[OSK] Ubuntu Touch should allow alternative keyboard layouts

[Chris Croome]

It would be nice if alternative keyboard layouts were available for Ubuntu Touch.

On Android devices I use the Hacker's Keyboard https://code.google.com/p/hackerskeyboard/ from F-Droid https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdfilter=org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard&fdid=org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard as this allows customisation and easy access to keys such as Ctrl, Esc, !, : and - and these are keys that take a lot of key presses with the current Ubuntu touch keyboard (I use vim). In addition key combinations such as Ctrl-n and Ctrl-p (next and previous channel in IRSSI) are not possible with the current Ubuntu Touch keyboard.

Having said the above the gestures, double tap for tab, swipe up, down , left and right for the arrow keys is great and I now find myself trying to use these gestures on Android devices...

[Chris Croome (chriscroome)]

See also https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-keyboard/+bug/1228186

[Bernard Banko (beernarrd)]

Should be possible by ie. having a DIY layout files simlinked to a ~/.config/ folder
See an example https://plus.google.com/+BernardBanko/posts/f9eFF3rpmtq
Another would be to have different layout in portrait and layout mode.

[GTriderXC (gtriderxc)]

I support the idea as we have a "fight" about the topic in polish layout:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-keyboard/+bug/1468799

As You see in the comments on different devices there are different problems. In the bug I pasted You see as a theoretically great solution for a tablet is a bad one for an Aquaris 4.5 where the screen is not as big as in M10.

[GTriderXC (gtriderxc)]

I reported a quite similar issue a few days ago here:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-keyboard/+bug/1573990

Having an old-modern "1-9" mobile phone keyboard would be also a great idea. Perhaps we would be able again to write without looking on the screen as I described.

[Michael Sheldon (michael-sheldon)]

This is on our road map, but requires some other work to be completed first (primarily shifting to JSON based layout definitions, to allow 3rd party layouts to be distributed securely via click packages)

[Pentarou (pentarou)]

Alternative layouts may include Dvorak / bépo layouts as well. Are these on the road map too ? :)

[Andrew Gree (realgrandrew)]

looking at the keyboard source code - it indeed looks impossible not only to add custom symbols without recompiling - but no modifier keys are ever possible to be sent as the keyboard acts as text editor (for autocorrect, etc) and does not directly send keycode events to Mir. So there does not seem to be any straightforward way to enable modifier or any special keys.

It may be easier to implement sending direct keyboard events as a separate service and then crafting a client into ubuntu-keyboard to talk to it and use the keyboard as an UI only to send real events, like have a "^C" button, etc.. otherwise it will require a huge rewrite of the logic

[AlainKnaff (kubuntu-misc)]

> but no modifier keys are ever possible to be sent as the keyboard acts as text editor (for
> autocorrect, etc) and does not directly send keycode events to Mir.

Huh? If this is preventing implementation of cursor keys throughout all applications, why don't we just ditch this misfeature and make the keyboard behave like a, um, keyboard rather than a text editor?

I'm sure most people prefer usable navigation over autocorrect (which often autocorrects wrong, btw).

And if that's not the case, maybe make this optional: let the user chose (via an option or setting) whether he wants direct keyboard (with cursor keys, modifiers and everything) or autocorrect.