Ronin's display gets a menu and saved action pages

October 6 update: Ronin now has an ordered LED adapter and updated NVMe mounting. The actual V1.0 Matchsticks use two independent adapter channels, replacing the earlier daisy-chain proposal. The PCB and harness await physical checks.

The Ronin display can now open action pages from its own menu. The companion keeps named profiles, and the first Applications page puts six programs within reach:

The page layout is shared between Windows and Linux. Each computer supplies its own reviewed application targets. Exporting a layout carries the button IDs and appearance, not permission to run an executable on another host.

Choose a page on the panel

The installed Increment 3 firmware adds a native menu for Resources, Actions, the animated Scene, sound controls, display Sleep and Settings. Actions requests a profile picker from the connected companion. Selecting a named profile sends its page to the display. Scene and sound controls remain local when the host is disconnected. The existing SD animations, audio and USB resource readings are preserved.

Input starts disabled for each session. After a page is activated, a short tap runs its reviewed action on release. A held touch times out after two seconds. Cancelled touches, missing releases, Home and a disconnected host cannot complete an action. Home returns to the menu and cancels the current page.

The companion also retains an optional Bitfocus counter proof. A guarded handoff gives only one source control of the physical buttons. Manual profiles use the Ronin companion directly, without requiring Elgato software.

Open an app once, then return to it

The current Windows display-button setup has passed user testing. Physical checks confirmed that the SolidWorks, Steam, Claude, PrusaSlicer, OBS and Codex buttons bring their already-running programs forward without opening duplicates. SolidWorks and PrusaSlicer launches and the Home return were also checked.

The host correction looks for an existing window belonging to the configured app before launching. If it finds one, it requests focus instead of starting another copy. A refused focus request must not trigger a duplicate launch. Claude and Codex use their Windows package identities. Steam needs its visible helper window rather than just the launcher process.

A closed Windows app has a separate startup check. The companion uses an eight-second startup deadline to look for that app's own window. If it appears, the companion makes one focus request. Leaving the action context or disconnecting cancels the wait.

A closed OBS launch-and-focus test passed on the Windows host. Other programs' first-launch behavior still needs its own testing, so this is not a guarantee for every app. The display firmware does not need to change for this host-side correction.

Linux comes first

Linux, initially Bazzite on the BC250, is the main design platform. Windows is the first physical test host. Both use the same companion source, portable layouts and firmware protocol, with separate host adapters for installed programs and sensors.

Linux pure-code and loopback tests have passed. Linux desktop focus, the physical panel connection, Bazzite setup and Gaming Mode still need testing. Native Wayland focus depends on the desktop and app integration. An unavailable focus path must not be treated as proof that an app is closed. Missing programs stay disabled, including SolidWorks unless a reviewed Linux alternative is configured.

The app remains a local prototype without a finished installer or startup service. Automatic profile selection by active program, held keyboard shortcuts, the AI voice portal and gamepad host wake remain future work. The two Rainbow on a Matchstick boards by Blamm are still unwired, and this release assigns no LED output pins or final harness connectors.

Documentation and the case

The Ronin case study now reflects the menu and profiles. The existing commercials and complete preliminary CFD report remain available. The CFD still needs improved geometry, mesh refinement and physical validation before it can inform finished-case cooling decisions.

The downloadable Rev0.3 build manual remains a changing draft. Menu/profile setup and the focus workflow are recorded as follow-ups for its next revision, alongside the harness guidance. The tested Windows existing-window workflow and OBS startup behavior are ready to document. Broader first-launch guidance needs further testing.

Build it, remix it, and make it your own. Ronin is a rapidly evolving work in progress, so details may change. If you have questions, feel free to reach out.