Hi,
i got the idea to develop a new keyboard, i just really don't know how. So i was wondering if anyone has the knowledge to create it.
My idea is to use the standard htc keyboard, and remove the bottem row ( the arrows, cause i don't really use them often) to have more room for the other keys. This way we can have square keys instead of rectangles.
The main problem for me is that the standard keys are to narrow in width, so its hard to press them with my fingers (thumb) .
i have added an image to show what i mean.
Anyone whats to help me or explain to me how to develop this?
Kees
Oh dear sweet baby Jesus...
What *is* that?! That's the bastard child of Qwerty and the annoying alphabetically arranged keyboard from satnav units!
My friend, absolutely no insult intended, but that is well and truly the worst keyboard layout I've seen. The key size is determined by the fact that most of the English speaking world have a keyboard layout with the top row of letter being QWERTYUIOP. Messing with that will irritate *everybody* who uses it.
Have you tried turning your device on its side when typing? The keys get much larger...
EDIT: Piccy piccy http://htc-phones.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/htc-touch-diamond2-keyboard-software.gif
haha, ok , thanks for your reply. I must say, i see your point.. Q-P in first row etc is the standard and everyone is used to that.. So not insulted in any way.
didn't thought of that.
im not used to typing in landscape mode, but i'll guess i give it a try. Still i think the buttons are just TO SMALL to type with your fingers without making a fault now and then. Guess i'll just switch to a bigger screen phone in the future, cause i just don't like texting with my stylus.
Thanks again for your reply.
Have you turned on XT9? I make mistakes on the very odd occasion with small words, but any more than 4 letters and it seems to pick (or at least display) the correct word most of the time, even with typing errors.
I'm almost as fast as I was on Nokia keypads now (after around a month and a half with the phone), and I was damn fast on those keypads...
DeathJester said:
Have you turned on XT9? I make mistakes on the very odd occasion with small words, but any more than 4 letters and it seems to pick (or at least display) the correct word most of the time, even with typing errors.
I'm almost as fast as I was on Nokia keypads now (after around a month and a half with the phone), and I was damn fast on those keypads...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thnx for the tip. I switched to spb keyboard 4.0 , fullscreen mode is perfect for me!
I have another suggestion for those wishing (and able) to work on HTC keyboard: Without changing any layout or adding keys, there are quite a few blank, unused keys in the 2nd numeric keyboard, and those blank keys are screaming for a use...a clever Ctrl for example, to allow cut and paste from the HTC keyboard without having to start another keyboard...;-)
Those key are not recording presses, so it can prove difficult to implement, but still, the global layout and all other key actions would not have to be changed, and the layout for the 2nd numeric keyboard is exactly the same as the 1rst one, with all key assigned and recording presses, so I assume it still can be quite simple to add hooks for special action and some pixmap for the missing keys
i'd love to see a ctrl button as well! the press and hold ctrl function is to long-winded..
i'd love to see a ctrl button as well! the press and hold copy-paste function is to long-winded..
If somebody could mod the HTC keyboard to have a ctrl key that would be wonderful !
Another suggestion . Personaly i use "Topaz Keyboard Controler" http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=555821
And i have mapped "Windows" key to "CTRL + C" on long press, "Back" key to "CTRL + V" on long press and again "Back" key to "CTRL + A" on double press (click).
I have mapped all the key of the topaz
Here is a list au key mapped (from top/left of topaz to bottom/right):
LP : Long Press :: DP :: Double Press
Vol Up : LP : Rotate Screen
Vol Down : LP : Camera (this one remenber me my old good Kaiser)
Pick Up : LP : Launch "Second Today"
Windows : LP : Copy to clipboard
Windows : DP : Turn TF3D on/off (morscript) (usefull when trying some tweak...)
Back : LP : Paste from clipboard
Back : DP : Select All
End Key : LP : Launch S2U2
End Key : DP : Switch Wifi on/off
Home this help
ernest33 said:
Another suggestion . Personaly i use "Topaz Keyboard Controler" http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=555821
And i have mapped "Windows" key to "CTRL + C" on long press, "Back" key to "CTRL + V" on long press and again "Back" key to "CTRL + A" on double press (click).
I have mapped all the key of the topaz
Here is a list au key mapped (from top/left of topaz to bottom/right):
LP : Long Press :: DP :: Double Press
Vol Up : LP : Rotate Screen
Vol Down : LP : Camera (this one remenber me my old good Kaiser)
Pick Up : LP : Launch "Second Today"
Windows : LP : Copy to clipboard
Windows : DP : Turn TF3D on/off (morscript) (usefull when trying some tweak...)
