Ability to start a layout without owning a compatible device?

10 votes

On startup Vial insists on detecting a device - I can't simply choose the device I want to create a layout for.

I downloaded Vial in hope to check it out, poke about with all of the options and get a feel for it and the possibilities it offers ahead of me ordering a board (Preonic). A bit of a deciding factor for me.

Idk, maybe there are superb reasons for requiring the actual device physically present? I'd think it would be neat to get started before I order or the device arrives at my doorstep.

Thank you for this seemingly very neat keyboard configuration software!

Not planned Suggested by: Robin (12 Oct, '21) • Upvoted: 24 Oct, '23 • Comments: 2

Comments: 2

04 Apr, '22
Moderator Admin
This is not really feasible in general case since the feature set supported by a keyboard depends on the compile-time firmware configuration, with some keyboards having different firmware options with different features enabled (e.g. disabling one of the combos or tap dance, etc).

It's nevertheless possible to start a basic layout by downloading the keyboard's VIA/vial.json and loading it through the "File->Load dummy JSON" menu
17 Oct, '22
Admin
"Dummy vial device so that users can test the functionality of the app w/o an actual vial device." (suggested by tinkerBOY on 2022-10-16), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.