qmk_distro_msys VS QMK-OpenRGB

- QMK MSYS: you'll need it for many things, for compiling your firmware file and for flashing, especially if flashing with QMK Toolbox isn't permitted in firmware settings (in this case QMK Toolbox just won't recognize your keyboard);

You don't need the GUI though, you can write the simple code yourself, then using QMKMSYS you can compile these flat text files into firmware. Using the appropriate flashing software for ypur microcontroller, you then flash this firmware onto your keyboard.

First, install QMK MSYS from here. Once installation is finished, DO NOT DO "QMK SETUP". I will explain this later.

Download QMKMSYS.exe from https://github.com/qmk/qmk_distro_msys/releases/tag/1.7.2

QMK MSYS: What we will be using to compile the firmware

You don't really need to be able to program though. (Assuming you use Windows) QMK MSYS will help put all the QMK code on your PC and make it ready to make the firmware file, you will just specify which keyboard make & model you have, edit the file line that controls the timing behaviour, and your PC will build the firmware. Then the Toolkit GUI app will help you sync that onto the keyboard.

Download and install latest version of QMK MSYS

a) Installed git for windows. (If you don't know how to use it - don't go this way. Just download qmk-vial as ZIP, extract in "C:\Users\URUsername\qmk_firmware\vial-qmk", install QMK MSYS. Run it from shortcut in installed folder, run "qmk setup -H C:\Users\URUsername\qmk_firmware\vial-qmk" and change directory "cd C:\Users\URUsername\qmk_firmware\vial-qmk" for next steps.) b) Had an error with gh, so installed cli. Cloned qmk-vial with github desktop in the end. c) Had an error with "make", so installed it and cloned submodules. d) Still had an error with "make" when compiling fw "No rule to make target".

git clone -b HorrorTroll --recurse-submodules https://github.com/MichaelDavidGK/QMK-OpenRGB.git

I originally went down this rabbit hole because of my feker ik75 QMK/VIA version. I wanted to get my feker working with OpenRGB but didn't know where to start since ORGB didn't recognize my keeb right out of the box. I was then given a hex file by discord user Bkzshen from the ORGB discord who got help from Discord user HorrorTroll and that got my feker working with ORGB, however, I wanted to make my own changes to my feker keymap layout and that's where my troubles began. I had issues creating a firmware that would work with ORGB and that's when Discord user MichaelGK helped teach me how to go about creating firmwares compatible with ORGB. I'm making this guide because as I was searching for guides myself before asking the help of the ORGB Discord community, I couldn't find any comprehensible ones that would help a beginner QMK keeb modder such as myself (I have some prior experience working with keychron keebs but it's still kinda new to me) navigate the ORGB git. So I'm hoping this little tutorial helps at least someone out there and makes the whole QMK + ORGB journey a little easier! :) special thanks to Bkzshen and MichaelGK for helping me out and to MichaelGK and HorrorTroll for their amazing ORGB gits of which can be found here: https://github.com/MichaelDavidGK/QMK-OpenRGB https://gitlab.com/HorrorTroll/OpenRGB