Develop Bugs

[Q] HELP! looking for keyboard with arrows

is there another keyboard that has arrows like the one on the bottom of the stock 2.2 keyboard? i like the stock keyboard in all but its not like the multitouch droid keyboard. i wish someone could put those arrows on that keyboard

Swype has a special editing keyboard, by swyping from the Swype key to the SYM key.
Alternatively, there's a keyboard called Full Keyboard in the market. It's not great for day-to-day typing, and doesn't have a horizontal mode, but it has all of the editing keys you could want (arrows, del, insert, etc.) as well as Ctrl+*letter* keys, making it great for SSH sessions in ConnectBot.

I've been using the demo of Smart Keyboard, available in the Market. You tap the number key twice and it brings up a screen with arrows, a delete key, Tab and and Enter key. Then you switch back by hitting the ABC key. The skin I'm using is the iPhone skin. It has small spaces between the keys. It works for me.
I really like SwiftKey the best. It not only guesses the words you're typing, but also the next word. Works really well, but no arrows.
I also found a useful little app that allows you to have a virtual trackball, called Virtual Trackball. It's useful for moving around when you're trying to edit text. It also allows for a virtual d-pad. It's in the Market and costs .99 Euro. I think it's worth it. The developer is very responsive and is adding more features. I used to have trouble with it going away when running a lot of apps, but the new update seems to have made it persist better. If it disappears, you just hold on the home key to bring up recent apps and turn it on again.

[Q] Keyboard - arrow keys?

I'm coming from a phone with a trackball... a MyTouch 3G that I had kept current thanks to CyanogenMod. This is much better lol.
I used that trackball though, all the time, mostly for selecting text that I'd screwed up... or to move the cursor between words where I wanted to add a sentence. But sometimes was nice too, for moving to the next form field, or scrolling focus to the "submit" button, etc.
I'm pretty happy with my Swiftkey X keyboard - it's got an option to enable arrow keys. I'm surprised Swype doesn't? I'm used to Swype and really would like to use that.
So my question is twofold:
Any other good keyboards with either a simulated trackpad or arrow keys?
and/or...
How do you live without it? I can adapt if I know the tricks.

geolemon said:
I'm coming from a phone with a trackball... a MyTouch 3G that I had kept current thanks to CyanogenMod. This is much better lol.
I used that trackball though, all the time, mostly for selecting text that I'd screwed up... or to move the cursor between words where I wanted to add a sentence. But sometimes was nice too, for moving to the next form field, or scrolling focus to the "submit" button, etc.
I'm pretty happy with my Swiftkey X keyboard - it's got an option to enable arrow keys. I'm surprised Swype doesn't? I'm used to Swype and really would like to use that.
So my question is twofold:
Any other good keyboards with either a simulated trackpad or arrow keys?
and/or...
How do you live without it? I can adapt if I know the tricks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hackers keyboard is nice. Has the four arrows and a number row. Plus you can enlarge or reduce the keys.

The best solution I have found so far is an app called GameKeyboard. The dpad simulates the repeated keypress of a held down arrow key, or joystick (which is essential for many games).
However, it has bugs, and the qwerty mode is slow (you swipe horizontally across the keyboard to switch between gamepad mode and keyboard mode). I enable it specifically for games, and then switch back to my main keyboard (i.e. swype) for everything else.
Here's a link:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.locnet.gamekeyboard

in swype there is an arrow option. swype from the swype/option button to the sym/123 button and a arrow keypad comes up. also from sym/123 button to "f" brings up a number pad.

thumb keyboard has arrows

Official USB keyboard and cm9

Hey guys
Thinking of getting a keyboard for my tab. Does anyone have one and r running cm9? Does it work fine? Were talking about the official USB keyboard from Samsung.
Thanks
Adam
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App

Which one exactly? Maybe this one: samsung.com/us/mobile/galaxy-tab-accessories/ECR-K14AWEGSTA
If that's the case, I have one and it works, except some shortcut keys like brightness up/down, home, app drawer, and recent apps.

MapleSyrup said:
Which one exactly? Maybe this one: samsung.com/us/mobile/galaxy-tab-accessories/ECR-K14AWEGSTA
If that's the case, I have one and it works, except some shortcut keys like brightness up/down, home, app drawer, and recent apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeh its that one alrite so the keyboard works fine?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App

Oh yeah, in general, it works fine.
Just for the record, there's something else that doesn't work at the moment with ICS, switching the input language of the keyboard, only english.

