Database Users

Keyboard

I have a mogul, and I was wondering how you type certain keys on the keyboard. Ideally, I would like to be able to type escape, ctrl- and alt- keycombos on the physical keyboard, but if that's not possible then I'd like to be able to do that using the SIP keyboard. Also I'd like a way to type F-keys using the SIP keyboard.
I tried using AEKMap, and it simply didn't work. I noticed that on the PocketPutty homepage, it shows a SIP keyboard with an alt key, and another SIP keyboard without one. I have the latter, and I would like the former.
Anyone have any ideas? I think it's ironic that I can type any international character I want, but I can't type basic things like escape and alt.

I don't think windows mobile supports those keys anyway, which is probably why we don't have the option of using them anywhere.

That's not true. Many WinMo apps display ctrl+ shortcuts and the soft-keyboard contains those keys.

kmartburrito said:
I don't think windows mobile supports those keys anyway, which is probably why we don't have the option of using them anywhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can definitely use ctrl, I use it to paste when the press and hold menu doesn't come up in some aps.

I've used it on soft keyboards, but is there a way to use ctrl from the slide out keyboard?

Very compact PocketCM skin (3 rows): miniPhone v0.1 (screenshots added)

One problem that I have with most keyboard skins is that it becomes too tall and I find myself typing blindly because the keyboard covers the area that I am typing. SPB Fullscreen keyboard gets around but is buggy and not a "true" SIP keyboard (if you have used this you will know what I mean. The only way around this is to create a not so tall skin. Default WM6 kb is not so tall but is not finger friendly.
Thus I have modified a skin for PocketCM that I thought I would share. The original skin is based on a skin called 2manyiClone, which I believe is from 2manyphones, so many thanks goes to him.
The main features are:
1. Only 3 rows high, but the buttons are still finger friendly (most skins are 4 rows).
2. Most letters, symbols and numbers needed can be accessed through the main layout screen(I hate switching layout screen for one symbol or number and having to change back).
3. What is sacrificed to make this happen: space, return, and backspace are only 1 box wide. No shift button.
4. In place of shift, all capital letters can be accessed by holding down a letter until the "symbol pad" for that letter pops up revealing its capital letter. If you really need the shift key (ie capitalizing whole words) you can find it in the "symbol pad" of the space key (hold space key down).
5. All digits can be accessed on the main page by holding down the letters of the top row (qwertyuiop) for 0-9 revealing its symbol pad. All of the letters in the top row have the corresponding digits in their top right corner to show its digit function.
6. Symbols and punctuations can be accessed either through the default symbol pad of the .!123 key (hold it down) or the "m" key (which has a (') character to designate it is also a symbol key.
7. .com can be accessed through the "c" symbol pad and www. can be accessed through the "w" symbol pad (hold down the respective letter).
If someone finds a use for this, then great. If not, then sorry to waste your time.
Just download and unzip into your PocketCM keyboard folder. It should have two files miniPhone.layout and miniPhone.skin. Under PocketCm options, it is important to select both the miniPhone layout and the miniPhone skin for it to work right.
I am also taking suggestions for improvement. If it suits me I will make the change and post revisions. If it doesn't suit my purpose, then i will just show you how to change it yourself.
Here is also an alternate layout by jomo25:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=2105928&postcount=14
Here are my screenshots:

Nice job
This is a nice adaptation of my iClone keyboard. The small numbers on the top row of keys is a nice idea. I'm sure some people will like this smaller footprint. You may want to take a look at the layout file in my "Best of" version (link in my signture). Considering the numbers can be accessed from "qwerty...." keys, I think you could add more symbols or shortcuts to the .!# key. Also the symbol pad goes to 4 lines. You may want to try having two 3 line symbol pads to keep the same foot print, but still allow for access to many symbols.
It is nice to see people taking my (and others) ideas and coming up with their own style.
Keep it up!

works great on my HTC Touch, thanks!

Nice screenshoot...I'll try...Thanks....

