Aurora Build Guide: 20. Flashing Firmware

Thomas Baart
  • Updated
Follow

Additional resources

Tenting Puck

Selecting a firmware

Elora: Do you want to flash your Elora? Follow the Liatris and Imera section as the steps are the same. Where on step 2 you will always need to double press the reset button. The boot button is next to the top TRRS jack.

Depending on your microcontroller and preference, there are three possible firmware options.

QMK and Vial supports (at least) the following controllers:

  • Liatris
  • Imera
  • Elite-Pi
  • Elite-C
  • Pro Micro

If you want to easily modify your keymaps and options using a GUI, we recommend using Vial. Vial is an open-source cross-platform (Windows, Linux and Mac) GUI and a QMK fork for configuring your keyboard in real time.

If your controller is in this list, please skip to the QMK and Vial section.

ZMK supports (at least) the following controllers:

  • nice!nano

If your controller is in this list, please skip to the ZMK section.

While ZMK does have some support for RP2040 controllers, it does not yet support wired split keyboards. This means that at the moment you cannot use the combination of ZMK and RP2040 controllers (such as the Liatris or Elite-Pi) for Aurora keyboards.
If you want ZMK, stick to the nice!nano for now. If you want to use a RP2040 controller, use QMK.

Flashing QMK or Vial

We'll start by flashing a precompiled firmware file. This will let you use the basic features of your keyboard without getting too deep into the details yet.

You can find precompiled firmware files on https://firmware.splitkb.com/. Make sure you select the right file for your desired firmware, keyboard and controller.

Flashing instructions vary depending on the microcontroller you are using.

Liatris and Imera

The Liatris and Imera both use the UF2 bootloader with .uf2 files.

Flashing with the UF2 bootloader is quite easy:

  1. Plug the Liatris or Imera into your computer.
  2. Enter bootloader mode.
    If this is the first time you are flashing it, this should happen automatically.
    On subsequent flashes, quickly press the reset button twice.
  3. A new removable USB drive will appear on your system.
  4. Copy the ".uf2" firmware file onto this USB drive. Its name does not matter, and you do not need to do anything with the old file.
  5. The USB drive will immediately disappear when the copying has finished.
  6. Flashing has finished, your Liatris or Imera should now reboot into the newly flashed firmware and connect to your computer as a keyboard. You can check this in the Device Manager.

If you can't get it to enter the bootloader mode, hold down the button on the back of the controller (marked "Boot") while you plug it in.

If it is more convenient, instead of plugging in the controller you can also tap the reset button on the keyboard, or short the pin marked RST to the pin marked GND next to it.

Elite-Pi

The Elite-Pi uses the UF2 bootloader with .uf2 files.

Flashing with the UF2 bootloader is quite easy:

  1. Plug the Elite-Pi into your computer
  2. Enter bootloader mode
    If this is the first time you are flashing it, this should happen automatically.
    On subsequent flashes, press the reset button twice.
  3. A new removable USB drive will appear on your system.
  4. Copy the ".uf2" firmware file onto this USB drive. Its name does not matter, and you do not need to do anything with the old file.
  5. The USB drive will immediately disappear when the copying has finished.
  6. Flashing has finished, your Elite-Pi should now reboot into the newly flashed firmware and connect to your computer as a keyboard. You can check this in the Device Manager.

If you can't get it to enter the bootloader mode, hold down the left button on the controller (near pin D7 / D8) while you plug it in. If you cannot reach this button, you can also short the pad marked "boot" on the back to a ground pin while plugging it in.

If it is more convenient, instead of plugging in the controller you can also tap the reset button. This is the right small button on the controller (near pin D20 / D23), or the button on the keyboard itself.

Elite-C

Having trouble? Visit the QMK FAQ for common issues.

The Elite-C uses the Atmel DFU bootloader with .hex files.

The DFU bootloader requires installing a flashing tool.

Windows & MacOS

The easiest way to flash pre-built firmware files on Windows and MacOS is by installing the QMK Toolbox.

You may also follow the steps for Linux below: they will work for Windows and MacOS too, and are in fact required for most types of custom firmware.