MapleSyrup said:
Oh yeah, in general, it works fine.
Just for the record, there's something else that doesn't work at the moment with ICS, switching the input language of the keyboard, only english.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This may help, if not, let me know and I can add support for more languages and keyboard layouts.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1490149

I'm using ICS and a Logitec Keyboard and Mouse. Everything is working great. No problems. I'm sorry, didn't read the questions right. I'm not using USB Keyboard, I'm using a Bluetooth Keyboard with ICS

i'm using official bluetooth keyboard case from samsung and it does work except:
-can't change language (to russian in my case)
-mute button
-play\prev track\next track
-app drawer button
-options button
-multitasking button
-brightness up\down
-hide keyboard button
-voice search button
Does anyone know a fix for that?
Thanks in advance

Chebooratino said:
i'm using official bluetooth keyboard case from samsung and it does work except:
-can't change language (to russian in my case)
-mute button
-play\prev track\next track
-app drawer button
-options button
-multitasking button
-brightness up\down
-hide keyboard button
-voice search button
Does anyone know a fix for that?
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeh this is a really important concern. The keyboard loses so much value if a good portion of its buttons dont work and it wasnt a cheap keyboard... There must be some app somewhere for rebinding key inputs from bluetooth keyboards...

couldn't find it on the market and forum. If you see any, please, drop a link here

Chebooratino said:
i'm using official bluetooth keyboard case from samsung and it does work except:
-can't change language (to russian in my case)
-mute button
-play\prev track\next track
-app drawer button
-options button
-multitasking button
-brightness up\down
-hide keyboard button
-voice search button
Does anyone know a fix for that?
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you post a photo of the keyboard where all keys are visible? I may be able to help.

kallt_kaffe said:
Can you post a photo of the keyboard where all keys are visible? I may be able to help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here they are

Chebooratino said:
Here they are
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How does the "Lang" button work? Do you need to hold it down to access the Russian characters?

no, it is toggled (like caps)

i have the same problem with the same keys, my keyboard is a samsung and white color, with the same order that shows in the images (am still not allowed to post outside links)
does you guys think that one app can solve this?

lilloscar said:
i have the same problem with the same keys, my keyboard is a samsung and white color, with the same order that shows in the images (am still not allowed to post outside links)
does you guys think that one app can solve this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure about the "Lang" key. That's new to me and does not exist the keyboards that I am used to. It may need Samsungs own input method to work.
I might give it a try though. In a worst case scenario I guess it might be possible to use the "Lang" key as "Alt Gr" to access the Russian characters. Not an ideal solution but better than nothing I guess.
Install Keytest.apk from here and note down all the scancodes for the keys in the top and the bottom row.
(Also if any qwertz (German) or azerty (french) users read this I am also looking for the scancode for "#" (German keyboard) and "*" (French keyboard) for Samsung keyboard dock or bluetooth keyboards. Seems Samsung using different codes for the extra key on 102-key layouts than a standard PC keyboard does.)

kallt_kaffe said:
Install Keytest.apk from here and note down all the scancodes for the keys in the top and the bottom row
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry, from where?

Chebooratino said:
sorry, from where?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oops, seems like I forgot the link: https://github.com/chrisboyle/keytest/downloads

Chebooratino said:
i'm using official bluetooth keyboard case from samsung and it does work except:
-can't change language (to russian in my case)
-mute button
-play\prev track\next track
-app drawer button
-options button
-multitasking button
-brightness up\down
-hide keyboard button
-voice search button
Does anyone know a fix for that?
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try my new app. I just added Russian layout to it for the russian layout I put the complete US layout on ALT and ALT+SHIFT positions. You can also configure one of the function keys to turn remapping on and off but I see now that the samsung keyboard does not have function keys.
Try the demo version and if it works, then using the debugging menu to read the scancode for the "Lang" button and hopefully I can add language switching support also for that key.
Pro version: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apedroid.hwkeyboardhelper
Demo version: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apedroid.hwkeyboardhelperdemo

hebrew is missing
hey, i just purchased your app and it is missing hebrew language.
Is there any way to add it?
Thanks.
and maybe also add an alt+shift key to switch languages.

lxeran said:
hey, i just purchased your app and it is missing hebrew language.
Is there any way to add it?
Thanks.
and maybe also add an alt+shift key to switch languages.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hebrew is added now but you propably know that allready. "Alt+Shift" is not a good option because Alt+Shift+Key is used in some layouts to store 4 different symbols on the same key.

Q: Avoiding Hardware Home Key?

The Note 8 looks great except for the hardware Home key. It's annoying to need physical force for a frequent task that should only take a slight touch.
Is there some way to work around the hardware Home key and avoid using it? Some of the reviews have mentioned on-screen keys, is it possible to keep those enable in all orientations & applications? Alternatively, is it possible to remap one of the capacitive keys to become a Home button?
Any methods or tips about how to avoid using the hardware Home key would be appreciated.

