puck.js - keyboard "taps" not always accurate/responsive

I'm not sure what's going on - the code on the puck is executing fine, getting all my correct debug output and callbacks for kb.tap;

however, the computer is not always detecting the taps properly. I have it currently sending like this:

      kb.tap(kb.KEY.F12, kb.MODIFY.GUI, function() {
       console.log("keys sent"); 
      });

Intending to trigger Win+F12 - it does trigger the hotkey on the computer SOMETIMES. I have to press the button a lot to get it. If I do it myself on a keyboard, no problems - intended application catches the hot key. Not so much on the puck.

Any ideas?

I'm not too sure to be honest - what OS is this on? Windows? And are you on the latest Puck.js firmware?

What happens if you get it to press just a single key like 'A' - is it reliable? It could be related to the modifier (it's possible it needs 'pressing' first, and not at the same time).

Windows 10, latest puck.js firmware as of yesterday.

It seemed pretty reliable with the a/A examples. Assumingly, for a "press and hold", would I do something like:

      NRF.sendHIDReport([kb.MODIFY.GUI,0,0,0,0­,0,0,0], function() {
        NRF.sendHIDReport([kb.MODIFY.GUI,0,kb.KE­Y.F12,0,0,0,0,0], function() {
          NRF.sendHIDReport([0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0], function() {
           console.log("keys sent");
          });
        });
      });

So...this (despite causing an an error) "works" for my intended purposes. This is the only thing I've been able to do that makes it work "properly".

      NRF.sendHIDReport([kb.MODIFY.GUI,0,kb.KE­Y.F12,0,0,0,0,0], function() {
      });
      NRF.sendHIDReport([kb.MODIFY.GUI,0,kb.KE­Y.F12,0,0,0,0,0], function() {
        NRF.sendHIDReport([0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0], function() {
          console.log("keys sent");
        });
      });

Error:

Uncaught Error: BLE HID already sending
 at line 138 col 8
      });
       ^
in function "triggerCommand" called from line 96 col 88
...eld': held, 'light': light});
                              ^
in function called from system

Have any suggestions on how to improve this so it's not technically broken? lol

Great! That's really promising.

So the first code you posted (that looks good) doesn't work? You basically have to send [kb.MODIFY.GUI,0,kb.KE­Y.F12,0,0,0,0,0] twice?

In that case, could you just do:

      NRF.sendHIDReport([kb.MODIFY.GUI,0,kb.KE­­Y.F12,0,0­,0,0,0], function() {
        NRF.sendHIDReport([kb.MODIFY.GUI,0,kb.KE­­Y.F12,0,0,0,0,0], function() {
          NRF.sendHIDReport([0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0], function() {
           console.log("keys sent");
          });
        });
      });

You could also try:

      NRF.sendHIDReport([kb.MODIFY.GUI,0,0,0,0­­,0,0,0], function() {
        NRF.sendHIDReport([kb.MODIFY.GUI,0,kb.KE­­Y.F12,0,0,0,0,0], function() {
          NRF.sendHIDReport([kb.MODIFY.GUI,0,0,0,0­,0,0,0], function() {
            NRF.sendHIDReport([0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0], function() {
              console.log("keys sent");
            });
          });
        });
      });

so: press GUI, press F12, release F12, release GUI

The first snippet is something I've already tried - doesn't work consistently. Like my prior attempts, it works "sometimes" - double clicking /usually/ does the proper thing, but not always.

The second snippet has the same results.

My "broken" snippet is the only one that works consistently. (but causes an error, funny enough - try/catching the error makes it break again).

Here's some context for what exactly I'm doing:

I'm setting up a recording kiosk room thing. I have Open Broadcaster Studio running with some obscure hotkey to Record/Stop that won't trigger anything else (it's now WIN+SHIFT+F11 ... WIN+F12 was the save function in PPT), as I need it to always run in the background.

Puck.js is great because it can sit wirelessly on a lectern and do everything they need to do without having to touch the mouse/kb of the computer. I've programmed different actions for length of click, double click, clicks with no light, etc...

So... here's what I ended up doing (and it works, with no errors!)

        NRF.sendHIDReport([kb.MODIFY.GUI|kb.MODI­FY.SHIFT,0,kb.KEY.F11,0,0,0,0,0], function() {
          setTimeout(function() {
            NRF.sendHIDReport([0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0], function() {
              console.log("keys sent");
            });
          }, 550);
        });

550 seems to be a good spot for a delay in "ending" the HID report. Different software pick up keyboard actions at different intervals, I guess, so this was good for my specific use case. If the delay is too long, it'll trigger it x many times.

Thanks! So you think it's that the key was effectively pressed too quickly? I could add a delay to the 'tap' method on the keyboard if so...

I think adding a delay parameter would be a great solution to this for the future.