DIY Arduino Buttonbox

Hi all!

I know, a lot of diyers use Teensy for building buttonboxes, but more choices is better, right?
So I decided to share my ard's sketches.

1st version is standard universal buttonbox. The sketch supports up to 25 buttons and up to 4 encoders.



I use:
- Arduino Pro Micro
- 4 switches like this
- 4 buttons like this
- 3 encoders like this
- box from local supplier

Wiring is quite simple:



You can use any number of buttons up to 25 and any number of encoders up to 4 - no sketch modification is needed!
For example, I use only 15 buttons (4 switches + 4 buttons + 3 encoders buttons), so my matrix is 4x4 and I wired it`s rows to 21, 20, 19, 18 pins and columns to 14, 16, 10, 9 pins


Buttonbox acts as standard keyboard, it send chars which are defined in struct "buttons"
char buttons[NUMROWS][NUMCOLS] = {
{'q','w','e','r','t'},
{'y','u','i','o','p'},
{'a','s','d','f','g'},
{'h','j','k','l','z'},
{'x','c','v','b','n'},
};
You can change it to different chars if you needed.


Also, in order to minimize possible interference with already assigned buttons I send keypressed with LEFT_CTRL + LEFT_ALT, so buttonbox send 3 keys combinations like LEFT_CTRL + LEFT_ALT + 'a' , LEFT_CTRL + LEFT_ALT +'w' , etc


Encoder`s "keys" are defined in struct "rotaries":
rotariesdef rotaries[NUMROTARIES] {
{0,1,KEY_RIGHT_ARROW,KEY_LEFT_ARROW,0},
{2,3,KEY_DOWN_ARROW,KEY_UP_ARROW,0},
{4,5,KEY_PAGE_UP,KEY_PAGE_DOWN,0},
{6,7,KEY_HOME,KEY_END,0},
};
I.e. first encoder acts like right arrow key when CCW rotation and left arrow key when CW rotation , etc




ADDED 25.04.2016
Also I wrote sketch which allows a buttonbox acts as joystick instead of keyboard. Wiring, capabilities, etc are the same, but windows sees device as Joystick
You have to download Joystick library for it:
https://github.com/MHeironimus/ArduinoJoystickLibrary
And please be sure you are using Arduino IDE version 1.6.6 or above

ADDED 03.11.2016
Uploaded version 02b of joystick sketch. Virtual buttons are pressed for a duration of real buttons presses now.

ADDED 28.01.2017
Uploaded version 02c of joystick sketch. Added support of halfstep encoders, if you have those, uncomment the following line in the sketch
//#define HALF_STEP

ADDED 31.05.2017
Uploaded version 02d of joystick sketch. Sketch adapted to V2 joystick library, also fixed issue with 4th encoder

2nd version of buttonbox was build for iRacing pitting service. Idea is to form pit combo by special switches/encoders and then just push button and viola - pit combo was send!




Short description:
- red ON-OFF switches used for request to change tires - front (top one) and rear (bottom one)
- green ON-OFF switches used for request to clear windscreen (left one) and fast repair (right one)
- bottoms encoders acts like right & left arrow keys (left one) and up & down arrow keys (right one)
- 2 spring return switches on right side used to request to increase/decrease tire`s pressure
- encoder on the top-right used to indicating how much fuel to add
- red button serves to send pit combo to iRacing


Also I added led screen to view and check what pit combo will be. So on the pic above it shows (from left to right):
- decrease both front & rear tires pressure by 7
- change both & rear tires, clear windscreen and made fast repair
- add 10 litres of fuel
On the pic you can see corresponded pit combo sended to the game

Wiring:






I use:
- 4 ON-OFF switches
- 3 encoders
- 2 spring return switches
- 1 max7219 based display (like this)
- 6 1kOm resistors (used for OneWireKeyboard)

Sketch is attached, you need to download RotaryEncoders library

interesting topic!

can you upload your photos because you no longer see them on the forum?
I am interested in your project

Hi @michto35 ,

sorry for broken links, corrected them!

thanks

good afternoon ... @TOPMO3

This botton if I understand well functions as a keyboard right?
Very cool your project, congratulations!
I have a question!
as would cause the controller to be recognized automatically by Windows as unojy?
I enjoyed the second version of its controller, but would very much like the second version had more push buttons.
I would like to modify your design for this?

20 push buttons
2 Rotary Encoder
1 potentiometer
3 keys on / of
I await a response Thank You!

Hi @Claudemir , thanks for kind words

Yes, its recognized by windows as standard keyboard

Do you mean you prefer that the device acts as "Game Controller" instead of keyboard? I have a plan to make 2nd version of sketch which will allow device to act as a joystick, but its not realized yet.

Here we have a problem that only 3 pins of arduino are left unused. its one of reasons why I made two BB instead of one and one of reasons why I was forced to implement "Analog" keyboard (with resistors) in 2nd version.
You can use 2 of those 3 unused pins (18 and 19 pins becouse they are Analog, but 15 is not!) to connect additional analog wires (say 2 x 4 buttons), or use any 2 of those 3 pins to connect 1 encoder, but thats all
I recommend you to make 2 separate BB (as I did), one for pits and 2nd for other actions. Or you can try bigger Ard like Due, but I expect you have to adapt the sketch to it.

ola @TOPMO3
I could be using one Arduino r3?
I tried to use the codgo in one arduino but of an error in both versions!
I will take a picture and show you ok?

