Setting up a secondary macro keyboard with Karabiner-Elements

I previously wrote that I bought a gamepad keyboard, hooked it up to my Mac and configured it with Karabiner-Elements. On my work machine I’ve taken that idea one step further. I’ve hooked up a full sized keyboard and programmed all the keys to be shortcuts.

Using the Karabiner Complex Modification website, I put together a couple of key combinations. Then using Groovy, I wrote a small piece of code to write out the statements for the rest of the keyboard.

With that done, I have assigned keys to different functions I find myself repeating. For example, S is to capture a screenshot using SnagIt.

J is to capture the number and title of a Jira ticket using TextSoap. That text is then pasted into TaskPaper where I keep my test plan notes.

The numbers 1 and 2 are to remove or add carriage returns within my text using TextSoap.

I’m now watching how I work to see what steps I repeat and if those can be assigned to a keyboard macro.

Karabiner-Elements has turned out to be extremely useful and far more than just an amusing configuration experiment.

Putting this all together, I have text/code snippets assigned to TypeIt4Me, keywords tied into Alfred and Keyboard Maestro, and hotkeys assigned to a secondary keyboard with Karabiner-Elements. Fairly soon, I should be able to perform dozens of functions using either a single work or a single keystroke. It’s going to be sweet!