# Cycle If you ever wanted a key that works like keys on old cell phones, when you press a key and it cycles through a number of options in a sequence, then the cycling key is what you are looking for. It is a bit different than on cell phones of old, as it is a separate key, that works in combination of other keys: you press a key, then the cycle key, and the cycle key will replace the previously input symbol with another. Keep tapping the cycle key, and it will replace symbols with new ones, in a loop. ## Using the plugin To use the plugin, we need to include the header, and declare the behaviour used. Then, we need to place a cycle key or two on the keymap. And finally, we need to implement the [`cycleAction`][cycleaction] function that gets called each time the cycling key triggers. [cycleaction]: #cycleactionpreviouskey-cyclecount ```c++ #include // Somewhere in the keymap: Key_Cycle // later in the Sketch: void cycleAction(Key previous_key, uint8_t cycle_count) { bool is_shifted = previous_key.getFlags() & SHIFT_HELD; if (previous_key.getKeyCode() == Key_A.getKeyCode() && is_shifted) cycleThrough (LSHIFT(Key_A), LSHIFT(Key_B), LSHIFT(Key_C)); if (previous_key.getKeyCode() == Key_A.getKeyCode() && !is_shifted) cycleThrough (Key_A, Key_B, Key_C); } KALEIDOSCOPE_INIT_PLUGINS(Cycle); void setup() { Kaleidoscope.setup(); } ``` ## Keymap markup ### `Key_Cycle` > The key code for the cycle key. There can be as many of this on the keymap, as > many one wants, but they all behave the same. There is little point in having > more than one on each side. ## Plugin methods The plugin provides a `Cycle` object, but to implement the actions, we need to define a function ([`cycleAction`][cycleaction]) outside of the object. A handler, of sorts. The object also provides a helper method to replace the previous symbol with another. The plugin also provides one macro that is particularly useful, and in most cases, should be used over the `.replace()` method explained below. ### `cycleThrough(keys...)` > Cycles through all the possibilities given in `keys` (starting from the > beginning once it reached the end). This should be used from > the [`cycleAction`][cycleaction] function, once it is determined what sequence > to cycle through. > > To make the cycling loop complete, the first element of the `keys` list should > be the one that - when followed by the Cycle key - triggers the action. ### `.replace(key)` > Deletes the previous symbol (by sending a `Backspace`), and inputs the new > one. This is used by `cycleThrough()` above, behind the scenes. > > The recommended method is to use the macro, but in special circumstances, this > function can be of direct use as well. ## Overrideable methods ### `cycleAction(previous_key, cycle_count)` > The heart and soul of the plugin, that must be defined in the Sketch. It will > be called whenever the cycling key triggers, and the two arguments are the > last key pressed (not counting repeated taps of the cycling key itself), and > the number of times the cycling key has been pressed. > > It is up to us to decide what to do, and when. But the most common - and > expected - action is to call `cycleThrough()` with a different sequence for > each key we want to use together with the cycling key. ## Dependencies * [Kaleidoscope-Ranges](Kaleidoscope-Ranges.md) ## Further reading Starting from the [example][plugin:example] is the recommended way of getting started with the plugin. [plugin:example]: /examples/Keystrokes/Cycle/Cycle.ino