After installing the toolbox, follow these steps:

  1. Launch the QMK Toolbox and open the file you want to flash.
    qmk-5.png
  2. Plug the Elite-C into your computer.
  3. Enter bootloader mode.
    If this is the first time you are flashing it, this should happen automatically.
    On subsequent flashes, press the reset button once.
    The toolbox should recognize your device (text may vary).
    qmk-7.png
  4. Click the "Flash" button.
    qmk-8.png
  5. Wait for the flash to complete.
    Your Elite-C should now reboot into the newly flashed firmware and connect to your computer as a keyboard. You can check this in the Device Manager.
    qmk-9.png

Linux

First, install the QMK client by following the steps listed on the QMK Setup page.

Now, flash the precompiled file using

qmk flash -bl dfu my_firmware_file.hex

Can't get it to flash without "sudo? You probably want to add the udev files!

Pro Micro

Having trouble? Visit the QMK FAQ for common issues.

The Pro Micro uses the Caterina bootloader with .hex files.

The Caterina bootloader requires installing a flashing tool.

Windows & MacOS

The easiest way to flash pre-built firmware files on Windows and MacOS is by installing the QMK Toolbox.

You may also follow the steps for Linux below: they will work for Windows and MacOS too, and are in fact required for most types of custom firmware.

After installing the toolbox, follow these steps:

  1. Launch the QMK Toolbox and open the file you want to flash.
    qmk-5.png
  2. Plug the Pro Micro into your computer.
  3. Enter bootloader mode.
    If this is the first time you are flashing it, this should happen automatically.
    On subsequent flashes, quickly press the reset button twice.
    The toolbox should recognize your device (text may vary).
    qmk-7.png
  4. Click the "Flash" button.
    qmk-8.png
  5. Wait for the flash to complete.
    Your Pro Micro should now reboot into the newly flashed firmware and connect to your computer as a keyboard. You can check this in the Device Manager.
    qmk-9.png

Linux

First, install the QMK client by following the steps listed on the QMK Setup page.

Now, flash the precompiled file using

qmk flash -bl avrdude my_firmware_file.hex

Can't get it to flash without "sudo? You probably want to add the udev files!

Building QMK online

The QMK Configurator currently has a couple of limitations:
• The splitkb.com keyboards can only be built for the Elite-C.
• Custom keymap-specific configuration options do not work.
• Not all hardware can be properly customized, such as encoder and OLEDs.

The easiest way to create custom firmware is by using the QMK Configurator, which can be found on https://config.qmk.fm/.

First, select the keyboard you want to build firmware for.

qmk_1.png

Modify the keymap in any way you want.

You can download and upload your modified keymap!

Screenshot_from_2022-11-03_17-02-17.png

Click "Compile" to submit your keymap to the build server and wait until it is done.

qmk-2.png

qmk-3.png

Download the generated firmware file

Flashing instructions are given earlier on this page.

qmk-4.png

 

Building QMK locally

Want to immediately flash after compiling? Replace "compile" with "flash" in the commands below.

First, install the QMK client by following the steps listed on the QMK Setup page.

To build the debug keymap for the Aurora Corne, depending on your controller run one of the following commands:

Elite-C

qmk compile -kb splitkb/aurora/corne -km debug

Pro Micro

qmk compile -e BOOTLOADER=caterina -kb splitkb/aurora/corne -km debug

If you do not want to specify the bootloader every time, add the following to your keymap's "rules.mk" as this lets you use the same short command as the Elite-C.

# Use the Caterina bootloader
BOOTLOADER = caterina

Liatris & Elite-Pi

qmk compile -e CONVERT_TO=liatris -kb splitkb/aurora/corne -km debug

If you do not want to specify the converter every time, add the following to your keymap's "rules.mk" as this lets you use the same short command as the Elite-C.

# Convert from Elite-C to Liatris
CONVERT_TO=liatris

Imera

The imera converter is currently not yet merged in to the main qmk repo so this will not work yet.

qmk compile -e CONVERT_TO=imera -kb splitkb/aurora/corne -km debug

If you do not want to specify the converter every time, add the following to your keymap's "rules.mk".

# Convert from promicro to Liatris
CONVERT_TO=imera

Flashing ZMK

Flashing ZMK has not yet been documented on this page, but in the meantime, you can follow the steps on the Installing ZMK page. For most Aurora keyboards, you can select your keyboard during the setup process. If your keyboard has just recently been released, you can request further directions on our Discord server.

You can find precompiled firmware files on https://firmware.splitkb.com/. Make sure you select the right file for your keyboard and controller.

Additional resources

Tenting Puck

Related articles