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Tap-Hold Configuration Options

While Tap-Hold options are fantastic, they are not without their issues. We have tried to configure them with reasonable defaults, but that may still cause issues for some people.

These options let you modify the behavior of the Tap-Hold keys.

Tapping Term

The crux of all of the following features is the tapping term setting. This determines what is a tap and what is a hold. And the exact timing for this to feel natural can vary from keyboard to keyboard, from switch to switch, and from key to key.

You can set the global time for this by adding the following setting to your config.h:

#define TAPPING_TERM 200

This setting is defined in milliseconds, and does default to 200ms. This is a good average for a majority of people.

For more granular control of this feature, you can add the following to your config.h:

#define TAPPING_TERM_PER_KEY

You can then add the following function to your keymap:

uint16_t get_tapping_term(uint16_t keycode, keyrecord_t *record) {
    switch (keycode) {
        case SFT_T(KC_SPC):
            return TAPPING_TERM + 1250;
        case LT(1, KC_GRV):
            return 130;
        default:
            return TAPPING_TERM;
}

Tap-Or-Hold Decision Modes

The code which decides between the tap and hold actions of dual-role keys supports three different modes, in increasing order of preference for the hold action:

  1. The default mode selects the hold action only if the dual-role key is held down longer than the tapping term. In this mode pressing other keys while the dual-role key is held down does not influence the tap-or-hold decision.

  2. The “permissive hold” mode, in addition to the default behavior, immediately selects the hold action when another key is tapped (pressed and then released) while the dual-role key is held down, even if this happens earlier than the tapping term. If another key is just pressed, but then the dual-role key is released before that other key (and earlier than the tapping term), this mode will still select the tap action.

  3. The “hold on other key press” mode, in addition to the default behavior, immediately selects the hold action when another key is pressed while the dual-role key is held down, even if this happens earlier than the tapping term.

Note that until the tap-or-hold decision completes (which happens when either the dual-role key is released, or the tapping term has expired, or the extra condition for the selected decision mode is satisfied), key events are delayed and not transmitted to the host immediately. The default mode gives the most delay (if the dual-role key is held down, this mode always waits for the whole tapping term), and the other modes may give less delay when other keys are pressed, because the hold action may be selected earlier.

Permissive Hold

The “permissive hold” mode can be enabled for all dual-role keys by adding the corresponding option to config.h:

#define PERMISSIVE_HOLD

This makes tap and hold keys (like Layer Tap) work better for fast typists, or for high TAPPING_TERM settings.

If you press a dual-role key, tap another key (press and release) and then release the dual-role key, all within the tapping term, by default the dual-role key will perform its tap action. If the PERMISSIVE_HOLD option is enabled, the dual-role key will perform its hold action instead.

An example of a sequence which is affected by the “permissive hold” mode:

  • LT(2, KC_A) Down
  • KC_L Down (the L key is also mapped to KC_RGHT on layer 2)
  • KC_L Up
  • LT(2, KC_A) Up

Normally, if you do all this within the TAPPING_TERM (default: 200ms), this will be registered as al by the firmware and host system. With the PERMISSIVE_HOLD option enabled, the Layer Tap key is considered as a layer switch if another key is tapped, and the above sequence would be registered as KC_RGHT (the mapping of L on layer 2).

However, this slightly different sequence will not be affected by the “permissive hold” mode:

  • LT(2, KC_A) Down
  • KC_L Down (the L key is also mapped to KC_RGHT on layer 2)
  • LT(2, KC_A) Up
  • KC_L Up

In the sequence above the dual-role key is released before the other key is released, and if that happens within the tapping term, the “permissive hold” mode will still choose the tap action for the dual-role key, and the sequence will be registered as al by the host.

?> The PERMISSIVE_HOLD option also affects Mod Tap keys, but this may not be noticeable if you do not also enable the IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT option for those keys, because the default handler for Mod Tap keys also considers both the “nested press” and “rolling press” sequences like shown above as a modifier hold, not the tap action. If you do not enable IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT, the effect of PERMISSIVE_HOLD on Mod Tap keys would be limited to reducing the delay before the key events are made visible to the host.

For more granular control of this feature, you can add the following to your config.h:

#define PERMISSIVE_HOLD_PER_KEY

You can then add the following function to your keymap:

bool get_permissive_hold(uint16_t keycode, keyrecord_t *record) {
    switch (keycode) {
        case LT(1, KC_BSPC):
            // Immediately select the hold action when another key is tapped.
            return true;
        default:
            // Do not select the hold action when another key is tapped.
            return false;
    }
}

Hold On Other Key Press

The “hold on other key press” mode can be enabled for all dual-role keys by adding the corresponding option to config.h:

#define HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS

This mode makes tap and hold keys (like Layer Tap) work better for fast typists, or for high TAPPING_TERM settings. Compared to the “permissive hold” mode, this mode selects the hold action in more cases.

If you press a dual-role key, press another key, and then release the dual-role key, all within the tapping term, by default the dual-role key will perform its tap action. If the HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS option is enabled, the dual-role key will perform its hold action instead.

An example of a sequence which is affected by the “hold on other key press” mode, but not by the “permissive hold” mode:

  • LT(2, KC_A) Down
  • KC_L Down (the L key is also mapped to KC_RGHT on layer 2)
  • LT(2, KC_A) Up
  • KC_L Up

Normally, if you do all this within the TAPPING_TERM (default: 200ms), this will be registered as al by the firmware and host system. With the HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS option enabled, the Layer Tap key is considered as a layer switch if another key is pressed, and the above sequence would be registered as KC_RGHT (the mapping of L on layer 2).

