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Introduction
Charybdis features

Introduction

All the features listed below are available in the Charybdis vendor keymaps.

The vendor keymap aims at providing a consistent experience out of the box. Because some features can be mutually exclusive (e.g. Auto precision on mouse layer and Auto pointer layer), not all features are enabled by default. It may be necessary to rebuild the firmware to enable or disable some of the features listed below.

Charybdis features

Charybdis stock keymap

the stock keymaps are built off the vendor keymaps, and come with Argos enabled. You can read more about argos here.
you can find a visual reference of those keymaps on the default keymaps page
you can find instructions on how to compile your own firmware on the how to compile your firmware page

Pointing module

The Bastard Keyboards Pointing Module is what runs the trackball and trackpad. It provides pointing modes: while a mode is active, movement is not a normal pointer (except precision, which is still a pointer, just slower).

Only one primary mode is active at a time. Precision can stack on another mode and halves that mode’s DPI while it is held. Hold a mode key to use it while pressed; the matching *_TOG keycode stays on until you toggle it off.

On the mouse layer, motion can also:

Precision - slows the pointer for fine movement
Drag-scroll - scrolls instead of moving the cursor
Cursor - motion sends arrow keys
Brightness - vertical motion changes keyboard RGB brightness (not the OS)
Zoom - vertical motion zooms (Ctrl + / −)
Volume - vertical motion changes system volume
Tab switch - horizontal motion switches tabs (Ctrl+Tab)
History - horizontal motion undo/redo (Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Shift+Z)
Custom - motion taps four keys you assign in Argos

You can change DPI, invert axes, auto-activate a mode on a layer, and assign custom direction keys in Argos (no compile). For C, see compiling your firmware.

Precision mode

Precision mode slows the pointer for fine movement. It is useful with a higher default DPI. Precision DPI can be changed at runtime (Argos or the keycodes below).

Name	Description
`SNIPING`	enable precision mode while the key is held
`SNP_TOG`	toggle precision mode on and off
`S_D_MOD`	increase precision-mode DPI by one step
`S_D_RMOD`	decrease precision-mode DPI by one step

Drag-scroll

Drag-scroll turns movement into scroll: x/y become h/v on the host.

Name	Description
`DRGSCRL`	enable drag-scroll while the key is held
`DRG_TOG`	toggle drag-scroll on and off

Cursor

Cursor mode sends arrow keys: left, right, up, and down.

Name	Description
`CURSOR`	enable cursor mode while the key is held
`CUR_TOG`	toggle cursor mode on and off

Brightness

Brightness mode changes keyboard RGB brightness (per-key and/or underglow), not OS display brightness. Move up to increase, down to decrease. Requires RGB.

Name	Description
`PBRIGHT`	enable brightness mode while the key is held
`PBRIGHT_TOG`	toggle brightness mode on and off

Zoom

Zoom mode sends zoom shortcuts used by many apps: move up for Ctrl++, down for Ctrl+-.

Name	Description
`PZOOM`	enable zoom mode while the key is held
`PZOOM_TOG`	toggle zoom mode on and off

Volume

Volume mode changes system volume: up increases, down decreases.

Name	Description
`PVOLUME`	enable volume mode while the key is held
`PVOLUME_TOG`	toggle volume mode on and off

Tab switch

Tab switch works in apps that use Ctrl+Tab to change tabs. Move left for Ctrl+Shift+Tab, right for Ctrl+Tab.

Name	Description
`PTABS`	enable tab-switch mode while the key is held
`PTABS_TOG`	toggle tab-switch mode on and off

History

History mode sends undo/redo in apps that use those shortcuts. Move left for Ctrl+Z, right for Ctrl+Shift+Z.

Name	Description
`PHIST`	enable history mode while the key is held
`PHIST_TOG`	toggle history mode on and off

Custom

Custom modes send a key of your choice per direction (left, right, up, down). Assign the four keys in Argos on the pointing-modes screen, or in firmware. There are five custom modes.

Name	Description
`PCUSTOM1`	enable custom mode 1 while the key is held
`PCUSTOM1_TOG`	toggle custom mode 1 on and off
`PCUSTOM2` / `PCUSTOM2_TOG`	custom mode 2 hold / toggle
`PCUSTOM3` / `PCUSTOM3_TOG`	custom mode 3 hold / toggle
`PCUSTOM4` / `PCUSTOM4_TOG`	custom mode 4 hold / toggle
`PCUSTOM5` / `PCUSTOM5_TOG`	custom mode 5 hold / toggle

Shared pointing settings

DPI

DPI is pointer sensitivity. Default DPI applies in normal pointer mode. Each pointing mode also has its own DPI (including precision).

DPI_MOD / DPI_RMOD cycle the DPI of the active mode (hold Shift to reverse direction on DPI_MOD, matching firmware). S_D_MOD / S_D_RMOD always cycle precision DPI.

Values cycle: going past the last step wraps to the first.

In current firmware, default DPI starts at 100 and steps by 100 for 30 steps (up to 3100). Precision DPI starts at 100 and steps by 100 for 20 steps (up to 2100). Factory steps are 6 (700 DPI default) and 4 (500 DPI precision).

While you change DPI on the mouse layer, a bar of RGB LEDs shows the step (Charybdis per-key RGB; Dilemma underglow).

Set DPI in Argos without compiling.

Auto precision on mouse layer

When enabled, entering the mouse layer turns on precision mode. Configure this in Argos. This can conflict with auto pointer layer; not all combinations are on by default.

Auto pointer layer

When enabled, moving the trackball or trackpad activates the mouse layer. Configure this in Argos.

Invert axes

Each mode can invert X and/or Y in Argos on the pointing-modes screen. INVX and INVY invert the currently active mode from the keyboard.

Configuration syncing

Configuration syncing is enabled by default on current firmware. It syncs state such as precision or drag-scroll to the other half (RGB, LCD, and similar).

Reflash both sides when you rely on this. Drag-scroll can fail if USB is plugged into the secondary half instead of the primary.

Next: Default keymaps

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