Back : LP : Paste from clipboard
Back : DP : Select All
End Key : LP : Launch S2U2
End Key : DP : Switch Wifi on/off
Home this help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
very very very usefull tip! Will take a look at this tomorrow. thanks
ernest33 said:
Another suggestion . Personaly i use "Topaz Keyboard Controler" http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=555821
And i have mapped "Windows" key to "CTRL + C" on long press, "Back" key to "CTRL + V" on long press and again "Back" key to "CTRL + A" on double press (click).
I have mapped all the key of the topaz
Here is a list au key mapped (from top/left of topaz to bottom/right):
LP : Long Press :: DP :: Double Press
Vol Up : LP : Rotate Screen
Vol Down : LP : Camera (this one remenber me my old good Kaiser)
Pick Up : LP : Launch "Second Today"
Windows : LP : Copy to clipboard
Windows : DP : Turn TF3D on/off (morscript) (usefull when trying some tweak...)
Back : LP : Paste from clipboard
Back : DP : Select All
End Key : LP : Launch S2U2
End Key : DP : Switch Wifi on/off
Home this help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did u use the ctrl key when its not on the keyboard :S? Do u have a different keyboard installed on? This seems like a really good idea, should be useful
I would also love to have the "ctrl" key back.
Anyway, its getting harder and harder to "cut&paste" as we progress from wm6.0 to 6.1 to 6.5. Even highlighting texts becomes difficult. Its like taking steps backward and having to scarifice just to be finger friendly.
I love the Full QWERTY from HTC but it lacks the ctrl key. And yet they remove the MS Keyboard on the WM6.5. Seems more like a slap in the face for using WM.
This is the reply you will get if you are kind enough to remind them of the missing keyboard. And note the part about RAM sizes....
"Thank you for contacting HTC.
With regards to your query, we are quite sorry that wm 6.5 has taken away the MS keyboard and Block recogniser due to the RAM size consideration. Also, all HTC models does not come with 'Ctrl'function.
Sorry for the inconvinience caused.
Best regards.
HTC
Hotline: 1800 238 7788
Service Hours : 8 am - 8 pm, Monday - Saturday (except Public Holidays)".
I rest my case.
Try out FingerKeyboard 2.1, you can easily customize it to make your own layouts as well as integrate cut/copy/paste functions.
If you want an already-made solution with big landscape keys as well as cut/copy/paste functionality, try my BIGkeys layout. Link is in my signature.
Thanks Losdrivare. Will try that.
Seems like HTC is becoming like MS on not listening to their customers....
Here some more KeyBoard alternatives;
http://sourceforge.net/projects/eurokbd/
EuroKeyboard
http://www.teksoftco.com/
FingerTouch
http://twolf.sytes.net/
2 Keyboards here (first goto 'Mobile Icon') K-Tap v1.1 and FlashKeys v1.2b
http://www.pdamill.com/prod_tk.shtml
PDAmill TopKey v.2.5
Find it under the 'By Catagory' - FREE - find topkey
http://www.pocketcm.com/
PocketCM Keyboard v.0.23 BETA
Though... I too am a big fan of FingerKeyboard2
Have fun
Look below what I found the other day (only the skin).. I wanna have it!! ;
bilal671 said:
How did u use the ctrl key when its not on the keyboard :S? Do u have a different keyboard installed on? This seems like a really good idea, should be useful
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No need a CTRL key with this method when (exemple) you long press one of the mapped "hard key" "Topaz Keyboard Controler" send the CTRL and C. Then you can continue with the default keyboard
And you know what since the last version of "TKC" you can use TRIPLE press (if mr Tarkim add the QUAD press i will remap all the keyboard with the hardware key...just kidding ).
You should give it a try. If needed i can upload my config for "TKC"
Senax said:
Here some more KeyBoard alternatives;
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And you forgot VGAKey http://vgakey.net/ a great shareware(ONLY 2.99$), and believe me if you want a complete software keyboard this have all (Function Key, ...) I use it on Kaiser/ and my old Acer n311
Take a look below
Edit : I forgot to say VGAKey work very well on our Topaz.