Spanish layout
Hi,
How can I add accented vowels support?
I mean á, é, ...
Thanks

longj49 said:
works great on my HTC Touch, thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wait...it's not suppose to look like that. It's suppose to have only 3 rows not 4. Are you sure you selected miniPhone under skin and layout? I think you forgot to select miniPhone layout.

2manyphones said:
This is a nice adaptation of my iClone keyboard. The small numbers on the top row of keys is a nice idea. I'm sure some people will like this smaller footprint. You may want to take a look at the layout file in my "Best of" version (link in my signture). Considering the numbers can be accessed from "qwerty...." keys, I think you could add more symbols or shortcuts to the .!# key. Also the symbol pad goes to 4 lines. You may want to try having two 3 line symbol pads to keep the same foot print, but still allow for access to many symbols.
It is nice to see people taking my (and others) ideas and coming up with their own style.
Keep it up!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So i see my thanks needs to go to you for the skin. It is the most "authenetic" *phone skin out there.
Funny that I never looked at that thread before when I came up with my ideas, especially having caps for each letter symbol pad. I am quite surprise more layouts don't have this. i guess great minds think alike..lol. I got the idead for that from using default wm6 kb with gestures in which if you upward gesture any letter you get its cap.
Again, thanks a bunch.
Aslo, perhaps you can link this thread to your original thread?

I am considering adding punctuations and symbols onto the qwertyuiop keys, with each letter getting a symbol on the upper left hand corner to go with the digits on the right hand corner. The problem with this design is that things may start to look cluttered.
What do you guys think?

screenshots added to first post!

very nice work! works great on my cruise but there's a small bug. sometimes when i press space, it would go to the symbols pad itself. weird but it's not a big deal. also, all the buttons seem overlapped on landscape mode. visible especially on the top row and the space, return, symbols and backspace buttons. thanks for the great skin!

raggastani said:
very nice work! works great on my cruise but there's a small bug. sometimes when i press space, it would go to the symbols pad itself. weird but it's not a big deal. also, all the buttons seem overlapped on landscape mode. visible especially on the top row and the space, return, symbols and backspace buttons. thanks for the great skin!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry but I designed this for use on Portrait only, never really use Landscape myself.
On the spacebar bug, which symbols pad are you referring too? Spacebar has its own "symbols pad" which include the Shift key, period and comma, as well as the space bar.

SuperFly, this is awesome...You inspired me to use this one which takes up much less space...I've modded yours to this:
Code:
keyboard_layout_1=qwertyuiop\nasdfghjkl\N\n\Mzxc vbnm\2
keyboard_layout_2=QWERTYUIOP\nASDFGHJKL\N\n\MZXC VBNM\1
keyboard_layout_3=&@[1\]$*789+?\n.':/!456-\B\n\M[1http://www.]()0123=\N
symbol_pad=\M,0123456789
symbol_pad=z,-Z?!_&@$"'
symbol_pad=w,W2[3http://www.][2.com][2.net]
symbol_pad= ,[2LoginID2][3LoginID1][2Password1][3Password2]
symbol_pad=),[2;)][2:)][2:p][2:D][2:*]
symbol_pad=(,[2:S][2:(][2:|][2:o][2:/]
symbol_pad=/,[1\]
symbol_pad=-,_
symbol_pad=:,;
symbol_pad=http://www.,[2.com][2.net][3https://www.]
symbol_pad=a,A
symbol_pad=b,B
symbol_pad=c,C
symbol_pad=d,D
symbol_pad=e,E3
symbol_pad=f,F
symbol_pad=g,G
symbol_pad=h,H
symbol_pad=i,8I
symbol_pad=j,J
symbol_pad=k,K
symbol_pad=l,L
symbol_pad=m,\E\T\H\F\DM
symbol_pad=n,N
symbol_pad=o,9O
symbol_pad=p,0P
symbol_pad=q,Q1
symbol_pad=r,R4
symbol_pad=s,S
symbol_pad=t,5T
symbol_pad=u,7U
symbol_pad=v,V
symbol_pad=x,X
symbol_pad=y,6Y
This way it's always 3 rows, and has access to lots of symbols, smileys, and ID/PWs as I like to set mine up...Hope this is useful to some others!
Great idea, SFSC!

jomo25,
glad I inspired you. maybe you can post a zip of your layout so we can try it out without going through a text editor.

superflysocal said:
jomo25,
glad I inspired you. maybe you can post a zip of your layout so we can try it out without going through a text editor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Attached. The skin file is unchanged. The layout file is as in last post.
If you want to customize it of course, you should use a text editor to use your IDs and/or PWs...
Thanks!

