HHKB Pro Hybrid, Delete key, DIP switch

ed.avis

18 Nov 2024, 13:25

At home I use a New Model F 62 with HHKB layout. This has a Backspace key (to delete the previous character) located above the Enter key. Pressing Fn-Backspace gives Delete (to delete the following character).

A buckling spring keyboard would be too noisy for work, so I've bought an HHKB Professional Hybrid (Type-S) and connected it via USB. Mostly the layout is as I expect. But by default the key above Return sends Delete, with Fn-Delete giving Backspace. That's the opposite of my F62. There is a DIP switch that makes the Delete key send Backspace. However, with that switch set, Fn-Delete also gives Backspace! You can't have it delete backwards without Fn held and delete forwards with Fn held. If you want to delete forward you must use a separate key (Fn-`).

It seems this is a longstanding annoyance with HHKBs. For older models there is a replacement controller (Hasu) which you can program to fix this, or other changes besides. But the Hasu controller doesn't support the later Hybrid model. I guess I could put back the DIP switch to its default setting and install some software driver to swap around Delete and Backspace scancodes. But that seems ugly, and would be awkward as I don't have administrator access to my Windows 10 PC at work. So I guess I'm stuck with two different keys for Backspace and Delete, unless I put back the DIP switch and learn to work "the wrong way around" (in which case I'd want to reprogram my F62 somehow).

ed.avis

18 Nov 2024, 13:33

Ah, apparently there's an official remap tool: https://happyhackingkb.com/manual/studi ... ptool.html
Can that be used to get what I want?

ed.avis

27 Nov 2024, 16:18

Yes, I was able to fix this using the remapping tool. It's a bit confusing at first. The top half of the screen lets you choose a keystroke (I clicked on Fn then on Delete) and the bottom half chooses what to bind it to. If you switch the bottom half to "Alphabetical order" then you can see a Del key action to bind to. So now I have Delete sending backspace and Fn+Delete sending forward-delete, which matches the setup on my F62.

Post Reply

Return to “Keyboards”