Senax said:
Here some more KeyBoard alternatives;
http://sourceforge.net/projects/eurokbd/
EuroKeyboard
http://www.teksoftco.com/
FingerTouch
http://twolf.sytes.net/
2 Keyboards here (first goto 'Mobile Icon') K-Tap v1.1 and FlashKeys v1.2b
http://www.pdamill.com/prod_tk.shtml
PDAmill TopKey v.2.5
Find it under the 'By Catagory' - FREE - find topkey
http://www.pocketcm.com/
PocketCM Keyboard v.0.23 BETA
Though... I too am a big fan of FingerKeyboard2
Have fun
Look below what I found the other day (only the skin).. I wanna have it!! ;
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks man, a lot of them which i didn't know yet. Let's test..
Hi,
i'm searching for a freeware keyboard with a ctrl key. I need this to send shortcuts with putty. Is there any?
Thx
Maybe you should have a look for the WM6.1 keyboard - I don't know if it exists as a *.cab but that one has at least a ctrl-key (it is ugly anyway to use without a stylus...).
I just loaded ScummVM on my HD2, but it tells me I have to map buttons. For the life of me, I can't bring up the virtual keyboard. Does anyone know how this works?
It needs you to map things to physical buttons on the device not to the virtual keyboard - i usually only need to map the right click action and the button to show / hide the scummvm keyboard / interface..
The pop up will say something like 'Map Right click' you need to scroll down the list and select right click then press the physical button youd like to map.
Hope this helps!
Cheers
Paul
hi,
is is possible to change the standardapplications that are startet when pressing the buttons on the dock? for example when pressing the browser-button (above the 7) it should start opera instead of the stock-one...
thx in advance,
canedha
theroretically yes but i have yet to find the correct file
it should be somewehre in /system/usr/key-something (dont remember) the key you are refering to is key 150 and that launches the "explorer" function
so if you can find out where "explorer" is defined you can chenge it there
Might be helpful:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1144204
You can also use the app AnyCut to create custom shortcuts:
http://www.androidsupernova.com/2011/12/create-custom-shortcuts-with-asus-eee.html
The LG Optimus F3Q (D520) is a phone with "Five-Line Slide-Out QWERTY Keyboard with PC-Like Shortcuts" (LG website). Missing from the keyboard however, is the "Ctrl" key. This brief guide shall attempt to show how an arbitrary key may be remapped for it.
Root the phone. Saferoot by k1mu works for this phone, although I found that the phone did appear to hang should one try to reboot or power off using the hardware power button after rooting. Removing and replacing the battery boots up the phone without issue should that happen. Software-based rebooting works fine.
Install your favourite file explorer for root users. ES File Explorer File Manager worked well for me.
On the phone, navigate to the "/system/usr/keylayout" directory.
Make a copy of the "f3q-keypad.kl" file and put it somewhere safe in case you need to revert to it.
Edit the "f3q-keypad.kl" file using a text editor.
Look for the line "key 100 ALT_RIGHT WAKE_DROPPED". This corresponds to the fn key on the right side of the keyboard.
Replace "ALT_RIGHT" with "CTRL_RIGHT".
Exit the file and save. View it again to verify that your changes have been saved.
Reboot.
Try it out. Ctrl-C should work in a terminal emulator.
To have even greater control over the remapping, you would also need to edit the "f3q-keypad.kcm" file in the "/system/usr/keychars" directory.
Note! If you are using connectbot, please obtain at least version 1.8.1 from connectbot at GitHub. Version 1.7.1 of connectbot in the Google Play store did not recognise the Ctrl command when I tried. Thus, it may be possible that some other programs may also not recognise the Ctrl command.
Disclaimer: I mucked around a lot by trial and error as version 1.7.1 of connectbot was tripping me up, so I had changed a lot more things than what I had listed in the steps above. However, looking back at it, I doubt that any other changes I had made were truly necessary.
Helpful stuff:
appelflap has a button remapper app, which I installed, but didn't appear to be able to do what I wanted. However, the KeynrTracker.apk he linked is very helpful should you very quickly want to know which key corresponds to what.
References:
Key Layout Files
Key Character Maps Files
List of Unicode characters
Other thoughts:
I found Link2SD and Foldermount [ROOT] to be indispensible for this phone.
Thanks! I just might try replacing that pesky write and share app key with CTRL...
It would satisfy a request of mine for my F3Q ROM.
EDIT: Downloaded the app. Because pressing the key pushes the app to the background, it won't capture.
Last line of the file though says "WRITE_SHARE". Think I got somewhere.
