Independent timeout for the leader key

[danielo515]

Feature Request Type

• Core functionality
• Add-on hardware support (eg. audio, RGB, OLED screen, etc.)
• Alteration (enhancement/optimization) of existing feature(s)
• New behavior

Description

I know that recently we (well, you ) implemented a new feature that allowed leader key to have per-key timeout or per-key timing. This was a great improvement, but I still miss something more: to specify a completely different timeout for the leader key.
This means that I may want a timeout of a couple of seconds after pressing the leader key and then just few milliseconds for the rest of the sequence.
The reasoning behind this is because the leader key is usually a bit apart from the rest of the keys, so the harder part of doing the sequence in time is reaching the first key of the sequence after hitting the leader key. Usually the rest of the keys on a combo are quite close or at least are keys that you are used to tap fast (the letters on a QWERTY layout for example).

This will improve a lot my usage of the leader key

Thanks.

[danielo515]

Any chance to implement this?
Or a guidance about how to do it myself?

[noroadsleft]

I think @drashna knows the way around that system.

[drashna]

There isn't exactly an easy way to do this.

However, the actual code is handled locally.

Some of the magic is here:
https://github.com/qmk/qmk_firmware/blob/master/quantum/process_keycode/process_leader.h#L35-L36

I think you'd want to have an array for the timeouts (eg uint8_t leader_timeout_array = { 300, 300, 200, 50, 3000 }), and then replace LEADER_DICTIONARY() with:

  if (leading && timer_elapsed(leader_time) > leader_timeout_array[leader_sequence_size])

[drashna]

@noroadsleft man, you just had to wait like 30 seconds :D I was almost done typing it out.... :D

[noroadsleft]

@drashna 😆

[danielo515]

Oh wait, so those "magical" leader macros all that they do is define a bunch of external variables and thens nest everything into an if???!!! That leaves me a lot of freedom to do whatever I want!
So leader_sequence_size is the size of the leader sequence? does it include the leader key itself?
As far as I know, I can substitute the LEADER_DICTIONARY call with an if checking whatever I want right? So, if I want to give infinite amount of time to the first key on the leader sequence, all that I have to do is

  if (leading && leader_sequence_size > 1 && timer_elapsed(leader_time) > LEADER_TIMEOUT)

That is quite cool

[danielo515]

Nop, it did not worked. Not sure what's wrong, but the leader sequence ends immediately if I add that check to the if.
Where is the leader_process function called? I can't see any reference.

[danielo515]

@drashna any idea what's wrong with my code?

[danielo515]

Ok, I found the problem (finally).
Now that it worked once I see where the problem is.
Because process_leader is only registering keys if the timeout has not ended (not sure why, this seems redundant) if you miss a sequence the leading boolean will never get reset and the process_leader function will never call qk_leader_start:

https://github.com/qmk/qmk_firmware/blob/master/quantum/process_keycode/process_leader.c#L51-L71

So first I need to understand why we stop registering keys if the timeout has passed. That is being already controlled by the matrix_scan_user leader section, so this seems redundant to me.
Another thing is that, instead of check if the leader key the latest thing, it should be the first one and have an early return.

What do you think? I feel tempted to add a new feature behind a flag like NO_LEADER_TIMEOUT to give the leader key infinite amount of time...

[danielo515]

Definitely commenting out line 52 on process_leader.c and my extra check I got the behavior I was expecting.
I don't see a reason why this could not be the default behavior. In any case, let me know if you are open to at least let me implement it behind a flag. Or if you think this is nice as default behavior I can make a PR right now.

Regards

[austintrose]

Throwing in my 2-cents that I would quite like this feature! So once you hit the leader key you have all the time you need to start a sequence but once a sequence has begun you are confined by whatever timers are set.

[danielo515]

@austintrose just for your information there is a MR for this feature: #6580
The only missing bit is the documentation, but if the suggestion gets approved I will for sure write it.
Regards