Actually... I was wrong. You still need to manually copy them across profiles; you can only pin them across pages and folders of the same profile.
It only takes a second to copy and paste a button though, so no biggie.
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@DanThomas If your main concern is money and you work with a Macbook, then just do everything with KM.
Build horizontal palettes with buttons that lie exactly above the F-keys. 12 icons then lie exactly above 12 F-keys. So your finger goes to the icon, but press F5, for example. Almost like a stream deck. With modifiers you can choose which palette is displayed, globally, app-specific, whatever you want.
But as I said, this only works with the internal keyboard of a Macbook
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+1 to the Stream Deck all the way. The button displays really sell it.
If you decide to go this route, I kindly suggest you check out the "beta" support for StreamDeck from BTT. (here) It let's you do things the El Gato software doesn't. E.g. true global buttons across profiles, conditional profiles that show buttons when conditions are met, multiple profiles displaying at the same time etc, etc)
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So I just ordered a Stream Deck.
With regards to BTT, with which I am acquainted, should I learn Stream Deck's software first, or should I go straight to BTT's interface?
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I can't answer that as I haven't tried the BTT thing; it would take too long for me to transfer across as I've set up so many native profiles. I'm sure someone else can help with that.
I will say, however, that you won't regret getting a Stream Deck. It's incredibly useful and fun!
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I don't know about BTT, but when I got my Stream Deck (in my case, just the mobile software version) it took me an hour to realize I had to choose between the built-in Stream Deck actions, or the Keyboard Maestro action (which you have to figure out how to download from the Elgato marketplace.)
There are now two choices when it comes to downloading a plug-in from the Elgato Marketplace to make your Stream Deck work with KM. One is called "Keyboard Maestro" and the other is called "KMLink." For a discussion about which one may be best for you, here is a thread discussing the choices. The former seems to focus on power, the latter seems to focus on convenience. I prefer the former.
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@noisneil: I understand completely the challenge of tossing all your hard work and starting over. I was in exactly the same boat for exactly the same reasons. But it's done now, and I'm really really happy. @DanThomas is in the happy place of not having that technical debt. The learning curve for BTT might be a bit higher, but so is the pay-off.
Some advice for those who are considering this shift: Don't think you have to take a week to completely refactor your StreamDeck. There is "top down nuke and pave" and there is "improve by exception". I took the latter route and started over with a blank SteamDeck. (Okay, that sounds like "Nuke and pave") But I only made buttons when I needed the buttons. And at the same time I was learning the nuances of BTT scripting. Yes my efficiency dropped while I was hitting all those "exceptions", but it gave me time to learn how it works. And this is a case where an effort today means almost no effort to tomorrow."
@DanThomas, I don't know which StreamDeck you ordered. I have the XL with 32 buttons. With the El Gato software I needed that. But I think with the ability to have multiple and sometimes conditional profiles active at once, the ability to switch out groups of buttons with a button-press, someone could get by with a smaller one. (Might have more button pushes for context changes but would save some money up front.)
Gang, I am not a shill for BTT and it's support of StreamDeck. But I am a huge fan and I was exactly where many of you are now and wanted more. The transition (not for you @DanThomas!) was not as bad as I expected and it gave me a chance to reconsider some of my earlier design decisions. Very happy. (Clearly)
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Whoops. Forgot this part of your question.
should I learn Stream Deck's software first, or should I go straight to BTT's interface
Do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Just go for it, knowing one will not help with the other.
You're more than capable of making your own decision here. Just check out the docs.
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@DanThomas, You can come back to this comment when your SD actually arrives, but this is worthy of note when it does:
As @Airy mentioned the native Stream Deck Keyboard Maestro plugin vs KM Link, I'll say what I always say, and seems to be the consensus:
Always user KM Link unless you need to programatically set the button icon. In that instance, use the native KM button action.
@devoy I don't often find myself wishing the SD behaved any differently to how it does, but I suspect that if I were starting out again, the additional flexibility of using BTT might be enticing. Having said that, I do prefer to keep the number of always-running apps on my mac to a minimum, so I don't know...
@DanThomas is already familiar with BTT, so it seems like a natural thing to at least check out.
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Ha ha ha! "If only you knew the power of the Dark Side…"
In truth the vast majority of my StreamDeck buttons call Keyboard Maestro macros (with values, as necessary). As such, I've left the "KM Link vs KM Button" conversation far behind. (Sorry @cdthomer! 
)
@noisneil I am surprised that you're not already a BTT user. (I think the trifecta is KBM, BTT and Alfred. They compliment each other) You might want to consider the additional StreamDeck button configuration options that BTT offers.
(I'm sorry! I feel like a salesman or the devil himself.) I just find this stuff so empowering. (Whoops, devil again)
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I'm intrigued, as I'm a heavy KM/SD/Alfred user, so it seems we're like-minded. Perhaps if I get some down-time next week, I'll take a tentative step over to the dark side.
Wait, does this mean...
...
...you're my father?
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HA HA HA!
No, I am your Doubt. 
But seriously, to you and everyone: I've got no dog in this fight, and no benefit if you give it a try. But I have Been There and Done That after a long period of doubt of my own. So I get it. But I did it and the process didn't kill me and my StreamDeck is far more versatile. And we’re all here to share our experiences.
Each of you should consider carefully what it would take and make your own decisions accordingly.
(@peternlewis: I did explain that most of my buttons are calling Keyboard Maestro macros, right? Couldn't do this without you man.)
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When this topic comes up, I intrude and point to my free "product" , ASK_Palette, that offers some of the power of a StreamDeck all in software. There are advantages and disadvantages.
Bad
- It takes up room on your screen.
- It has a learning curve. And the documentation needs improvement.
Good
- It is purely software so you can take it places without lugging around a physical device
- It allows you to imbed hints and comments about the function of the various button you create.
- It can handle 99 independently designed palettes.
- It is free
Sample Palette
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As a fellow developer, I can say 2 things about that:
- I love to write documentation, and I hate to write documentation. Strange, I know.
- Documentation is NEVER done, just abandoned.
So I bought the Stream Deck and just started using it. All of a sudden, all the buttons went blank. I switched USB ports, and eventually it started working again. I have no idea how long that will last, though.
Did you buy a USB-A port model, or a USB-C port model?
It's an MK.2, and it uses a USB C cable. Oh, and it's stopped working again.
Are you connecting directly or via a hub?
Have you got Sleep set to "Never" in settings?
Thanks again for your help.
I have it directly connected - using my hub didn't work at all.
I did change it to 30 minutes, and that may have caused a problem, so I just changed it back to "never".
HOWEVER, that wasn't the original issue, because I only changed it from "never" last night. The problem was happening before that.
It's possible the problem was solved by my second reboot, but I may be making an early call here. Time will tell.
Dang, I'm sorry to hear that Dan. That's a poor—and unusual?—first experience. Mine's been rock solid from the get-go, using either the Elgato or BTT software to drive it.
I do have it plugged directly into the Mac.
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