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Appendix E: Using VIA

The Nano 2's button can be customized using a web application called "VIA". Currently, a bit of additional work is necessary to get VIA to work, but it should only take about thirty seconds.

Begin by copying and pasting the following into a text file, saving it as nano2.json:

{
  "name": "Ploopy Nano 2 Trackball",
  "vendorId": "0x5043",
  "productId": "0x4CE5",
  "matrix": {
    "rows": 1,
    "cols": 1
  },
  "customKeycodes": [
    {
      "name": "DPI Config",
      "title": "DPI Config",
      "shortName": "DPI"
    },
    {
      "name": "Drag Scroll",
      "title": "Drag Scroll",
      "shortName": "DragScl"
    }
  ],
  "layouts": {
    "keymap": [
      [
        {
          "h": 2
        },
        "0,1"
      ]
    ]
  }
}
  • Next, navigate to the VIA web app, using Microsoft Edge, Chrome, or Opera. Any other browser that supports WebHID will work, too.
  • Look at the top toolbar of the web application, and click the tab called DESIGN.
  • Uncheck Use V2 definitions (deprecated).
  • Click Load and upload the nano2.json file that you saved on your computer.
  • Plug in the Nano 2 if it wasn't plugged in already.
  • Look at the top toolbar of the web application, and click the tab called CONFIGURE.
  • Click Authorize Device. A modal window should pop up, and you should see the Ploopy Nano 2 Trackball as an option to connect. Do so now.

You should now see a representation of the buttons of the Nano 2 in the web app. You are now free to modify the button's functionality.