After completing the NayaCreate and NayaModule updates, you are ready to flash your first keymap. When you open NayaFlow for the first time, you will see a default keymap for either Windows or MacOS depending on your OS(operating system). For this section, we are going to use the default keymap for MacOS.
NayaCreate makes use of a “keymap” short for “keyboard mapping” to determine the function of each physical key. The keymap allows every person to change how their NayaCreate behaves to bet suit their specific needs/requirements.
You can imagine a keymap like an excel table with one column called Input(pressing a physical key) and the other Output(letter typed on computer). On most keyboards you can only change the input, by physically pressing a different key. On NayaCreate you are able to change the output of any input to practically anything.
For example, pressing the physical E key can output E as per the QWERTY standard*(Output 1), but it can also be configured to output F as per the Colemak standard(Output 2)*.
| Input | Output 1 | Output 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Q | Q | Q |
| W | W | W |
| E | E | F |
| R | R | P |
| T | T | B |
| Y | Y | J |
The term "flashing" comes from Flash memory — the type of storage used in microcontrollers. The name itself traces back to engineer Shoji Ariizumi, who thought the process of erasing the chip in a single rapid burst resembled a camera flash. In the context of NayaCreate, flashing means writing a new keymap configuration onto the keyboard's microcontroller, replacing the current set of instructions that tells each key what to do. Once flashed, the new keymap takes effect immediately and persists even after the keyboard is powered off.
Flashing a keymap to your NayaCreate is very straight forward, the only thing you have to remember is that you must save or discard your changes before you can flash.
Connect your NayaCreate Left using USB to your computer. Tip: NayaCreate Left is the brains of the operation as it were, therefore NayaCreate Right is not required to be connected over USB to flash a keymap. You do not need to have your modules plugged in to make changes to their behaviours either.
Open NayaFlow and make sure that your NayaCreate Left is connected. On the Top Bar of NayaFlow you will see a keyboard icon appear with the details of your NayaCreate board.
NayaCreate Left and NayaTune connected
Make a change to the keymap, for this demonstration I will swap the Q and W keys’ functionality (we will revert this in a moment if you’d like to follow along).
Press the Save icon in the top right corner to save your changes. You will not be able to press the FLASH CREATE button unless your changes are saved (or discarded).