Additional shots

Anyone working on a portrait VGA version of this?

Best Keyboard for the HD?

Hi I'm currently using PocketCM Keyboard which is better than the default but a bit frustrating when having to use !&- etc as you have to switch to numbers then to exclamations...
I was wondering if anyone have found a better keyboard (perhaps like the iphone with everything on the one screen) but still takes advantage of the screen size?

JetMouse, you know you can easily customise the layout of PocketCM Keyboard to suit your needs? It's as easy as editing a text file to control which symbols appear on which buttons. Since I did that it's easily become my favourite software on my Touch.

SiliconS said:
JetMouse, you know you can easily customise the layout of PocketCM Keyboard to suit your needs? It's as easy as editing a text file to control which symbols appear on which buttons. Since I did that it's easily become my favourite software on my Touch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No I didn't know this - can you run me through how to do it?

JetMouse said:
Hi I'm currently using PocketCM Keyboard which is better than the default but a bit frustrating when having to use !&- etc as you have to switch to numbers then to exclamations...
I was wondering if anyone have found a better keyboard (perhaps like the iphone with everything on the one screen) but still takes advantage of the screen size?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use SPB Keyboard (the new one, version 4.0) with fullscreen mode. The non-fullscreen mode is pretty much iphone-like. Don't know if it's "better" - to my taste the stock one is just perfect in all respects except for lack of support for Russian, which I need. Unlike most other keyboards, it has arrows which compensate the absense of the dpad on the device.

Sure thing:
Connect your PocketPC to your computer so you can browse the contents of the device.
Browse to \Program Files\PCMKeyboard
Copy English.layout (or whichever one you're using) to your computer's desktop
Make a backup of the file, just in case
Open the live file with Notepad
You can see four lines labelled keyboard_layout_#=
Edit the characters in those lines to change the symbols on the keys in PocketCM Keyboard
Each of the four lines contains a complete template for the keyboard. Rows are separated by the \n (newline) combination
There are some shortcuts to create special-purpose keys:
\2 seems to be uppercase
\1 seems to be lowercase
\b is backspace
\M is the symbol/text toggle button
\N is the enter key
There is a way of including smilies or combinations of characters on single keys, but I can't remember how. I also can't remember how to edit the row of quick symbols you see if you hold down the '123#?' button
Once you've made your changes, save the file on your computer and copy it back over to the PocketPC.
You'll need to choose a different softinput thing and then go back to PCM Keyboard to see the changes.
Don't forget to save the file somewhere in case you upgrade to a newer version of PCM Keyboard.

My favourite keyboard is Tengo. Allows very fast and forgiving typing. You might like to try it. I hope it works on Touch HD cos I have not got one to try on yet.
They have a free version, a commercial regular version, and a commercial thumb version.

the best keyboard for me is touchpal from http://www.cootek.com/
so many improvements

prospects said:
the best keyboard for me is touchpal from http://www.cootek.com/
so many improvements
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
is it compatible with the TOUCH HD

Touchpal
I think Touchpal is the best.

iznee said:
is it compatible with the TOUCH HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just tested it, yes it is 100% compatible.
I love this keyboard, but I am trying to get it to run using the Dutch language. It is so blazing fast and accurate in English using the suretype layout, it's not even funny. I SWEAR I cannot type faster using a hardware keyboard, simply because of the fact that it is just as accurate, has big enough keys to type blind, and you don't actually have to depress a button so... works for me
Still stuck with the trial version though...
Only thing that I still gotta get used to is switching keyboards using a finger slide, I just keep pressing buttons instead of triggering the slide really cool function though as it saves button space and basically is just cool to show people
Thanks for the tip people!
EDIT:
Got my own language it in it now, easy... Also really easy to switch languages... Just pull down the ABC key and pick one. This does reveal some non-skinned ugly winmo buttons though, even while the rest of the keyboard is Diamond skinned.

wfhowell said:
I think Touchpal is the best.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completely Agree, it is very usefull, Fast and easy to use Keyboard

TouchPal
I would at least try the demo of this. I personally prefer TouchPal to a Blackberry hardware keyboard. I am serious. The seplling correction and word prediction is simply amazing. Completely altered my view of software keyboards.
BTW- I am 6' 2" and weigh 220 with BIG hands, and Have been happy with TouchPal since the first Touch.

