Add Read Numlock/Capslock/Scrolllock state

[Cemu0]

Thank you for your repository, I transformed my wire keyboard to wireless :)
When type on the numpad the Numlock stage should be sync or the numpad just run wrong, same with caplock stage.
I also added an example for demonstration.
Hope this helpful

[T-vK]

ESP32_USBHOST_TO_BLE_KEYBOARD looks amazing. I love it!
I hope I can find some time to review the PR it this week. What kind of devices have you tested this with? Does it work with Windows, Android, Linux, iOS, Mac OS? I try to make sure that it at least works with Windows, Linux and Android before accepting a PR.
I can only do testing for Linux and Android, as I don't have a Windows machine.

[Cemu0]

I tested and this PR work well with my Windows PC (ThinkPad P51) and iPhone6s (ios 14.3). But with the iphone, "sometime" the ESP32 not appear on the pair list on Iphone so I have to use a external App like (BLE Scanner) to pair the phone with ESP32). Currently I don't have a Linux or Android for test.

[lalalandrus]

I tried the code (downloaded the PR and updated the INO), which is way beyond my skillset, but I have issues.

1. I am getting panics in various places whenever the event handler gets called
   [D][BLEDevice.cpp:102] gattServerEventHandler(): gattServerEventHandler [esp_gatt_if: 4] ... Unknown
   [V][BLEUtils.cpp:153Guru Meditation Error: Core 1 panic'ed (StoreProhibited). Exception was unhandled.

or

[FreeRTOS.cpp:63] wait(): >> wait: Semaphore waiting: name: CreateEvt (0x3ffd7a4c), owner: executeCreate for executeCreate
[D][BLEDevice.cpp:102] gattServerEventHandler(): gattServerEventHGuru Meditation Error: Core 1 panic'ed (StoreProhibited). Exception was unhandled.

2. i noticed there is a mandatory delay of 1s in the setup. my application requires a really fast reconnect and was wondering if there is any way to pare that down. without addressing my panics mentioned above, i am unable to test.

Update: Looks like the delay in the startup on my ESP requires 1.5s. Any suggestions on how to optimize and reduce this delay is appreciated.

[LeeNX]

ReadWriteNumLock.ino needs to go into it's own folder named ReadWriteNumLock, that is how Arduino IDE works.

Might be worth adding a little more info too ReadWriteNumLock.ino. I also think rather using Global variables in KbdLedCb as I did for testing

uint8_t CapsLockState = 0;

//note that this function should run "fast" or esp will crash
void KbdLedCb(KbdLeds *kbls)
{
    //digitalWrite(2,kbls->bmNumLock);
    // digitalWrite(2,kbls->bmCapsLock);
    // digitalWrite(2,kbls->bmScrollLock);
    // ...
    CapsLockState = kbls->bmCapsLock;
}

I updated my loop test as follows

void loop() {
  if(bleKeyboard.isConnected()) {
    Serial.println("CAPS LOCK State");
    Serial.println(CapsLockState);
    Serial.println("Writting CAPS LOCK");
    bleKeyboard.write(KEY_CAPS_LOCK);
    Serial.println(CapsLockState);
    delay(1000);
  }

  Serial.println("Waiting 5 seconds...");
  delay(5000);
}

Which shows me when the CapsLock has been changed, but the bleKeyboard.write(KEY_CAPS_LOCK); always turns it off, as a newbie, I am not sure how to toggle the CapsLock, thou I am more interested in reading the CapsLock.

I have a few ideas on how to monitor the Global variable for change, this might not be the correct place to discuss that.

I can confirm the ESP32 to macOS Catalina (v10.15.7) MacBook Pro (15-inch,2017) works with this PR.

Thanks @Cemu0 and @T-vK

[lalalandrus]

I know the folder structure.

I have narrowed the issue down to the setup delay. This delay also causes the issue where if the debug disabled, the initial interrogation of the states happens faster than the callback is able to be set allowing the data to be lost. Setting the callback prior to bleKeyboard.begin() does not work.

[lalalandrus]

Ok i modified the library where the blekeyboard has a private declaration of the callback (as defined in keyboardoutputcallbacks). Thus the callback now must be set prior to begin:

void BleKeyboard::setLedChangeCallBack(void (*func)(KbdLeds*))
{
  this->func = func;
}

or invoke an overloaded begin function:

void BleKeyboard::begin(void (*func)(KbdLeds*))
{
  this->func = func;
  xTaskCreate(this->taskServer, "server", 20000, (void *)this, 5, NULL);
}

Then right when the code allocates the mem for:
bleKeyboardInstance->keyboardOutputCallBack = new KeyboardOutputCallbacks();

we immediately assign the callback
bleKeyboardInstance->keyboardOutputCallBack->func = bleKeyboardInstance->func;

If there is a better way, please let me know. Thanks everyone for the help and dev.

[Cemu0]

@lalalandrus

Update: Looks like the delay in the startup on my ESP requires 1.5s. Any suggestions on how to optimize and reduce this delay is appreciated.