My Galaxy S4 has an Assistant Menu which provides things like an on screen Home and menu button. It's not in my Note 8.0 yet but may be added in a future release I guess.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk HD

Button Savior from the Play Store may do what you are after. It's funny. l personally like the hardware home key.
Sent from my GT-N5110 using xda premium

If you are rooted it would be simple to change your back or menu button to act as your home. You can go to /system/usr/keylayout/sec_touchscreen.kl and edit the BACK or MENU to read HOME.
Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk HD

I am using GMD gesture control on note 2&8 to simulate hardware buttons and keeping full screen for applications
Envoyé depuis mon GT-N7100 avec Tapatalk

Same issue as the OP, I'm using LMT with a pie control right on top of the hardware home button.

MikeChelen said:
The Note 8 looks great except for the hardware Home key. It's annoying to need physical force for a frequent task that should only take a slight touch.
Is there some way to work around the hardware Home key and avoid using it? Some of the reviews have mentioned on-screen keys, is it possible to keep those enable in all orientations & applications? Alternatively, is it possible to remap one of the capacitive keys to become a Home button?
Any methods or tips about how to avoid using the hardware Home key would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use Taskbar task switcher by gdroid, it places a Return to desktop shortcut along with a configurable number of recent apps in the notifications pull down.

sisterchick said:
Button Savior from the Play Store may do what you are after. It's funny. l personally like the hardware home key.
Sent from my GT-N5110 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Button Savior looks helpful, I played with it a little using both auto-hide and permanent display modes. The only downside to hidden mode is it takes two motions, first to expand the menu, then to click the home button. That can be done pretty quickly though.
Why do you like having a hardware button? I don't see why they made 2 buttons compatible with S-pen, and didn't make the Home button usable with the stylus as well.
Sent from my SGH-T699 using xda app-developers app

ual4720 said:
If you are rooted it would be simple to change your back or menu button to act as your home. You can go to /system/usr/keylayout/sec_touchscreen.kl and edit the BACK or MENU to read HOME.
Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, that would be useful. Is it also possible to assign those actions to a long-press? For example, Menu goes to Home with long press.
Sent from my SGH-T699 using xda app-developers app

Handy Hardware Button
MikeChelen said:
Button Savior looks helpful, I played with it a little using both auto-hide and permanent display modes. The only downside to hidden mode is it takes two motions, first to expand the menu, then to click the home button. That can be done pretty quickly though.
Why do you like having a hardware button? I don't see why they made 2 buttons compatible with S-pen, and didn't make the Home button usable with the stylus as well.
Sent from my SGH-T699 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Habit would probably be the best answer. I came to the Note 8 from a hacked Nook Color running CM10. I got accustomed to waking the device with the "n" hardware button. Like my old Nook, I put a non-slip bumper case on my Note 8 which makes pushing the power button to wake a little tedious. I also like to read in the dark and like the hardware key as a landmark for orientation when I pick it up with the lights off. Finally, I use the tablet in the kitchen on a stand for displaying recipes. I use a cheapest of the cheap $5 stylus in the kitchen to wake it up by pushing the hardware key and for scrolling pages so I don't get the tablet or the S-pen all gunked up with cookie dough from my fingers.:silly:

MikeChelen said:
The Note 8 looks great except for the hardware Home key. It's annoying to need physical force for a frequent task that should only take a slight touch.
Is there some way to work around the hardware Home key and avoid using it? Some of the reviews have mentioned on-screen keys, is it possible to keep those enable in all orientations & applications? Alternatively, is it possible to remap one of the capacitive keys to become a Home button?
Any methods or tips about how to avoid using the hardware Home key would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Custom ROM

MikeChelen said:
The Note 8 looks great except for the hardware Home key. It's annoying to need physical force for a frequent task that should only take a slight touch.
Is there some way to work around the hardware Home key and avoid using it? Some of the reviews have mentioned on-screen keys, is it possible to keep those enable in all orientations & applications? Alternatively, is it possible to remap one of the capacitive keys to become a Home button?
Any methods or tips about how to avoid using the hardware Home key would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LMT Pie

MikeChelen said:
The Note 8 looks great except for the hardware Home key. It's annoying to need physical force for a frequent task that should only take a slight touch.
Is there some way to work around the hardware Home key and avoid using it? Some of the reviews have mentioned on-screen keys, is it possible to keep those enable in all orientations & applications? Alternatively, is it possible to remap one of the capacitive keys to become a Home button?
Any methods or tips about how to avoid using the hardware Home key would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you use your Note 8 in landscape mode, you'll soon wish all keys were physical, not capacitive.

