Push Push is a very easy to build device (based on Arduino) that allows you to send keystrokes to a computer by emulating a USB keyboard.
Up to 20 buttons can be used connected to digital pins 2, 3, 4 and 5... Each button can send a configurable keystroke, including non-printable controls
While you can find a lot of similar DIY project on the web, Push Push is pretty unique because it can be configured with it's own editor to send keystrokes of your choice, without the need to change the firmware code e without the need of Arduino compiler. You simply connect it to the editor and configure your Push Push.
The hardware part is really basic: they are just pushbuttons connected to an Arduino.
The script expects to be run on a Arduino Leonardo or Arduino Pro Micro, but it should run without problems on any boards that supports HID protocol, like Leonardo, Micro, Due, Zero, UNO R4 Minima, UNO R4 WiFi, Giga R1, Nano ESP32, MKR Family (i.e. all the boards supported by the Keyboard library)
All you have to do is connect one end of each push button to the GND pin and the other to one of the available digital pins.
Then update the script (see section below) with the number of buttons connected and the digital pins they are connected to
You can find some example schematics in the /schematics folder
If you are using just 2 buttons, you can use the push-push.ino file included in the /arduino/push-push folder without any modification. Just install the required libraries (see below), compile and upload it to your Arduino.
If you have a different number of buttons, you have to change just two rows in the script
At the beginning the script, find the following section and change the buttons count and Pin numbers with yours
// *************** START EDITING HERE *********************** //
// Depending on the number of buttons you'll use
// edit the following defines
// Write the number of buttons used (For Arduino Leonardo I recommend no more than 20)
#define NUM_BUTTONS 2
// Write the Digital Pins where the buttons are connected to
const int buttonPins[NUM_BUTTONS] = {2, 3};
// *************** STOP EDITING HERE ********************** //When finished, save the script, compile and upload
Warning
Be sure to have the following libraries installed in your IDE before compiling.
The strength of Push Push is the ease of configuration: you don't need to modify the Arduino code or use complex software to configure the key sequences to send: just use the Push Push Editor.
>>>> GO TO PUSH PUSH EDITOR <<<<
The communication between Push Push and the editor is based on the MIDI protocol, exchanging System Exclusive Messages. If you are curious you can find the implemetation details in the SYSEX-MIDI-IMPLEMENTATION.md file
Since the editor is contained in a web page, you don't have to install anything: just open the editor page and follow the simple instructions. The editor works on desktop computers, tablets and mobile phones, on any operating system: all you need is an internet browser and a USB port to connect Push Push to.
Here is a preview:
>>>> GO TO PUSH PUSH EDITOR <<<<
You have two way to read the current configuration:
- The easy way: Connect to the Push Push Editor and you will see all the configurations
- The "developer" way: Open the Arduino Serial Monitor and type
?then pushENTER. Push Push will display informations on the Serial Monitor