Guides
Working from a controller
Email, a word processor, a spreadsheet, a browser, and a calendar: that is most office work, and it can all be driven from a controller with two chord layers and dictation. This guide builds the layout used by the Office Controller preset on this page, explains the thinking, and shows where to put your own shortcuts.
The three layers
A controller has about sixteen buttons. Two of them, the bumpers, become chord modifiers, which gives three layers: plain, held with LB, held with RB. The plain layer is pointing and the basic keys. The LB layer is editing. The RB layer is apps and windows. Holds and double taps add a fourth and fifth output where they are useful.
Plain layer
| Control | Sends |
|---|---|
| Left stick | Pointer, Smooth curve |
| Right stick | Scroll (up / down) and horizontal scroll (left / right) |
| A / Cross | Click; hold for drag toggle |
| B / Circle | Right click |
| X / Square | Escape |
| Y / Triangle | Return; hold for Shift Return |
| D-pad | Arrow keys; hold for the same arrow with Option (word jumps) |
| Left trigger | Delete |
| Right trigger | Space |
| Start / Options | Start Dictation |
| Back / Share | Tab; hold for Shift Tab |
| L3 | Spotlight |
| R3 | Mission Control |
LB layer: editing
| LB plus | Sends |
|---|---|
| A | Command C |
| B | Command V |
| X | Command X |
| Y | Command Z; hold for Command Shift Z |
| D-pad | Shift plus arrow (extend selection) |
| Left trigger | Command A |
| Right trigger | Command S |
| Start | Command F |
| Back | Command B (bold) |
RB layer: apps and windows
| RB plus | Sends |
|---|---|
| A | Open App: Mail |
| B | Open App: Safari |
| X | Open App: Calendar |
| Y | Open App: Notes (change to your word processor) |
| D-pad left / right | Command Shift bracket (previous / next tab) |
| D-pad up / down | Control up / down (Mission Control and app windows) |
| Left trigger | Command Tab |
| Right trigger | Command W; hold for Command Q |
| Start | Type Text: your email address |
| Back | Type Text: your name |
The two Type Text rows are placeholders; open the preset in the editor and type your own details into them. Add more on the holds.
Writing
Dictation on Start / Options handles prose. Punctuation and formatting are spoken: comma, new paragraph, cap. For anything dictation gets wrong, the D-pad word jumps (hold a direction for Option arrow) and the LB layer's selection and cut, copy, paste fix it without a keyboard. A spreadsheet is mostly arrows, Return, Tab, and typing numbers, which is a Type Text row per frequent value or dictation for the rest.
Per-app variations
Duplicate the preset, rename it for one app, change the RB layer to that app's shortcuts, and add the app to its auto-switch list. Mail gets reply, archive, and next message on the face buttons under RB; the browser gets reload, new tab, and reader view. Each preset switches in as the app comes to the front.
Making the modifiers quiet
LB and RB have no plain-layer binding of their own, so holding them does nothing on their own. If you give them one later, remember that a modifier's own output still fires when it goes down; the chords page explains the workaround.
Download
- Office Controller presetThe three layers above, with two Type Text placeholders to fill in and dictation on Start. 24 KB
Open a downloaded preset with InputConfig, or drag it onto the app icon. It lands in the sidebar, ready to activate or edit. Any launch target inside a preset file is cleared on import; add one yourself in the editor if you want it.
Questions
Is this faster than a keyboard?
For someone who types well, no. For someone who cannot type well, or cannot type for long, it is a complete replacement that does not hurt.
Can I use a MIDI pad as a fourth layer?
Yes. A pad controller in a second slot adds sixteen more buttons with no chords needed.
What about passwords?
The Passwords app and Touch ID fill most of them. For the rest, the macOS Accessibility Keyboard on screen is clickable from the stick.
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