Alternate Software Keyboards?

Has anyone here tried alternate software keyboards with the HD2 (other than the ones that come with it)?
For instance, SPB keyboard (giant keys), Fitaly keyboard (different key layout, different kind of prediction), etc.?
Curious to hear your reviews--whether there is any point in getting any of those?
Also, is there any way to get the standard WinMo one back? (I don't mean for all the time, but occasionally it comes in handy. For instance, it has a Ctrl key, which one can use to cut and paste. Touch Ctrl then C, it copies selected text to the clipboard. Ctrl then V pastes them. Etc. I've only seen that Ctrl key on the standard winmo keybd.)

if you have not tried swype yet i would suggest giving it a go.
it works very well on the HD2 and makes inputing text alot easier

try Resco, ive just bought it cos i find it is more accurate and looks alot like the htc original
it has some great features and is only £6.50, theres a 10 day trial on it for testing.
ive found it to be faster to type with less errors, with the same size keys. it also has copy and paste as well as a calculator built in

me said:
Has anyone here tried alternate software keyboards with the HD2 (other than the ones that come with it)?
For instance, SPB keyboard (giant keys), Fitaly keyboard (different key layout, different kind of prediction), etc.?
Curious to hear your reviews--whether there is any point in getting any of those?
Also, is there any way to get the standard WinMo one back? (I don't mean for all the time, but occasionally it comes in handy. For instance, it has a Ctrl key, which one can use to cut and paste. Touch Ctrl then C, it copies selected text to the clipboard. Ctrl then V pastes them. Etc. I've only seen that Ctrl key on the standard winmo keybd.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does anyone know of a iPhone looking keyboard?
I hate, Hate, HATE the arrow keys on the HTC keyboard and the alternatives are not what I am used to.
The layout of the iPhone keyboard is absolutely perfect for me and unlike Android, I cant seem to find a keyboard replacement that has the same layout
Please if anyone knows of one let me know

Considering most of us hate the iphone keyboard, I'm guessing that is why no one has made one. I like the arrows on the htc keyboard, about the only reason I use it.
Have you tried swype?
How about fingerkeyboard?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=501434

nrfitchett4 said:
Considering most of us hate the iphone keyboard, I'm guessing that is why no one has made one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I absolute LOVE the iPhone keyboard! I hate how my right hand has to type awkwardly due to the arrow keys taking up space on the right side of the landscape keyboard. I would much rather just have larger letter keys.
nrfitchett4 said:
Have you tried swype?
How about fingerkeyboard?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=501434
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm I tried the SPB keyboard and the Rescoe keyboard so far but didn't like either one. I want something that has the EXACT same layout of the iPhone if possible.
Edit:
- tried out Fingerkeyboard 2.1 and it doesn't work since it still has the same arrow keys which I HATE and dont want on my keyboard taking up space
- tried out swype but it lags when doing regular typing and doesnt show a letter pop up above the letter you type like the iPhone does.
Anyone else know of a iPhone type keyboard?

How to change QWERTZ keyboard layout to act like QWERTY?

I just activated a Blackberry Priv. However, i now notice that the lovely hardware keyboard is QWERTZ layout instead of QWERTY.
How do you switch the language/layout of the hardware keyboard? I cant find any information on this with google - only information on other blackberry devices. I don't get it, since I have the keyboard set to US English in the settings panel. There doesn't seem to be any other option regarding the layout?

