Amended so sym plus $ prints the dollar sign now

examples/companion_radio/main.cpp

@@ -546,8 +546,8 @@ void handleKeyboardInput() {
       return;
     }
     
-    // '$' opens emoji picker
-    if (key == '$') {
+    // $ key opens emoji picker (Sym+$ types literal '$')
+    if (key == KB_KEY_EMOJI) {
       emojiPicker.reset();
       emojiPickerMode = true;
       drawEmojiPicker();
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ void sendComposedMessage() {
     uint32_t timestamp = rtc_clock.getCurrentTime();
     
     // Convert escape bytes back to UTF-8 for mesh transmission and BLE app
-    // Worst case: each escape byte → 8 bytes UTF-8 (flag emoji), plus ASCII chars
+    // Worst case: each escape byte → 8 bytes UTF-8 (flag emoji), plus ASCII chars
     char utf8Buf[512];
     emojiUnescape(composeBuffer, utf8Buf, sizeof(utf8Buf));
     int utf8Len = strlen(utf8Buf);

examples/companion_radio/ui-new/emojipicker.h

@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ struct EmojiPicker {
       case '\r':
         ensureVisible();
         return (uint8_t)(EMOJI_ESCAPE_START + cursor);
-      case '\b': case 'q': case 'Q': case '$':
+      case '\b': case 'q': case 'Q': case KB_KEY_EMOJI:
         return 0xFF;
       default:
         return 0;

variants/lilygo_tdeck_pro/Tca8418keyboard.h

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #define KB_KEY_BACKSPACE '\b'
 #define KB_KEY_ENTER     '\r'
 #define KB_KEY_SPACE     ' '
+#define KB_KEY_EMOJI     0x01  // Internal code: bare $ key (emoji picker trigger)
 
 class TCA8418Keyboard {
 private:
@@ -225,10 +226,16 @@ public:
       return 0;
     }
     
-    // Handle dedicated $ key (key code 22, next to M)
+    // Handle $ key (key code 22, next to M)
+    // Bare press -> emoji picker trigger, Sym+$ -> literal '$' character
     if (keyCode == 22) {
-      Serial.println("KB: $ key pressed");
-      return '$';
+      if (_symActive) {
+        _symActive = false;
+        Serial.println("KB: Sym+$ -> '$'");
+        return '$';
+      }
+      Serial.println("KB: $ key -> emoji trigger");
+      return KB_KEY_EMOJI;
     }
     
     // Handle Mic key - produces 0 with Sym, otherwise ignore