform-specific issues, issues and discussions to see if this has been reported before.
• My issue does not involve multiple simultaneous key presses, OR it does but I've confirmed it is not key rollover or ghosting.

Describe the bug

I apologise if this is "keyboard hardware limitation to save costs" - I don't know how to confirm whether it's the case or not.

I think it's not because with karabiner event viewer running, I can get:

  {
    "type": "down",
    "name": {"consumer_key_code":"display_brightness_increment"},
    "usagePage": "12 (0x000c)",
    "usage": "111 (0x006f)",
    "misc": "flags left_command,left_control,left_option,left_shift"
  },

showing that the brightness increase input has been detected by an application. However, kanata does not increase the brightness when I hold "space + s" and press f.

It does work if I use brup in the base layer.

In debug.kbd (given below), brdown/up in home row or top row don't work but VolumeDown/Up do.
Also, in base layer, everything works (I haven't tried the media ones).

In debug2.kbd I added a system2 layer with just the ; key being pressed and now brightness works. So it's a key combination issue (hardware level signal not sent when "space + s" then press f... is not sending signal. But then how come karabiner event viewer is correctly picking up the brightness up when i have debug.kbd running kanata and I hold "space + s" and press f. It outputs the JSON above with "brightness increment" in it).

Relevant kanata config

debug.kbd

(defcfg
  ;; Process all unmapped keys normally
  process-unmapped-keys yes
  
  ;; Required for chordsv2
  concurrent-tap-hold yes
  
  ;; Rapid event delay for better compatibility
  rapid-event-delay 5
)

;; Define the source keys we want to intercept
(defsrc
  esc  f1   f2   f3   f4   f5   f6   f7   f8   f9   f10  f11  f12
  grv  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    0    -    =    bspc
  tab  q    w    e    r    t    y    u    i    o    p    [    ]    \
  caps a    s    d    f    g    h    j    k    l    ;    '    ret
  lsft z    x    c    v    b    n    m    ,    .    /    rsft
  lctl lmet lalt           spc            ralt rmet rctl
)

;; Aliases for cleaner configuration  
(defalias
  hyper (tap-hold 200 200 spc (multi lctl lalt lsft lmet))     ;; Tap: space, Hold: hyper key
  hyper_s (tap-hold 200 200 s (layer-while-held system))    ;; Hyper+S: system layer
)

;; Base layer - normal typing with layer activation keys  
(deflayer base
  esc  brdown   brup   _    _    _    _   MediaTrackPrevious   MediaPlayPause   MediaTrackNext   VolumeMute  VolumeDown  VolumeUp 
  grv  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    0    -    =    bspc
  tab  q    w    e    r    t    y    u    i    o    p    [    ]    \
  lctl a    @hyper_s  d    f    g    h    j    k    l    ;    '    ret
  lsft z    x    c    v    b    n    m    ,    .    /    rsft
  lctl lmet lalt           @hyper            ralt rmet rctl
)

;;  System Mode (hyper + s)
(deflayer system
  esc  brdown    brup   _    _    _    _   MediaTrackPrevious   MediaPlayPause   MediaTrackNext   VolumeMute  VolumeDown  VolumeUp 
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    brdown    brup   _    _    VolumeDown   VolumeUp   _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _              _              _    _    _
)

debug2.kbd

(defcfg
  ;; Process all unmapped keys normally
  process-unmapped-keys yes
  
  ;; Required for chordsv2
  concurrent-tap-hold yes
  
  ;; Rapid event delay for better compatibility
  rapid-event-delay 5
)

;; Define the source keys we want to intercept
(defsrc
  esc  f1   f2   f3   f4   f5   f6   f7   f8   f9   f10  f11  f12
  grv  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    0    -    =    bspc
  tab  q    w    e    r    t    y    u    i    o    p    [    ]    \
  caps a    s    d    f    g    h    j    k    l    ;    '    ret
  lsft z    x    c    v    b    n    m    ,    .    /    rsft
  lctl lmet lalt           spc            ralt rmet rctl
)

;; Aliases for cleaner configuration  
(defalias
  hyper (tap-hold 200 200 spc (multi lctl lalt lsft lmet))
  hyper_s (tap-hold 200 200 s (layer-while-held system))
  lyr_semi (tap-hold 200 200 ; (layer-while-held system2)) 
)

;; Base layer - normal typing with layer activation keys  
(deflayer base
  esc  brdown   brup   _    _    _    _   MediaTrackPrevious   MediaPlayPause   MediaTrackNext   VolumeMute  VolumeDown  VolumeUp 
  grv  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    0    -    =    bspc
  tab  q    w    e    r    t    y    u    i    o    p    [    ]    \
  lctl a    @hyper_s  d    f    g    h    j    k    l    @lyr_semi    '    ret
  lsft z    x    c    v    b    n    m    ,    .    /    rsft
  lctl lmet lalt           @hyper            ralt rmet rctl
)

;;  System Mode (hyper + s)
(deflayer system
  esc  brdown    brup   _    _    _    _   MediaTrackPrevious   MediaPlayPause   MediaTrackNext   VolumeMute  VolumeDown  VolumeUp 
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    brdown    brup   _    _    VolumeDown   VolumeUp   _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _              _              _    _    _
)

(deflayer system2
  esc  brdown    brup   _    _    _    _   MediaTrackPrevious   MediaPlayPause   MediaTrackNext   VolumeMute  VolumeDown  VolumeUp 
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    brdown    brup   _    _    VolumeDown   VolumeUp   _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _              _              _    _    _
)

To Reproduce

1. sudo kanata_macos_cmd_allowed_arm64 --cfg ./debug.kbd
2. hold space bar + s to enter system layer and press f
3. nothing happens. Expected increase brightness

Follow same procedure with debug2.kbd and enter system2 with holding just ;
Then pressing f to increase brightness works.

