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Comment by dal | Hacker News Reader

If you're on xorg you could just configure pointerkeys https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Xorg/Using_the_numeric_keyboard...

If you've got a keyboard with QMK firmware, and mousekeys were enabled for it... you can just turn it on with https://www.caniusevia.com/ . One of my machines didn't have a mouse, so my next keyboard was a Keychron Q2 https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-q2-qmk-custom-mec... - I thought I was going to have to recompile the firmware for this but it's already on: https://github.com/Keychron/qmk_firmware/blob/master/keyboar...

...you just need to map keys. It was very easy, so now fn-arrow and fn-return work as a mouse on anything I've attached it to so far. I got an rpi recently, only connected this, and was able to navigate the startup ui with no mouse.

works on ZMK firmware too just not the main repo, but one of the forks mentioned in the main repo.

the advantage with this is that it's cross platform.

I think the biggest disadvantage to "do it in firmware" is it requires an external keyboard. (& the good ones which let your thumbs use more than one key are more expensive or diy).

Using the keyboard to drive the mouse isn't a nice experience. -- But, it's nice to have in situations like "I use a bluetooth mouse, on desktop, and bluetooth isn't set up/working". I've found that useful for live ISOs.

If you're on windows, use Mouse Keys

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/use-mouse-keys-t...

I remember using Mouse Keys on my Mac in 1989.

Here's how to do it on an Atari ST in 1985: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1031947/Atari-St.html?page...

And you're probably on xorg if you're following these instructions because wayland only supports libinput.

I wish my HHKB supported numpad keys without needing an OS tool like AutoHotkey.

There's also keynav

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