I considered the connection time in my code here which can lower the delay time after BleKeyboard::begin() down about 100ms (or even lower, i didn't tested) Sorry if that code like a messy since I tried to force the Esp connecting with multiple device but fail.
I don't want to change the original code for backward compatible and I not sure that all device could work if I change the taskServer in that way.
For fast connection I think the delay after begin wouldn't affected the speed of connection since all the BLE was handled by other underground task.
@LeeNX
On Windown 10, the bleKeyboard.write(KEY_CAPS_LOCK); should toggle the CapsLock key and usually, with that example code it call back the KbdLedCb instantly, I not sure but i guess it could related to macOS ? could you please try bleKeyboard.press(KEY_CAPS_LOCK); or bleKeyboard.release(KEY_CAPS_LOCK);.

[lalalandrus]

I agree the delay would not impact connection, but it does prevent the main loop from running. The proposed change would reduce the dependency and any chance of kernel panics.

I will have a look at your code, will take some time to digest.

[LeeNX]

Just as a note,

  if(bleKeyboard.isConnected()) {
    Serial.println("CAPS LOCK State");
    Serial.println(CapsLockState);
    Serial.println("Writting CAPS LOCK");
    //bleKeyboard.write(KEY_CAPS_LOCK);
    bleKeyboard.press(KEY_CAPS_LOCK);
    Serial.println(CapsLockState);
    delay(1000);
    bleKeyboard.release(KEY_CAPS_LOCK);
    //bleKeyboard.releaseAll();
    Serial.println(CapsLockState);
    delay(1000);
    Serial.println(CapsLockState);
  }

Thou it's not directly related to the LED states PR, but info. OSX does not toggle the CapsLock state with bleKeyboard.write(KEY_CAPS_LOCK);, I had to do the press and release thing as shown above.

As for the LED states PR, looks like it works perfectly with Android, thou it was not so easy to test. I could not find a on-screen keyboard that would reflect the CapsLock state, thou when writing the state, that did update on the Android device. I had to connect an external USB keyboard, that had CapsLock LED and I could see the CapsLock LED match the state in the ESP32 device when toggled with the USB keyboard.

[fangfufu]

@T-vK , what's the status of this pull request? Are there any outstanding issues that stop you from merging it? 🙂

[T-vK]

@fangfufu Yes, I'd like to get this one sorted out first: arduino-libraries/Keyboard#43

[mcer12]

@T-vK Sorry to jump into the conversation like this but I see this hasn't been merged yet. Since this is - at least to me - critical feature, I think it would make sense to merge this rather than keep waiting for the other library author, it's been months already :)

[60999]

Excuse me, what's the progress now? Has the problem been solved?

[T-vK]

No, I'm still waiting for arduino-libraries/Keyboard#43 to be resolved. Kinda sad that it's taking so long. :/

[LeeNX]

Just keeping an eye on this. Thanks @T-vK

[gimdh]

Thank you for the contribution. However, it seems the original Arduino Keyboard library is not going to be patched accordingly in near future. It would be great to at least maintain another branch with lock state support since it is such an important feature to build a complete keyboard yet delayed over a year.

[kilr00y]

Could somebody point me in the right direction on how to fumble this feature into the current master branch?
I would be needing this feature for an ESP-Keyboard project but lack the c++ Skills to understand exactly what's going on.
I've been trying for a week now to no avail. Any pointers in the right direction would be appreciated.

[mcer12]

@kilr00y First step to success is to learn to use github ;) You should be able to just use @Cemu0 's repository. https://github.com/Cemu0/ESP32-BLE-Keyboard

[kilr00y]

@mcer12 been there, done that. Cemu0's repository is 2 years old and i have issues that are fixed in current.
The old commit is incompatible with the current master.

[kilr00y]

nevermind... sometime you just have to ask to reach the solution yourself :)

[Cemu0]

@T-vK it looks like adding keyboard-led call back won't be solved in near future, so as @kilr00y pointed out, I think the callback feature is quite overkilling for this simple task since most of we just need to indicator the CAPLOCK_LED or so.
As saw arduino-libraries/Keyboard/pull/61 (should be merged in near future)I think it is better to just give the user a way to check the led stage. Referent to this fork I came up with this brand . It can be used like this:

  if(bleKeyboard.isConnected()) {
    if (bleKeyboard.getLedStatus(LED_CAPS_LOCK))
    {
      Serial.print("Cap Lock on ");
    }
    if (bleKeyboard.getLedStatus(LED_SCROLL_LOCK))
    {
      Serial.print("Scroll Lock on "); //not work
    }
      if (bleKeyboard.getLedStatus(LED_NUM_LOCK))
    {
      Serial.print("Num Lock on ");
    }
  }

The BleKeyboard::onWrite does not call back when ScrLk changes on PC. So I think this is because NimBLE or PC does not support this key since I remember the last version it still works. So it would be helpful if test on other devices.
And if this is ok I will merge this into the master brand. Thanks.

Update: Sorry it's because of my cheap keyboard, the ScrLk button is fake and does not work in excel, I replaced it with a Logitech keyboard and everything works well. Even using bleKeyboard.write(KEY_SCROLL_LOCK).