DrAzzy said:
I just activated a Blackberry Priv. However, i now notice that the lovely hardware keyboard is QWERTZ layout instead of QWERTY.
How do you switch the language/layout of the hardware keyboard? I cant find any information on this with google - only information on other blackberry devices. I don't get it, since I have the keyboard set to US English in the settings panel. There doesn't seem to be any other option regarding the layout?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My keyboard is QWERTY as it should be.
1) Did you update Blackberry apps from the Play store? If blackberry apps don't show in play store, then just search for "blackberry" in the play store and all needed apps will appear and update button will show.
If you have already done the first step, then go to settings>language & input>blackberry keyboard settings>input languages and here might be an update to the specific language.

I've updated the blackberry software, but still no options seem to effect the hardware keyboard. I can change the layout of the software keyboard, but it only seems to apply to the software keyboard.

DrAzzy said:
I've updated the blackberry software, but still no options seem to effect the hardware keyboard. I can change the layout of the software keyboard, but it only seems to apply to the software keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By the way, do you see the on-screen keyboard when physical one is open?

No, I don't see software keyboard on screen when the hardware keyboard is out. Am I supposed to? That seems like it would be undesirable. I see just three suggested words along the bottom of the screen.

any luck with this? i would love to change freom qwerty to qwertz and have actuallz physically changed the keyboard already... but the setting to change it is missing

Same here. Just bought BlackBerry Priv with psysical qwertz and found that there is no tweak keys for that. I would like to change these letters virtualy, to press z and get y and opposite. How to do this. Help!

This will help solving it, install and swap y and z https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=innerlife.keyboard.multilanguagekeymapredefiner

just wanted to comment and say this helped me a ton with my key2 thanks so much @Mr.PeterAmgad!!

fraunhofer777 said:
just wanted to comment and say this helped me a ton with my key2 thanks so much @Mr.PeterAmgad!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would like to use it with keyone.
any side effects?
can you still use the shortcuts?
google play says this is for older android versions, did you find a newer version?
thx...

Mr.PeterAmgad said:
This will help solving it, install and swap y and z https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=innerlife.keyboard.multilanguagekeymapredefiner
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, this worked! But now the number 7 is mapped to the Z key (alt + z), and alt + y brings out parenthesis. It's not a huge issue, but it seems there is not way remap alt + y so it will output 7 as it is in the original layout.
Also it seems there is no autocorrect available at all when using this keyboard? I was relying on autocorrect to put the right accents in Spanish, I can't seem to be able to enable this again even if I switch the language to Spanish.

In the end I created a custom QWERTZ to QWERTY keyboard for AnySoftKeyboard. It solves the issue of having Y mapped to parenthesis and Z to number 7 I mentioned above.
I made them for both English and Spanish (the Spanish one lets you write "ñ" by pressing "n" three times).
I also made a custom build of AnySoftKeyboard that make predictions work with the Key2 hardware keyboard. But if you just want the remapping, it works the fine with the official AnySoftKeyboard, just predictions don't work unless you use the on-screen keyboard.
Only tested with the BB Key2.

raymccoy said:
In the end I created a custom QWERTZ to QWERTY keyboard for . It solves the issue of having Y mapped to parenthesis and Z to number 7 I mentioned above.
I made them for both English and Spanish (the Spanish one lets you write "ñ" by pressing "n" three times).
I also made a custom build of AnySoftKeyboard that make predictions work with the Key2 hardware keyboard. But if you just want the remapping, it works the fine with the official AnySoftKeyboard, just predictions don't work unless you use the on-screen keyboard.
Only tested with the BB Key2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello raymccoy,
i tryed your workaround, but its not working on my Key2. I installt the Anysoftkeyboad from Your attachments and your languages apks. But my physical Keyboard does not change the layout. Can you tell me the steps to install?
Thanks
Marc

it does not work for me either. it does not remap anything, furthermore it crashes

I have to correct myself! it works, but it's necessary to install the last version of the app (from Playstore) to prevent it from crashing... AND it's necessary to show the virtual keyboard, otherwise physical keyboard remapping will not take place. Thankfully, the virtual keyboard can be made really tinyn so it will not be too invasive on the screen (see screenshot). Tested on BB Key2.