#Macro keypad Pc
#Macro keypad plus

If you have an extra full-sized keyboard laying around, you can use it with HIDMacros as well.В Add some home made sticker labels if youвЂ™d like, and youвЂ™re good to go! You may already have one laying around, but if not, you usually can find them for around $10 new. If youвЂ™re interested in any of these options, but lack the budget to invest in one, worry not! With simple open-source program called HIDMacros, you can transform an every day number keypad into your own dedicated programmable macro keypad! Additionally, gaming mouses generally feature more precise movement, with the ability to toggle sensitivity levels on the fly.В If you donвЂ™t necessarily need upwards of twenty programmable buttons, there are many more streamlined options with just a few additional buttons for you to map. I find this to be by far the most efficient way to deal with complex keystrokes and recurring expressions, simply based on the physical convenience of the buttons.

The Razer Naga MMO Gaming Mouse via Razer This is my personal favorite of these options, and it hasВ eliminated most lag I deal with fromВ minor tasks. While the After Effects workflow isnвЂ™t this intense, one can certainly benefit from being able to access so many functions without having to relocate your hands. In a similar vein to the keyboards we just discussed, gamingВ has provided some great mouses that are surprisingly handy for programs like After Effects.В MMO gamers typically require many easily accessible macro buttons for split-second actions. For instance, if you find that a certain project will repeatedly use a specific expression, you can press a вЂњmacro recordвЂќ button andВ it will automatically assign your following keystrokes to the chosen key. One of the coolerВ aspects of gaming keyboards is their ability to program macros on the fly without opening their software. Gaming keyboards are usuallyВ fairly flashy, but there are a few conservative, professional-looking options available as well.В There are even a few options with mechanical keys, if you prefer them to the more common membrane keys.

#Macro keypad plus

The G710 Plus Mechanical Gaming Keyboard via Logitech However, if you have decent muscle memory, you may find that itвЂ™s worth the slight inconvenience.

#Macro keypad Pc

Unlike dedicated macro keypads, most keyboards of this design are geared more towards PC gamers, so theyвЂ™ll force you to memorize the position or number dedication of your individual keys. If you would rather your programmable keys be integrated into your keyboard to prevent some clutter, or also simply happen to be in the market for a new keyboard, you may want to look into purchasing oneВ that has programmableВ keys built in. While you can technically do this with a DIY setupВ or a keyboard with built-in macro keys, these labels areВ designed to allow you to re-useВ them easily in the future, rather than having to peel a sticker each time. Moreover, pads such as X-KeysВ include customizable key labels, so that you can simplyВ identify your keys by their individualВ icons. They even feature different backlighting color options! With many button counts to choose from, and various layout options, you can most likelyВ find something that will fit perfectly inВ your current work station. These are especially great if you simply want more buttons in addition to your current peripherals. While they arenвЂ™t necessarily the cheapest, they specifically caterВ towards video editors and the likes. If this guaranteed boost in After Effects efficiency appeals to you, there areВ several affordableВ options you can choose from.ДЇor most digital artists, dedicated macro keypads are the ideal device. It may sound trivial, but when appliedВ to everything from layer transform actions to typingВ expressions, it can speed things up to a surprising degree. Once I memorized that key location, what was previously a conscious, distracting action, became second nature. Programmable keys allowed me to, say, scale a layer to match the composition width without having to think about it.

I found that using hardware with programmable keys created aВ big jump in my productivity. This certainlyВ sped up my workflow to an extent, but with someВ hotkeys being combinations of three and even four characters, I still had to take the time to pause, recall, and set up my hands in awkward position to press said combination. Give your hands a break and speed up your After Effects workflow! Let your hardware do the work for you with programmable keys!ДЄs my knowledge of After Effects grew, I found myself looking more into the programвЂ™s hotkeys forВ more repetitive tasks, in hopes of spending less time navigating menus.