❓ What?
Instead of going the regular route and using Caps Lock as a hyper key / hyper key layer, I tried to use it with the new feature from BetterTouchTool, which blocks (and releases) keyboard input temporarily. I discovered this because of Frank1 on BTT Forums.
❔ Why?
BetterTouchTool does not listen to keystrokes sent by BetterTouchTool when configuring shortcuts or key sequences in it. Shortcuts are basically one key combo, such as a Modifier (Cmd, Opt, Ctrl) + Any key that is not a Modifier (h, j, k, l).
Using Caps Lock as Hyper Key would mean I have to press Four Modifiers when configuring a new shortcut every time, and this does not even work when defining a Key Sequence (which is what I use more because I am a fan of Namespaced Shortcuts) because the modifier order is relevant and cannot be marked as irrelevant in BTT.
🎤 How?
I don’t just want to use Caps Lock as a Keyboard Block / Release button. Sure, when pressed (and held), I want it to do that. However, when pressed (and released), I want it to send Escape. I have been recently trying to relearn QWERTY to type with all my fingers instead of all on my left + two on my right.
I have spent quite a bit of time trying out different combinations of delays and such, trying to emulate a QMK tap-hold functionality and here is what worked finally.
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When Caps Lock is Pressed and Released:
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Send Escape
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Toggle Caps Lock
This is important because otherwise Caps Lock itself would turn on - meaning all CAPS.
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When Caps Lock is Pressed and no further input is detected for the next 0.2 seconds (that is, caps lock is not released OR any other key is NOT pressed):
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Block keyboard input.
Initially, the delay was 0.3s, but I have reduced it to 0.2s. I’ll try reducing it further in the future.
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When Caps Lock is Released (only when keyboard input is blocked - I do not want it to trigger when caps lock is pressed with another key as I also configure shortcuts that are not key sequences):
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Allow keyboard input
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Toggle Caps Lock
This is important because otherwise Caps Lock itself would turn on - meaning all CAPS.
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👓 References
https://community.folivora.ai/t/de-blocking-keyboard-as-hyperkey-replacement/34810/17?u=kayg04