?> The HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS option also affects Mod Tap keys, but this may not be noticeable if you do not also enable the IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT option for those keys, because the default handler for Mod Tap keys also considers the “rolling press” sequence like shown above as a modifier hold, not the tap action. If you do not enable IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT, the effect of HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS on Mod Tap keys would be limited to reducing the delay before the key events are made visible to the host.

For more granular control of this feature, you can add the following to your config.h:

#define HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS_PER_KEY

You can then add the following function to your keymap:

bool get_hold_on_other_key_press(uint16_t keycode, keyrecord_t *record) {
    switch (keycode) {
        case LT(1, KC_BSPC):
            // Immediately select the hold action when another key is pressed.
            return true;
        default:
            // Do not select the hold action when another key is pressed.
            return false;
    }
}

Ignore Mod Tap Interrupt

To enable this setting, add this to your config.h:

#define IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT

?> This option affects only the Mod Tap keys; it does not affect other dual-role keys such as Layer Tap.

By default the tap-or-hold decision for Mod Tap keys strongly prefers the hold action. If you press a Mod Tap key, then press another key while still holding the Mod Tap key down, the Mod Tap press will be handled as a modifier hold even if the Mod Tap key is then released within the tapping term, and irrespective of the order in which those keys are released. Using options such as PERMISSIVE_HOLD or HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS will not affect the functionality of Mod Tap keys in a major way (these options would still affect the delay until the common code for dual-role keys finishes its tap-or-hold decision, but then the special code for Mod Tap keys will override the result of that decision and choose the hold action if another key was pressed). In fact, by default the tap-or-hold decision for Mod Tap keys is done in the same way as if the HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS option was enabled, but without the decreased delay provided by HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS.

If the IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT option is enabled, Mod Tap keys are no longer treated as a special case, and their behavior will match the behavior of other dual-role keys such as Layer Tap. Then the behavior of Mod Tap keys can be further tuned using other options such as PERMISSIVE_HOLD or HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS.

An example of a sequence which will be affected by the IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT option (assuming that options like PERMISSIVE_HOLD or HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS are not enabled):

  • SFT_T(KC_A) Down
  • KC_X Down
  • SFT_T(KC_A) Up
  • KC_X Up

Normally, this would send X (SHIFT+x), even if the sequence is performed faster than the TAPPING_TERM. However, if the IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT option is enabled, the SFT_T(KC_A) key must be held longer than the TAPPING_TERM to register the hold action. A quick tap will output ax in this case, while a hold will still output X (SHIFT+x).

However, if the HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS option is enabled in addition to IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT, the above sequence will again send X (SHIFT+x) even if performed faster that the TAPPING_TERM. The difference from the default configuration is that by default the host will receive the key events only after the SFT_T(KC_A) key is released, but with the HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS option the host will start receiving key events when the KC_X key is pressed.

For more granular control of this feature, you can add the following to your config.h:

#define IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT_PER_KEY

You can then add the following function to your keymap:

bool get_ignore_mod_tap_interrupt(uint16_t keycode, keyrecord_t *record) {
    switch (keycode) {
        case SFT_T(KC_SPC):
            // Do not force the mod-tap key press to be handled as a modifier
            // if any other key was pressed while the mod-tap key is held down.
            return true;
        default:
            // Force the mod-tap key press to be handled as a modifier if any
            // other key was pressed while the mod-tap key is held down.
            return false;
    }
}

Tapping Force Hold

To enable tapping force hold, add the following to your config.h:

#define TAPPING_FORCE_HOLD

When the user holds a key after tap, this repeats the tapped key rather to hold a modifier key. This allows to use auto repeat for the tapped key.

Example:

  • SFT_T(KC_A) Down
  • SFT_T(KC_A) Up
  • SFT_T(KC_A) Down
  • wait more than tapping term...
  • SFT_T(KC_A) Up

With default settings, a will be sent on the first release, then a will be sent on the second press allowing the computer to trigger its auto repeat function.

With TAPPING_FORCE_HOLD, the second press will be interpreted as a Shift, allowing to use it as a modifier shortly after having used it as a tap.

!> TAPPING_FORCE_HOLD will break anything that uses tapping toggles (Such as the TT layer keycode, and the One Shot Tapping Toggle).

For more granular control of this feature, you can add the following to your config.h:

#define TAPPING_FORCE_HOLD_PER_KEY

You can then add the following function to your keymap:

bool get_tapping_force_hold(uint16_t keycode, keyrecord_t *record) {
    switch (keycode) {
        case LT(1, KC_BSPC):
            return true;
        default:
            return false;
    }
}

Retro Tapping

To enable retro tapping, add the following to your config.h:

#define RETRO_TAPPING

Holding and releasing a dual function key without pressing another key will result in nothing happening. With retro tapping enabled, releasing the key without pressing another will send the original keycode even if it is outside the tapping term.

For instance, holding and releasing LT(2, KC_SPACE) without hitting another key will result in nothing happening. With this enabled, it will send KC_SPACE instead.

Why do we include the key record for the per key functions?

One thing that you may notice is that we include the key record for all of the "per key" functions, and may be wondering why we do that.

Well, it's simply really: customization. But specifically, it depends on how your keyboard is wired up. For instance, if each row is actually using a row in the keyboard's matrix, then it may be simpler to use if (record->event.row == 3) instead of checking a whole bunch of keycodes. Which is especially good for those people using the Tap Hold type keys on the home row. So you could fine tune those to not interfere with your normal typing.

Why is there no *_kb or *_user functions?!

Unlike many of the other functions here, there isn't a need (or even reason) to have a quantum or keyboard level function. Only user level functions are useful here, so no need to mark them as such.