Both system and system2 give a display_brightness_increment on press f in either config when monitoring input with karabiner event viewer

Expected behavior

If hyper is space key and "hyper + s" goes to system layer; and I have 'f' in system layer to increase brightness; and the signal seems to be sent as karabiner element viewer is picking it up; then the expected behavior is for brightness increase to work - as it does when using system2 layer with just ; pressed down to enter system2 which has f to increase brightness. This one too is picked up just like the other one by karabiner element viewer with:

  {
    "type": "down",
    "name": {"consumer_key_code":"display_brightness_increment"},
    "usagePage": "12 (0x000c)",
    "usage": "111 (0x006f)",
    "misc": ""
  },

Kanata version

kanata v1.9.0

Debug logs

No errors in debug log of either config. Startup logs:

08:26:07.8736 [INFO] kanata v1.9.0 starting
08:26:07.8741 [INFO] process unmapped keys: true
08:26:07.8744 [INFO] config file is valid
08:26:07.8744 [INFO] Sleeping for 2s. Please release all keys and don't press additional ones. Run kanata with --help to see how understand more and how to disable this sleep.
08:26:09.8797 [INFO] entering the processing loop
08:26:09.8800 [INFO] entering the event loop
08:26:09.8805 [INFO] Init: catching only releases and sending immediately
connected
driver_activated 1
driver_connected 0
driver_version_mismatched 0
08:26:10.5137 [INFO] Starting kanata proper
08:26:10.5139 [INFO] You may forcefully exit kanata by pressing lctl+spc+esc at any time. These keys refer to defsrc input, meaning BEFORE kanata remaps keys.
driver_connected 1

Operating system

Mac 15.5 (sequoia)

Additional context

No response

[jtroo]

It's described in the link:

Usually it involves at least 3 keys, where the first two are OK but the 3rd does not output anything.

[jtroo]

You can verify this isn't a Kanata bug by ensuring Kanata isn't running and pressing the non-working key combination together with no releases, and verify if all of the keys work; the expectation is the last input is not detected.

[justin-calleja]

Hi @jtroo thanks for replying.

Usually it involves at least 3 keys, where the first two are OK but the 3rd does not output anything.

I read that and tried to confirm whether it was this case or not - see image below.

You can verify this isn't a Kanata bug by ensuring Kanata isn't running and pressing the non-working key combination together with no releases, and verify if all of the keys work; the expectation is the last input is not detected.

Ah, I gave you the viewer's output with Kanata running in the original issue submission. However, the input is going through from what I can tell even with Kanata not running. In the below, it is not:

Kanata is not running (caps locks works):

holding space + s + f

"the expectation is the last input is not detected" - the last input is detected.

[justin-calleja]

For anyone looking for a workaround, it's possible to add a layer in between:

(defcfg
  ;; Process all unmapped keys normally
  process-unmapped-keys yes
  
  ;; Required for chordsv2
  concurrent-tap-hold yes
  
  ;; Rapid event delay for better compatibility
  rapid-event-delay 5
)

;; Define the source keys we want to intercept
(defsrc
  esc  f1   f2   f3   f4   f5   f6   f7   f8   f9   f10  f11  f12
  grv  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    0    -    =    bspc
  tab  q    w    e    r    t    y    u    i    o    p    [    ]    \
  caps a    s    d    f    g    h    j    k    l    ;    '    ret
  lsft z    x    c    v    b    n    m    ,    .    /    rsft
  lctl lmet lalt           spc            ralt rmet rctl
)

;; Aliases for cleaner configuration  
(defalias
  hyper (tap-hold 200 200 spc (layer-while-held hyper))     ;; Tap: space, Hold: hyper layer

  activate_system (layer-while-held system)          ;; Activate system layer  
)

;; Base layer - normal typing with layer activation keys  
(deflayer base
  esc  brdown   brup   _    _    _    _   MediaTrackPrevious   MediaPlayPause   MediaTrackNext   VolumeMute  VolumeDown  VolumeUp 
  grv  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    0    -    =    bspc
  tab  q    w    e    r    t    y    u    i    o    p    [    ]    \
  lctl a    s    d    f    g    h    j    k    l    ;    '    ret
  lsft z    x    c    v    b    n    m    ,    .    /    rsft
  lctl lmet lalt           @hyper            ralt rmet rctl
)

;; Hyper layer - activated when space is held down
(deflayer hyper
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    @activate_system    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _              _              _    _    _
)

;;  System Mode (hyper + s)
(deflayer system
  esc  brdown    brup   _    _    _    _   MediaTrackPrevious   MediaPlayPause   MediaTrackNext   VolumeMute  VolumeDown  VolumeUp 
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    brdown    brup   _    _    VolumeDown   VolumeUp   _    _    _    _
  _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _    _
  _    _    _              _              _    _    _
)

This makes space be a tap for space hold for "go to hyper layer". Then hyper layer has another means to activate another layer - in this case - the system layer.

That way you can "namespace" layers once you enter hyper layer.