Setting up a hobbyist writer with Plover - Revision history

Aerick: add note on serial port permissions on Linux

2024-06-26T21:59:58Z

add note on serial port permissions on Linux

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:59, 26 June 2024
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	Hobbyist machines use serial protocols to talk to Plover. This means you can have a regular keyboard plugged in for normal typing, and a steno machine plugged in at the same time. Plover will only capture the steno machine input. By default, all hobbyist steno keyboards use a protocol called Gemini PR. Setting it up with Plover is a little involved, especially for the first time.		Hobbyist machines use serial protocols to talk to Plover. This means you can have a regular keyboard plugged in for normal typing, and a steno machine plugged in at the same time. Plover will only capture the steno machine input. By default, all hobbyist steno keyboards use a protocol called Gemini PR. Setting it up with Plover is a little involved, especially for the first time.

			For Linux users, ensure that you have [[Installation Guide#Allow Access to Serial Ports\|access to serial ports]].

	== Video summary ==		== Video summary ==

Aerick: /* Clean up links in auto reconnect section, rename heading */

2024-06-26T02:14:40Z

Clean up links in auto reconnect section, rename heading

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:14, 26 June 2024
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	If that does not work, it is likely that the serial port has changed and you will have to redo the above steps again.		If that does not work, it is likely that the serial port has changed and you will have to redo the above steps again.

	==== ~~Autoreconnect~~ ====		==== Auto reconnect ====
	On some computers (particularly Linux and macOS), the serial port will generally not change when the steno machine is unplugged and plugged back in. If this is the case, you can set up autoreconnect with ~~<code>[https://pypi.org/project/plover-auto-reconnect-machine/ plover-auto-reconnect-machine]</code>~~ plugin~~, which can be installed via the [[Plugins#How to Install Plugins\|plugins manager]]~~. ~~For more details, see~~ the [[auto reconnect]] ~~page~~.		On some computers (particularly Linux and macOS), the serial port will generally not change when the steno machine is unplugged and plugged back in. If this is the case, you can set up autoreconnect with a plugin. See the wiki page on [[auto reconnect]].

Aerick: /* Add information on refresh button and connected indicator */

2024-06-26T02:12:52Z

Add information on refresh button and connected indicator

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:12, 26 June 2024
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	== Serial protocol limitations ==		== Serial protocol limitations ==

			=== Function of the refresh button ===
			Pressing the <code>Refresh</code>/<code>Scan</code> button merely makes Plover search for new devices—it does not necessarily select the correct device. This is why the process of connecting a writer to Plover is a little tricky. He

			=== Connected/disconnected indicator ===
			Plover will report that it is "connected" to a device, but this may not necessarily be the correct one. If Plover is not receiving the key presses on a keyboard (despite saying "connected"), this means that the selected port is wrong. Go back to <code>Configure → Machine</code> and try a different port in the drop down menu.

			=== Resuming from sleep/disconnect ===
	If you sleep and wake up your computer, or you unplug and replug your machine, your steno keyboard will disconnect. You can try pressing the <code>Reconnect Machine</code> button.		If you sleep and wake up your computer, or you unplug and replug your machine, your steno keyboard will disconnect. You can try pressing the <code>Reconnect Machine</code> button.
	[[File:Plover main window with reconnect machine button highlighted.png\|alt=Plover main window with reconnect machine button highlighted\|center\|frame\|Reconnect machine button.]]		[[File:Plover main window with reconnect machine button highlighted.png\|alt=Plover main window with reconnect machine button highlighted\|center\|frame\|Reconnect machine button.]]
	If that does not work, it is likely that the serial port has changed and you will have to redo the above steps again.		If that does not work, it is likely that the serial port has changed and you will have to redo the above steps again.

	=== Autoreconnect ===		==== Autoreconnect ====
	On some computers (particularly Linux and macOS), the serial port will generally not change when the steno machine is unplugged and plugged back in. If this is the case, you can set up autoreconnect with <code>[https://pypi.org/project/plover-auto-reconnect-machine/ plover-auto-reconnect-machine]</code> plugin, which can be installed via the [[Plugins#How to Install Plugins\|plugins manager]]. For more details, see the [[auto reconnect]] page.		On some computers (particularly Linux and macOS), the serial port will generally not change when the steno machine is unplugged and plugged back in. If this is the case, you can set up autoreconnect with <code>[https://pypi.org/project/plover-auto-reconnect-machine/ plover-auto-reconnect-machine]</code> plugin, which can be installed via the [[Plugins#How to Install Plugins\|plugins manager]]. For more details, see the [[auto reconnect]] page.

