How do I know if the keyboard is showing?

Monkey Targets Forums/Android/How do I know if the keyboard is showing?

Arabia

(Posted 2015) [#1]

If I EnableKeybaord is there a way to know if it is already showing? I guess I could have separate areas of the screen to tap on to turn it on/off - but as posted elsewhere on the forums that I found it can create issues if you keep enabling it when it's already showing.

I've looked at both the EnableKeyboard and DisableKeyboard commands and they both return an Int - but after mucking around with if EnableKeyboard()=True/0/1 etc. it doesn't seem to be returning a value that is usable.

I notice that some apps also give you a different default keyboard - either the standard qwerty or the standard numeric keyboard depending on what type of input you are looking for.

Some keyboards also replace the enter key with a GO button - meaning you type your value and then press Go to proceed which is more logical than pressing an enter key which is normally used to move down one line in a text box.

Other apps also have a Next / Prev button to move between multiple fields when entering information.

Is any of this supported in Monkey? A monkey keyboard module that looks very similar to the targets existing keyboard would be really good if Monkey doesn't support these things.

Arabia

(Posted 2015) [#2]

Got around if this way, possibly not the best approach but anyway...

	Method OnUpdate:Int()
		If MouseHit()
			If keyboardShowing Then
				DisableKeyboard()
				keyboardShowing = False
			Else
				EnableKeyboard()
				keyboardShowing = True
			EndIf
		EndIf
		Return 0
	End

Just made a Global variable keyboardShowing for the moment to handle this.

Doesn't answer my other questions though. Any input appreciated.

Xaron

(Posted 2015) [#3]

As far as I know currently you have to remember it like you did, which isn't a problem because you know when you activate it. ;)

Arabia

(Posted 2015) [#4]

Thanks @Xaron.

Trying out a few things, and it does seem very laggy in either showing the keyboard or removing the keyboard. E.g. It takes around 2-3 seconds for the keyboard to be shown/hidden - not a big problem. But pressing the keys seems to be even worst, to the point where trying the use the keyboard is just unusable.

This is pretty much my entire program:

	Method OnUpdate:Int()
		If MouseHit() And MouseY() < 300 Then
			If keyboardShowing Then
				DisableKeyboard()
				keyboardShowing = False
			Else
				EnableKeyboard()
				keyboardShowing = True
			EndIf
		EndIf
		Return 0
	End

Any one else have issues with the keyboard on Android?

I'm tried running in both debug & release mode with no change. Running on a Galaxy Tax 3.

APC	(Posted 2015) [#5]

It runs fine on my Galaxy S5.

Try this com from the bananas/mak it works fine on my Android device


Import mojo

Class MyApp Extends App

	Field str$="Started!",old$
	Field enabled?

	Method OnCreate()
		SetUpdateRate 15
	End
	
	Method OnUpdate()
	
		If KeyHit( KEY_MENU )
			Print "Menu key hit!"
		Else If KeyHit( KEY_SEARCH )
			Print "Search key hit!"
		Endif
		
		If enabled
			Repeat
				Local char=GetChar()
				If Not char Exit
				
				Print "char="+char
				If char>=32
					str+=String.FromChar( char )
				Else
					Select char
					Case 8
						str=str[..-1]
					Case 13
						If str.Trim()="bye" Error ""	'test abrupt exit with keyboard open
						enabled=False
						DisableKeyboard
					Case 27
						str=old
						enabled=False
						DisableKeyboard
					End
				Endif

			Forever
		Else
			If KeyHit( KEY_LMB )
				old=str
				str=""
				enabled=True
				EnableKeyboard
			Endif
		Endif
	End
	
	Method OnRender()
		Cls
		Scale 2,2
		DrawText "Text: "+str,0,0
		If Not enabled DrawText "Click anywhere to type text...",0,20
	End

End

Function Main()
	New MyApp
End

skid	(Posted 2015) [#6]

Any one else have issues with the keyboard on Android?

Every Android developer that has ever tried to use on screen keyboard API in a game.

IMHO the Android keyboard API is unfit / not designed for use with with fullscreen GL game displays.

It's behaviour and the amount of visible screen it uses is (un)defined, affected by a combination of :

* Manufacturer
* Android Version
* User Settings
* Language
* Orientation
* Paired Devices
* Installed third party onscreen keyboards

I would consider learning a bit of Java to add an activity dedicated to entering of text hooked up to Monkey in the form of a RequestTextInput command or implement you own on screen keyboard in the style of your Game UI.