https://github.com/ian-h-chamberlain/steamdeck-pinpad
A helper to enter your Steam Deck PIN with a keyboard
https://github.com/ian-h-chamberlain/steamdeck-pinpad
Last synced: about 1 month ago
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A helper to enter your Steam Deck PIN with a keyboard
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/ian-h-chamberlain/steamdeck-pinpad
- Owner: ian-h-chamberlain
- License: gpl-2.0
- Created: 2023-09-12T03:05:53.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2023-09-12T03:27:56.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-03-25T05:36:36.509Z (about 1 month ago)
- Size: 11.7 KB
- Stars: 2
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 3
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# Steam Deck PIN Pad
Helper systemd service to make the Steam Deck (Big Picture) PIN pad work with
keyboards.
## Installation
1. First install `evsieve` (see [their README](https://github.com/KarsMulder/evsieve)
for instructions). If you have an AUR helper (e.g. `yay`, `paru`) installed already,
you can also install it from [the AUR](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/evsieve)
directly.
> If you use e.g. [distrobox](https://github.com/89luca89/distrobox) it should be
> possible to install and run inside a container, but might take some
> tweaking to get the service to work properly.
1. Copy or symlink `[email protected]` from this repo into `~/.config/systemd/user/`:
```sh
cp ./[email protected] ~/.config/systemd/user/
# OR
systemctl link --user ./[email protected]
```
1. Ensure your user account has access to `/dev/input/event*` devices.
See [the Arch Wiki page](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Udev#Allowing_regular_users_to_use_devices)
for details on `udev` if you want to set this up automatically and securely.
## Usage
First, identify the keyboard(s) you want to use for the PIN pad.
1. See if the keyboard is listed by a usable ID:
```sh
ls /dev/input/by-id/*-kbd
```
1. Using `evtest`:
1. If needed, install `evtest`:
```sh
sudo steamos-readonly disable
sudo pacman -Sy evtest --needed
sudo steamos-readonly enable
```
1. Find the path in the first column for the device you want to use. For example,
`/dev/input/event21` in the output below:
```console
$ evtest
No device specified, trying to scan all of /dev/input/event*
Not running as root, no devices may be available.
Available devices:
/dev/input/event10: Microsoft X-Box 360 pad 0
/dev/input/event21: Keychron Keychron K1
/dev/input/event22: Keychron Keychron K1
/dev/input/event28: py-evdev-uinput
/dev/input/event4: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard
Select the device event number [0-29]: ^C
```
> NOTE: `/dev/input/event*` paths are not guaranteed to remain consistent, so
> so `/by-id/` paths are preferable when possible.
Then, for each device you want to use, enable the service for that device:
```sh
# Space-separated device paths in one string here
devices="$(systemd-escape --path "/dev/input/by-id/usb-Keychron_Keychron_K1-event-kbd /dev/input/event28")"
systemctl --user daemon-reload
systemctl --user enable --now steamdeck-pinpad@$devices.service
```
To see if it's, working, quit and restart Steam and open controller settings.
You should see a controller called "Steam Deck PIN Pad" listed there.
Open up Big Picture and you should be able to use your keyboard for the PIN pad now!
## Caveats / Notes
One thing to keep in mind is that the Steam Deck PIN pad is laid out opposite
to a typical keyboard number pad:
| PIN Pad | Numpad |
|:-------:|:-------:|
| `1 2 3` | `7 8 9` |
| `4 5 6` | `4 5 6` |
| `7 8 9` | `1 2 3` |
| `0` | `0` |
This "fake controller" binds the keys according to their number, not their physical
position on the pads.