Sure did, "WRITE_SHARE" now replaced with "CTRL_LEFT", and is working like a charm!
Glad this helped somebody !
joel.maxuel said:
Thanks! I just might try replacing that pesky write and share app key with CTRL...
It would satisfy a request of mine for my F3Q ROM.
EDIT: Downloaded the app. Because pressing the key pushes the app to the background, it won't capture.
Last line of the file though says "WRITE_SHARE". Think I got somewhere.
Sure did, "WRITE_SHARE" now replaced with "CTRL_LEFT", and is working like a charm!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Keth Tenderfoot said:
Glad this helped somebody !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how to deal with sticky keys?
Polish keyboard mapping on F3Q
Hi, I'm sharing my .kcm and .kl files of the F3Q used with the Polish characters mapped to the respective keys.
(Note to the German users of F3Q: you might edit my f3q-keypad.kcm file ,and map your äöüß characters to the aous keys, if you feel like having your language version of the mapping.)
Keyboard allocation modifications:
SEARCH key mapped to TAB
WRITE_SHARE key mapped to CTRL_LEFT
ALT_RIGHT key mapped to CTRL_RIGHT
PL layout: [ęąółżźćń] mapped on ctrl+[eaolzxcn]
PL layout: [„] mapped on ctrl+[k]
PL layout: [”] mapped on ctrl+[,]
The files have to replace /system/usr/keychars/f3q-keypad.kcm and /system/usr/keylayout/f3q-keypad.kl respectively to be active.
Hallo Pruszków,
Thanx for your polish Keymaps, great work!!!
At the moment I try to modfy them to German. It works fine so far, but now my question is, how can I use the right "fn" key (which is the new ctrl/alt key) without pressing at the same moment as the vowel/consonant, which I want to modify? With the left "fn" key I can first press the button, then release it and it holds its function.
Do you know what I mean?
Would be fantastic, if there is a solution too!
Best regards & dziękuję,
sÖren
fn/alt or ctrl?
Hi Sören,
Thanks for sharing your feedback. I'm glad my stuff could be of some help to you!
spacemoere said:
how can I use the right "fn" key (which is the new ctrl/alt key) without pressing at the same moment as the vowel/consonant, which I want to modify? With the left "fn" key I can first press the button, then release it and it holds its function.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, the "fn" labeled key was originally associated with the "alt" behavior. The "alt" keeps its mode when you press and release it. But I mapped the right "fn" to the "ctrl" bahavior, and... "ctrl" works just when you press and hold it. So, what to do in your case?
You might get back to the original "fn' mapping (in the .kl file) and keep the right "fn" as "alt", and then define äöüß (in the .kcm file) in combination with "alt" instead of "ctrl".
But...
there is a challenge with the special characters already mapped to the keys. E.g. let's take the key "u". Originally "alt" and "u" prints "+". When you'd map "alt" and "u" as "ü" then you'd loose any possibility to get "+". I have no good idea how to resolve that well. Maybe you'd map "+" to: "ctrl" and "u"? Then you'd use "ctrl" only from the key 59 (CTRL_LEFT), as the key 100 you'd map back to ALT_RIGHT.
The bottom line is: you'd need to choose between "alt" and "ctrl" stuff when deciding your settings.
In my case I took "ctrl" for my Polish mapping, as I'm used to press and hold the "fn" to print the Polish characters. If you're used to press and release, to print a German character, you might consider using "alt" instead.
I hope this helps.
Tschüs,
Bernard
Remapping IME
Thank you for the post Keth, very easy explained.
I am wondering about modifying not the standard character map, but the LG Keyboard IME.
I could not find any alternative input method with a good support for physical keyboard and good dictionaries, so I thought it may be better to modify the included input method than using a different one, correct me if I am wrong.
So I extracted the LGEIMEbin.apk from the system/apps directory, and opened it on the computer to figure out how to modify it.
Keyboard layout are saved in XML, so I supposed it should be easy to modify with a text editor like Notepad++, and just say for every key or combination of keys what kind of character do I want.
Well, I was wrong, as the xml do not contain any clear structure that is in any way possible to understand as it was for f3q-keypad.kcm and f3q-keypad.kl.
I tried to open all kind of xml files included in the LGEIMEbin.apk, and all of them presented non recognised characters, as you can see in the picture that can be found at this address:
img4web.com/i/D3RC42.png
Has anybody any hint of why notepad++ does not recognise those characters and how could I correctly visualise them?