Aerick: Remove background header (moves background information to before table of contents)

2024-06-26T02:08:39Z

Remove background header (moves background information to before table of contents)

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:08, 26 June 2024
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	~~== Background ==~~
	Hobbyist machines use serial protocols to talk to Plover. This means you can have a regular keyboard plugged in for normal typing, and a steno machine plugged in at the same time. Plover will only capture the steno machine input. By default, all hobbyist steno keyboards use a protocol called Gemini PR. Setting it up with Plover is a little involved, especially for the first time.		Hobbyist machines use serial protocols to talk to Plover. This means you can have a regular keyboard plugged in for normal typing, and a steno machine plugged in at the same time. Plover will only capture the steno machine input. By default, all hobbyist steno keyboards use a protocol called Gemini PR. Setting it up with Plover is a little involved, especially for the first time.

Aerick: Aerick moved page Setting up Gemini PR with Plover to Setting up a hobbyist writer with Plover

2024-06-23T20:14:38Z

Aerick moved page Setting up Gemini PR with Plover to Setting up a hobbyist writer with Plover

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:14, 23 June 2024
(No difference)

Aerick: Created page with "== Background == Hobbyist machines use serial protocols to talk to Plover. This means you can have a regular keyboard plugged in for normal typing, and a steno machine plugged in at the same time. Plover will only capture the steno machine input. By default, all hobbyist steno keyboards use a protocol called Gemini PR. Setting it up with Plover is a little involved, especially for the first time. == Video summary == The following narrated video goes over the main method..."

2024-06-23T19:48:54Z

Created page with "== Background == Hobbyist machines use serial protocols to talk to Plover. This means you can have a regular keyboard plugged in for normal typing, and a steno machine plugged in at the same time. Plover will only capture the steno machine input. By default, all hobbyist steno keyboards use a protocol called Gemini PR. Setting it up with Plover is a little involved, especially for the first time. == Video summary == The following narrated video goes over the main method..."

New page

== Background ==
Hobbyist machines use serial protocols to talk to Plover. This means you can have a regular keyboard plugged in for normal typing, and a steno machine plugged in at the same time. Plover will only capture the steno machine input. By default, all hobbyist steno keyboards use a protocol called Gemini PR. Setting it up with Plover is a little involved, especially for the first time.

== Video summary ==
The following narrated video goes over the main method and trial and error method described below:

<youtube>2tp_hSVCKN8</youtube>

== Main method ==
This method involves determining the serial port for Plover to listen to.

# In Plover's main window, go to <code>Configure → Machine</code> and change the machine to Gemini PR.
# With your machine unplugged, press the <code>Scan</code> or <code>Refresh</code> button.
#* Take note of the options that are listed in the Port drop down menu.[[File:Machine tab Gemini PR, refresh, and drop down options highlighted.png|alt=machine tab Gemini PR, refresh, and drop down options highlighted|center|frame|Steps 1 and 2.]]
# Plug in your machine.
# Press the <code>Scan</code> or <code>Refresh</code> button.
# Open the <code>Port</code> drop down menu.
#* If you see your device name show up, select it.
#* If you only see generic names, select the option that was not present in step 2. [[File:Machine tab with drop down menu and COM3 highlighted.png|alt=machine tab with drop down menu and COM3 highlighted|none|thumb|COM3 wasn't present earlier, so it is the steno machine that was just plugged in.]]
# Press <code>Apply</code> and <code>OK</code>
# Test that your machine is working
#* Open the paper tape (<code>Tools → Paper tape</code>)
#* Press some keys on your machine
#* Verify that they show up in the paper tape

== Trial and error method ==
Alternatively, after pressing the <code>Scan</code> or <code>Refresh</code> button with your machine plugged in, you can simply try each option in the <code>Port</code> drop down menu. This is useful if there are only a few options to try.

# In Plover, open <code>Configure → Machine</code> and change the machine to Gemini PR.
# Plug in your machine.
# Press the <code>Scan</code> or <code>Refresh</code> button.
# Select the first option in the <code>Port</code> drop down menu.
# Press <code>Apply</code> and <code>OK</code>
# Open the paper tape and press some keys on your machine.
#* If you see output in the paper tape, you are done.
#* If nothing shows up, repeat steps 4 and 5, but with a different option selected in the <code>Port</code> drop down menu.

== Serial protocol limitations ==
If you sleep and wake up your computer, or you unplug and replug your machine, your steno keyboard will disconnect. You can try pressing the <code>Reconnect Machine</code> button.
[[File:Plover main window with reconnect machine button highlighted.png|alt=Plover main window with reconnect machine button highlighted|center|frame|Reconnect machine button.]]
If that does not work, it is likely that the serial port has changed and you will have to redo the above steps again.

=== Autoreconnect ===
On some computers (particularly Linux and macOS), the serial port will generally not change when the steno machine is unplugged and plugged back in. If this is the case, you can set up autoreconnect with <code>[https://pypi.org/project/plover-auto-reconnect-machine/ plover-auto-reconnect-machine]</code> plugin, which can be installed via the [[Plugins#How to Install Plugins|plugins manager]]. For more details, see the [[auto reconnect]] page.