{"id":8594,"date":"2022-06-01T11:15:28","date_gmt":"2022-06-01T17:15:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/volksswitch.org\/?page_id=8594"},"modified":"2026-10-03T08:29:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T14:29:46","slug":"tweaking-the-ready-to-print-keyguard-designs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/volksswitch.org\/index.php\/volks-devices\/customizable-3d-printable-keyguard-for-grid-based-free-form-and-hybrid-aac-apps-on-tablets\/ready-to-print-keyguard-designs\/tweaking-the-ready-to-print-keyguard-designs\/","title":{"rendered":"Tweaking the Ready-to-Print Keyguard Designs"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

If one of the Ready-to-Print keyguards is close but not quite what you need, you can \u201ceasily\u201d modify it so that it will. You\u2019ll need to learn how to use the keyguard designer, but you can get a big leg up by starting with the design we\u2019ve already created for that keyguard.<\/p>\r\n

Begin by downloading this zip file<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0Expand the file to create a “ready_to_print_designs” folder.\u00a0 The folder will look like this:<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\r\n

When you launch the keyguard designer web app and open this project, the latest keyguard designer program and openings_and_additions.txt file will be added to the folder.\u00a0 The name of the json file will be updated to match the name of the keyguard designer – “-vXX” will be added where the “XX” is the number in the name of the keyguard designer.\u00a0 The folder will now look like this:
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\r\n

The number after the “_v” may be different (larger) than what you see in the picture.\u00a0 That’s OK.<\/p>\r\n

When tweaking a design In the top-level folder, you’ll see a file called openings_and_additions.txt.\u00a0 You’ll want to have the appropriate copy of this file in the folder for the particular keyguard that you’re modifying.\u00a0 Some of the keyguard designs can use this file as is, but there are many exceptions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The folder has a series of subfolders, with their own subfolders.\u00a0 The “Cases and App Specifics” folder is the most complex:<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\r\n

The “Cases and App Specifics” folder has a collection of “tablet folders”.\u00a0 Each of the “tablet folders” contains a collection of “case folders.\u00a0 Each “case” folder contains a subfolder for one or more of the “AAC apps”.\u00a0 Each “app” folder contains a special version of the “openings_and_additions.txt” file just for that app.\u00a0 If you don’t see a subfolder for your app, it means that you can use the more general “openings_and_additions.txt” file for that case.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

You can find out if you need to replace the standard file with a different one by following this process:<\/p>\r\n

    \r\n
  1. Open the “Case and App Specifics” folder and find the case that you’re using.\u00a0 Open that folder and copy any “openings_and_additions.txt: file you see there to the folder with the designer.\u00a0 You will be copying over the file that you’ve already put there – that’s not a problem.<\/li>\r\n
  2. If the case supports multiple mounting options, open the appropriate folder.\u00a0 If you find an “openings_and_additions.txt” file in the mounting option folder, copy it over the one in the top folder.\u00a0 Within the mounting option folder, find your app (if shown) and copy the “openings_and_additions.txt” file you find there to the top level. Again, you will be copying over the file that you’ve already put there – that’s not a problem.\u00a0 If you don’t see the app listed, you don’t need to look any further.<\/li>\r\n
  3. Last, if you want to compare your design to a screenshot of the app, you can find the appropriate “svg” file in the top-level “SVG files” folder.\u00a0 Copy the file to the top-level folder, then change its name to “screenshot.svg”.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    You’re now ready to launch the designer.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

    Next, choose the keyguard design that you like from the “Presets” pull-down list:<\/p>\r\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/p>\r\n

    The presets are all named like this:<\/p>\r\n

    tablet – case\u00a0 –\u00a0 app\u00a0 layout<\/p>\r\n

    So “iPad 7,8,9 – LTROP – Grid Super Core 30” is the preset for the keyguard design that can be used with the “Super Core 30” layout of the “Grid for iPad” app on an iPad 7, 8, or 9, when attached to the “LTROP” case using any of the stated mounting methods for the LTROP case.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

    Note that each preset has all the necessary settings to support all the mounting methods (slide-in tabs, raised tabs, micro-suction tape, or keyguard frame) for that case.\u00a0 Just choose “slide-in tabs,” “raised tabs,” or “- none -” (for use with micro-suction tape), respectively, as the mounting method in the Customizer pane.\u00a0 To display the keyguard frame option, set “have a keyguard frame” to “yes” in the “Keyguard Frame Info” section and set “generate” to “keyguard frame” in the “Keyguard Basics” section.<\/p>\r\n

    Also note that some cases are so restrictive that they will only support one, less than satisfying, mounting method…<\/p>\r\n

    Modify the design to better fit your needs and create a new preset.\u00a0 Follow the naming convention described above as much as possible and include something about your change(s).<\/p>\r\n

    You can also make changes to the “openings_and_additions.txt” file if necessary.\u00a0 Set the changed file aside in a folder for your new keyguard.<\/p>\r\n

    If you’re designing a keyguard for an entirely new layout for a supported app – especially if it’s just a different number of rows and columns, you “should” be able to simply start with one of the other layouts for that app in that case and change the number of rows and columns in the “Grid Info” section.<\/em><\/p>\r\n

    Including a screenshot<\/h1>\r\n

    The folder includes screenshots of all the supported tablets\/apps\/app layouts.\u00a0 Those screenshots are located in the “Image files” folder.\u00a0 Follow the same navigation process to find the appropriate screenshot, copy it, and paste it in the parent folder with scad\/json\/txt files.\u00a0 Then set “Special Actions and Settings” > “include screenshot” to “yes”.<\/p>\r\n

    If you don’t have one of these cases<\/h1>\r\n

    What if you don’t have one of the “supported” cases?\u00a0 You may have noticed that there are only a few Customizer settings that relate to the case:<\/p>\r\n

      \r\n
    1. the measurements of the case opening<\/li>\r\n
    2. the mounting method<\/li>\r\n
    3. specifics of the chosen mounting method<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

      The most critical of these settings are the measurements of the case opening because that will determine the overall size of the keyguard and how well it will fit in your case.<\/p>\r\n

      You can take the measurements yourself using an Easy Measurement Tool<\/a> and a metric ruler or you can use the measurements that have been taken<\/a> by the folks at Keyguard AT.\u00a0 The linked webpage is only for the iPad 7\/8\/9, but they have taken measurements for other iPads in other cases as well.<\/p>\r\n

      They list the measurements for the height and width of the opening but they don’t provide the measurements of the corner radii.\u00a0 This number doesn’t have to be exact in order to get a reasonable fit for your keyguard.\u00a0 If you are guessing, choose a larger number rather than a smaller one.\u00a0 A larger radius will always fit in a corner that actually has a smaller radius.\u00a0 If you try to put a keyguard with a small corner radius in a case opening with a larger corner radius, the corner of the keyguard will catch on the case.<\/p>\r\n

      So, find the set of Presets for one of the “supported” cases that is most like your case.\u00a0 \u00a0Among that set, select the Preset that matches your app and the best mounting method.\u00a0 Make a copy<\/a> and name it after your case\/app\/mounting method.\u00a0 Then, change the case opening measurements to those specified by Keyguard AT.\u00a0 This will probably get you very close to a workable keyguard design for your situation.\u00a0 Create a test print<\/a> and make changes to your design as necessary.<\/p>\r\n

       <\/p>\r\n

       <\/p>\r\n

       <\/p>\r\n

       <\/p>\r\n

       <\/p>\r\n

       <\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":7793,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"folder":[],"class_list":["post-8594","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t