buttpit.ino:1:24: error: LedControl.h: No such file or directory
buttpit:57: error: 'Rotary' does not name a type
buttpit:58: error: 'Rotary' does not name a type
buttpit:59: error: 'Rotary' does not name a type
buttpit:85: error: 'LedControl' does not name a type
buttpit.ino: In function 'void setup()':
buttpit:95: error: 'lc' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:112: error: 'Keyboard' was not declared in this scope
buttpit.ino: In function 'void ProcessPitCombo()':
buttpit:141: error: 'Keyboard' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:176: error: 'KEY_RETURN' was not declared in this scope
buttpit.ino: In function 'void ShowPressures()':
buttpit:189: error: 'lc' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:195: error: 'lc' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:202: error: 'lc' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:209: error: 'lc' was not declared in this scope
buttpit.ino: In function 'void CheckButtons()':
buttpit:225: error: 'Keyboard' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:225: error: 'KEY_ESC' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:230: error: 'Keyboard' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:230: error: 'KEY_TAB' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:235: error: 'Keyboard' was not declared in this scope
buttpit.ino: In function 'void CheckChangeEncoder()':
buttpit:257: error: 'r3' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:259: error: 'Keyboard' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:259: error: 'DIR_CCW' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:259: error: 'KEY_LEFT_ARROW' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:259: error: 'KEY_RIGHT_ARROW' was not declared in this scope
buttpit.ino: In function 'void CheckFuelEncoder()':
buttpit:266: error: 'r1' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:268: error: 'DIR_CCW' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:269: error: 'DIR_CW' was not declared in this scope
buttpit.ino: In function 'void CheckControlEncoder()':
buttpit:275: error: 'r2' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:277: error: 'Keyboard' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:277: error: 'DIR_CCW' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:277: error: 'KEY_UP_ARROW' was not declared in this scope
buttpit:277: error: 'KEY_DOWN_ARROW' was not declared in this scope
buttpit.ino: In function 'void ShowNumber(int, byte)':
buttpit:288: error: 'lc' was not declared in this scope
buttpit.ino: In function 'void ProcessSwitches()':
buttpit:328: error: 'lc' was not declared in this scope

Hi @Claudemir ,

sorry, but you cant use UNO.
You need Atmega32U4 based board - ie Leonardo, Micro, Esplora, Yun or Due and Zero. Only these Adrs can appear as a native Mouse and/or Keyboard to a connected computer.

@TOPMO3 thanks for rapidas friend answers!
I will buy a pro mini Atmega32U4, and make your project and very cool!
sorry so many questions!
I do not understand the programming my grain of study and much less I thank a lot to help us cronstruir their projects.
I work in the industrial mechanical aria and I am fascinated by electronics and what it can provide.
this project from what I saw! has a protection for that not conflict with the keyboard I right?

descupe'm using google translator !.

Hi @Claudemir ,

please take a note Pro Mini also doesn't work! Because its based on ATmega328, not ATmega32U4. You need Arduino Micro or Sparcfun Pro Micro

Personally I use cheep version from our Chinese friends, but I can't recommend it to novice users, because very often those chinese boards arrived with some "strange" bootloader. The strangeness lies in the fact that after power on board works 4x slower than expected, but after RESET it works as it should. It can be cured by flashing original Micro bootloader to the board. And I have no idea, why they flashing such bad bootloaders.
On the other side, because you already have UNO, you can reflashing bootloader quite easily, there are many tutorials on the web, take a look on this for example (Option 2: Using the Arduino as a Programmer)
Or you can just wire additional button (on pins RESET and GND) and just press it every time when your PC is power oned.

Added:

There are no conflicts between your keyboard and arduino. Windows just see two keyboards and you can use both of them

isso serve-me amigo?
http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-756659998-arduino-pro-micro-atmega32u4-cabo-usb-_JM Its main features are: - Microcontroller: ATmega32U4 (SMD); - USB Interface: The very ATmega32U4; - Operating Voltage (Chip): 5 VDC; - Power Supply (Recommended): 7 to 12 VDC (PINO RAW); - Supply Voltage (limits): 6 to 20 VDC (PINO RAW); - Supply Voltage (limits): 4.5 to 5.5 VDC (PINO RAW); - Pin I / O Digital: 12 (5 have PWM by hardware); - Analog Pins: 4 (10 Bit / 0 to 5 VDC); - DC current per pin I / O: 20mA; - DC current for 3.3V pin: 50mA; - Flash Memory 32KB (ATmega32u4) (4KB used by bootloader); - SRAM: 2.5 KB (ATmega32u4); - EEPROM: 1KB (ATmega32u4); - Clock Speed: 16MHz;

Yes, its fine

Thank you, it is worth learning.

If someone, for some reason prefer emulating game controller instead of keyboard, here's "joystick" sketch for 1st version.
also added it to 1st post

2nd version of buttonbox only for iracing？
I want to use it in the Dirt Rally.

Hi @MAYA One ,

yes, currently its only for iracing, because its highly depends on how game allows to act with it.
For example, there are such thing as "pitting combo" in iracing,
ie if you type #lf in chat - it means you want to change left tyre
#lf rf - left and right tyres
#lf +10 rf +10 - change left & right tyres and also add 10 clicks pressure
and so on.
So, sketch just emulates yours possible keyboard inputs. When you push "PIT" button, at first arduino sends "t" char to PC, thus involving text char, then it sends text string (your pit combo), once again just emulating keyboard inputs.

I haven't Dirt Rally, so I don't know how pit service realized in it. If its somehow similar to iracing, then it would be not hard to adapt sketch to Dirt Rally

Hello,
Have you heard of this project on a similar topic?
Bonjour
Avez-vous pris connaissance de ce projet sur un sujet très similaire ?
http://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/another-buttonbox-arduino-uno.8442/