Javelin Updates!

Tharelia writes:

Here's an update on what's happened in Javelin recently:

**Firmware**

- Added support for the Halcyon Kyria (rev4), including the Halcyon TFT LCD Display Module

- Added a default layout for both Kyria rev3 and rev4

- Added support for Bluetooth to Serial bridging

- Added split version detection, to prompt for updating the pair side when necessary

- Added support for encoders

- Added hWheelMouse() script function for horizontal scroll wheel support

- Added console set_rgb array support to better support

- Improved documentation for scripting https://github.com/jthlim/javelin-steno/blob/main/script.md

- jeff-modifiers now only applies to embedded steno mode

- Added the ability to secure console access and flash writes via script.

- Fixed wpm spiking after unicode characters when linux_ibus was used.

- Paper Tape and Steno Layout web tools are now functional even when not using embedded steno.

**Web Tools**

- Added Serial Bridge tool, to enable wireless usage of Windows programs that normally require a usb connection.

- Added initial cut/copy/paste support to the Visual Editor

- Added undo/redo to the Visual Editor

- Changed mechanism handling tap and double tap to make more cases work as expected.

- Added prefab support to Visual Editor. This is done to make it easier to use scripts written by others.

- Added RTF dictionary support to firmware builder.

- Added option to ignore bad entries to firmware builder.

- Improvements to compiler to generate better output for Taipo implementation

- Fixed negative values not showing properly in global values tool

The Musical Uni!

You've heard of The Starboard Saxophone. Now get ready for...

The Musical Uni!!

This is all by Lynn from the Plover Discord, and I think it's HUGELY impressive and cool. It makes me want to join an all-steno machine band! Who's with me?!

Steno Glossary

Grahp has compiled a useful steno glossary that might come in handy if you've been reading people chatting about steno in the Discord or elsewhere and have been wondering about what all the jargon means.

Javelin Extended Stenotype support

Tharelia writes:

I've been working for a while on generalizing Javelin to support more than just WSI layout.

Today, the first milestone has been reached — support for extended stenotype. Javelin now defaults to extended stenotype internally. This means that you can use `^` and `+` in your stroke definitions. These can be added to your JSON dictionaries, then built as usual. You will also need to update the keyboard layout to select these keys.

Many places in Javelin have been updated to support this. In particular, dictionaries used to store 3 bytes — 24 bits — to represent the strokes. This was sufficient, as WSI uses just 23 keys. However, with the addition of these two new keys, there are now 25 keys possible. The easiest solution would have been to make everything use 4 bytes -- 32 bits -- however, previous magnum dictionaries that fit in 16MB would no longer do so. So Javelin has two dictionary implementations - and if a `+` (the 25th key) is used, then just that dictionary will use the larger format. Other updates have happened across the firmware builder, web tools and firmware so that most things work seamlessly as expected.

There are still some areas that haven’t been updated with extended layout:

1. On screen paper tape displays

2. On screen steno layout displays

3. Web tools steno layout

This is still work in progress, but extended stenotype is a big step forward.

Grab a build of Javelin dated 2024-12-31 or later, and make sure to update the keyboard layout with the keys if you want them!

P.S.: Yes, this means you can have a dedicated, folded shrimple key now.