tokugawa said:
If you use your Note 8 in landscape mode, you'll soon wish all keys were physical, not capacitive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is my concern, Im hoping that by using a case that goes over the bevel rather than sits flush with it, my palm will be less likely to brush against the back and menu capacitive buttons when playing games or drawing. My device should be arriving this evening so I will have to experiment to find my best solution. I dont want to mod the software to disble the buttons and get the traditional menu bar on the screen. I value the screen real estate. If they were physical buttons I wouldnt have this issue

hertsjoatmon said:
This is my concern, Im hoping that by using a case that goes over the bevel rather than sits flush with it, my palm will be less likely to brush against the back and menu capacitive buttons when playing games or drawing. My device should be arriving this evening so I will have to experiment to find my best solution. I dont want to mod the software to disble the buttons and get the traditional menu bar on the screen. I value the screen real estate. If they were physical buttons I wouldnt have this issue
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's still a bit annoying to me in landscape mode, but in Portrait mode it's been actually quite fine (even drawing). Perfect would be an app that could just temporarily disable/toggle it (maybe via a small 1x1 widget). Then if I want to use it in landscape mode (or whenever Im going to use it in a way that could be annoying with the capacitive keys), I could simply turn it on.
I do like the physical/capacitive keys in general too, since I also value the screen real estate so I guess for me a toggle solution would be best. Maybe I'll investigate into it and make it myself...

Or you can add Home button as Multiwindow "app" with this
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.t2.shome
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Hi, there's a way for disabling the capacitive keys, just look under development here on this forum. The mod will disable the keys and require the S Pen to make them work (quite useful for landscape) to enable On-Screen Buttons you should try this (works on the Galaxy S3/Note/Note II) I haven't tested in the Note 8 but I will as soon as I get mine (by the end of this month).
Enable on-screen buttons:
You will need root access for this.
Install ES File Explorer File Manager on your Note from the Play Store. This is a file manager that will be used to edit those system files to enable/disable on-screen/soft buttons.
Open ES Explorer. Then, click the menu button on your device and click Settings. Here, tick the “Up to Root” option. Then go down and tick the “Root Explorer” option, then press Allow/Grant button when prompted to grant it root access. Then, tick the “Mount File System Option” as well. Once all three options are selected, press back to exit the settings.
Hit the Up on top in ES Explorer till you reach the outermost folder (till it says / at the top).
Go into the system folder, then scroll down to find the build.prop file (Copy this file to a Safe location!!).
Tap on this file to start editing it. If you get an “Open With” prompt, select “ES Note Editor”.
Now, at the end of the file (at the bottom after the last line), add the line “qemu.hw.mainkeys=0″ (without the ” quotes), then save the file (press the Menu button to see the Save option).
Then, reboot. After the boot up, you should have the virtual on-screen buttons on your screen.
Sent from my XT925 using xda app-developers app

EDIT

How-to: disable the home button
The thread that Samper was referring to is at: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2250941
I can't post there yet, so I would like to add here that after disabling the menu/back buttons as described there, I worked out how to disable the home button. Following the same instructions as in the above link, also edit the gpio-keys.kl, changing the last line by adding a # to the beginning, so it looks like this:
Code:
#key 172 HOME WAKE
Now that all three buttons are completely dead (though the pen will still activate the menu/back buttons), I use LMT Launcher to provide pie controls at the bottom of the screen. Get it here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1330150. PieControl from the Play Store is an easier-to-configure but less powerful alternative to LMT.

[Q] Raising the virtual keyboard in Chrome.

Is there still any way to bring up the virtual keyboard under Chrome (on the new N7 at least), even when you are not on a text box element?
Some sites capture key presses to do various activities, and the inability to use the keyboard is a definite problem.
An example being ajaxterm (implements a remote terminal emulator via javascript and AJAX, quite handy going through overly restrictive firewalls), no keyboard renders the entire thing useless.
Any suggestions?

I'm not sure. The best solution I can think of off the top of my head is to use a custom rom with button mapping. You can set press and hold functions to software keys and hardware (I think).
I'd say a long press on the Recents button to pull up the IME. Typically Back(Hold) is force close, Home(Back) is Search, nothing is assigned to recents(Hold).
That or an app that sits in the notification tray that has a button for IME....
Or again, the quick notification toggles on custom Roms has an IME enable/disable, I think.
Sent from Nexus 7 FHD from XDA Premium HD