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[Docs] Update tap-hold docs for HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS
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Document the newly added HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS option and update the
documentation for closely related options (PERMISSIVE_HOLD and
IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT).

Use Layer Tap instead of Mod Tap in examples for PERMISSIVE_HOLD and
HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS, because the effect of using these options with
Mod Tap keys is mostly invisible without IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT.
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sigprof committed Jun 13, 2020
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Showing 1 changed file with 81 additions and 19 deletions.
100 changes: 81 additions & 19 deletions docs/tap_hold.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -35,29 +35,49 @@ uint16_t get_tapping_term(uint16_t keycode, keyrecord_t *record) {
}
```
## Tap-Or-Hold Decision Modes
## Permissive Hold
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:
As of [PR#1359](https://github.com/qmk/qmk_firmware/pull/1359/), there is a new `config.h` option:
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`:
```c
#define PERMISSIVE_HOLD
```

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

If you press a Mod Tap key, tap another key (press and release) and then release the Mod Tap key, all within the tapping term, it will output the "tapping" function for both keys.
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.

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

- `SFT_T(KC_A)` Down
- `KC_X` Down
- `KC_X` Up
- `SFT_T(KC_A)` Up
- `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_RHGT` (the mapping of `L` on layer 2).

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

Normally, if you do all this within the `TAPPING_TERM` (default: 200ms) this will be registered as `ax` by the firmware and host system. With permissive hold enabled, this modifies how this is handled by considering the Mod Tap keys as a Mod if another key is tapped, and would registered as `X` (`SHIFT`+`x`).
- `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

?> If you have `Ignore Mod Tap Interrupt` enabled, as well, this will modify how both work. The regular key has the modifier added if the first key is released first or if both keys are held longer than the `TAPPING_TERM`.
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`:

Expand All @@ -78,6 +98,49 @@ bool get_permissive_hold(uint16_t keycode, keyrecord_t *record) {
}
```
### 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`:
```c
#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_RHGT` (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`:

```c
#define HOLD_ON_OTHER_KEY_PRESS_PER_KEY
```

You can then add the following function to your keymap:

```c
bool get_hold_on_other_key_press(uint16_t keycode, keyrecord_t *record) {
switch (keycode) {
case LT(1, KC_BSPC):
return true;
default:
return false;
}
}
```
## Ignore Mod Tap Interrupt
To enable this setting, add this to your `config.h`:
Expand All @@ -86,23 +149,22 @@ To enable this setting, add this to your `config.h`:
#define IGNORE_MOD_TAP_INTERRUPT
```

Similar to Permissive Hold, this alters how the firmware processes inputs for fast typists. If you press a Mod Tap key, press another key, release the Mod Tap key, and then release the normal key, it would normally output the "tapping" function for both keys. This may not be desirable for rolling combo keys.
?> 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`.

Setting `Ignore Mod Tap Interrupt` requires holding both keys for the `TAPPING_TERM` to trigger the hold function (the mod).
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`.

For Instance:
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`). With `Ignore Mod Tap Interrupt` enabled, holding both keys are required for the `TAPPING_TERM` to register the hold action. A quick tap will output `ax` in this case, while a hold on both will still output `X` (`SHIFT`+`x`).


?> __Note__: This only concerns modifiers and not layer switching keys.
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`).

?> If you have `Permissive Hold` enabled, as well, this will modify how both work. The regular key has the modifier added if the first key is released first or if both keys are held longer than the `TAPPING_TERM`.
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`:

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