Coders dream
This is a very simple hackpad which uses four keys to quickly copy and paste code. This also includes a 0.91" OLED display.
Created by
tapishnud
Hackpad
24 views
0 followers
m0.hid ⚡
approved Coders dream ago
Tickets awarded: 70 tickets
Tier: 4
Great work on this! I love the case you made!
tapishnud
submitted Coders dream for review ago
tapishnud
added to the journal ago
Assembly and coding
Assembly went fine overall. All the components fit properly and the board powered on, so the hardware side wasn’t completely broken. That said, the OLED didn’t turn on during initial testing, which made debugging annoying.
Coding was way harder than I expected. Setting up CircuitPython and KMK took a lot of effort, and I spent around three hours just trying to understand how KMK works by watching random YouTube videos. I initially tried to do something custom, but later realized I should just use the scanner already provided by KMK.
At one point, the MCU randomly became read-only, and I thought I had bricked it. To fix this I had to put it back into bootloader mode and flash circuitpython again. After that, it started to accept code normally.
I also wasted a lot of time debugging before realizing my pin were wrong. The code itself was fine, but nothing worked because the pins didnt match the PCB. I genuinely thought the board was beyond cursed.
Once I fixed the pin assignments and pushed the code again, everything started working, except the OLED I had to add text to it in a very weird way(thanks GPT and Gemini).
I also realized too late that I forgot to add screw holes to the PCB. I couldn’t reorder it now. So, I used double-sided tape to stick the board into the case which is better than nothing at all!
Here are some pictures of my fully built macropad!
Here is the tape that I used!
The wacky soldering job
1Mon ⚡
requested changes for Coders dream ago
really nice job on the hackpad! id like to see some more info on your process in assembling the pcb for this, maybe include some more pics and some issues you ran into?
Tier: 4
tapishnud
submitted Coders dream for review ago
m0.hid ⚡
requested changes for Coders dream ago
Hey! This looks like a really cool hackpad but before this is approved can you add images of your build to your repo please? Otherwise it looks all good
Tier: 4
tapishnud
submitted Coders dream for review ago
tapishnud
added to the journal ago
Ordered The Case
10.12.25
I used Print legion India to get the case printed. This was crazy tbh. The guy who has printed my case lives like 10mins away from my apartment. I sent the files to him he has already done it. He will drop it off tomorrow. PCB is 75% done. So, I think it will arrive within the next week. Although I am still yet to hear from HQ about the parts and the soldering iron grant. Except that everything has been going quite smoothly.
tapishnud
added to the journal ago
Updated The Repo
9.12.25
So with all the changes I did the last day my repo was quite outdated. So I've updated everything, at least the ones that I changed. Also I've sent my case to the print legion India for printing.
tapishnud
added to the journal ago
Fixed PCB Size, Final Installation in CAD, PCB Ordered
8.12.25
-This journal is of the previous day...
The PCB was too big to fit in the case. I therefore changed its size by like 2mm. I also had to edit the CAD a bit and now it fits!. The PCB along with all the components have been tested in the case. I used JlCPCB for the print as per the instructions. At first my request was denied, I forgot to add the drill files(opps). I made the drill files. Then, added it to the archive. Finally it got put into production.
CAN ⚡🚀
approved Coders dream ago
Nice hackpad
tapishnud
submitted Coders dream for review ago
tapishnud
started Coders dream ago
12/9/2025 4:35 AM - Fixed PCB Size, Final Installation in CAD, PCB Ordered
8.12.25
-This journal is of the previous day...
The PCB was too big to fit in the case. I therefore changed its size by like 2mm. I also had to edit the CAD a bit and now it fits!. The PCB along with all the components have been tested in the case. I used JlCPCB for the print as per the instructions. At first my request was denied, I forgot to add the drill files(opps). I made the drill files. Then, added it to the archive. Finally it got put into production.
12/9/2025 4:51 AM - Updated The Repo
9.12.25
So with all the changes I did the last day my repo was quite outdated. So I've updated everything, at least the ones that I changed. Also I've sent my case to the print legion India for printing.
12/10/2025 - Ordered The Case
10.12.25
I used Print legion India to get the case printed. This was crazy tbh. The guy who has printed my case lives like 10mins away from my apartment. I sent the files to him he has already done it. He will drop it off tomorrow. PCB is 75% done. So, I think it will arrive within the next week. Although I am still yet to hear from HQ about the parts and the soldering iron grant. Except that everything has been going quite smoothly.
1/29/2026 - Assembly and coding
Assembly went fine overall. All the components fit properly and the board powered on, so the hardware side wasn’t completely broken. That said, the OLED didn’t turn on during initial testing, which made debugging annoying.
Coding was way harder than I expected. Setting up CircuitPython and KMK took a lot of effort, and I spent around three hours just trying to understand how KMK works by watching random YouTube videos. I initially tried to do something custom, but later realized I should just use the scanner already provided by KMK.
At one point, the MCU randomly became read-only, and I thought I had bricked it. To fix this I had to put it back into bootloader mode and flash circuitpython again. After that, it started to accept code normally.
I also wasted a lot of time debugging before realizing my pin were wrong. The code itself was fine, but nothing worked because the pins didnt match the PCB. I genuinely thought the board was beyond cursed.
Once I fixed the pin assignments and pushed the code again, everything started working, except the OLED I had to add text to it in a very weird way(thanks GPT and Gemini).
I also realized too late that I forgot to add screw holes to the PCB. I couldn’t reorder it now. So, I used double-sided tape to stick the board into the case which is better than nothing at all!
Here are some pictures of my fully built macropad!
Here is the tape that I used!
The wacky soldering job