an idea for a virtual keyboard (1 Viewer)

[Clodo]

My objective is to create a virtual keyboard that allow entering texts in
a more quickly possible (with some habit and a good configuration).


I write a proto-type in macromedia flash, based on an idea
from the "beyond good & evil" game

http://itazz.net/files/Clodo/MediaPortal/mp_vk.swf
http://itazz.net/files/Clodo/MediaPortal/mp_vk.fla


You can write a sentence only with left/right/enter keys.

I write three presets for the disposition of the buttons,
but you can search "Presets Here" in the actionscript source
(if you have Flash MX2004)
to write new formulas of disposition.

By changing the keys list, is possible to create
presets based of a specific sets of unicode chars, to improve globalization,
or limits the allowed chars, for example an IP address.

Many features is missing
(dictionary & intellisense, caret movement, multiple unicode keys-list also to
improve globalization,
shortcut for switch the keyslists, zOrder is wrong), but if people like it, i
start the MP conversion.

Can be a process-plugin that send the windows message to the active window,
or a GuiText control like the GUISMSInputControl or
the Smirnoff version (thanks again smirnoff!)? what is the best solution?

the second solution need an integration in the core, can be approved by Frodo?
(i don't know very well how CVS rules works...)



I'm waiting for feedback!

 

[critifer]

Clodo

Might I add - VERY NICE and a damn nice way of showing off your example with the prototype demo

1 - I have this to Frodo to review and we will clealry want you to post the sources for him to review

2 - There are a few places I could see it being useful, one of those would be as a new keyboard MOD for the Guide search, but would need to be perhaps size adjusted to fit well on a screen.

3 - Not sure if you would want this to completely swallow a screen, but perhaps more like the Virtual Keyboard now come over as a layer - or sized to fit as an overlay on top of the screen u r preparing text entry for.

Was really nice to see the creative work here and thanks

Critifer

My objective is to create a virtual keyboard that allow entering texts in
a more quickly possible (with some habit and a good configuration).


I write a proto-type in macromedia flash, based on an idea
from the "beyond good & evil" game

http://www.itazz.net:90/itazz/mediaportal/mp_vk.swf
http://www.itazz.net:90/itazz/mediaportal/mp_vk.fla


You can write a sentence only with left/right/enter keys.

I write three presets for the disposition of the buttons,
but you can search "Presets Here" in the actionscript source
(if you have Flash MX2004)
to write new formulas of disposition.

By changing the keys list, is possible to create
presets based of a specific sets of unicode chars, to improve globalization,
or limits the allowed chars, for example an IP address.

Many features is missing
(dictionary & intellisense, caret movement, multiple unicode keys-list also to
improve globalization,
shortcut for switch the keyslists, zOrder is wrong), but if people like it, i
start the MP conversion.

Can be a process-plugin that send the windows message to the active window,
or a GuiText control like the GUISMSInputControl or
the Smirnoff version (thanks again smirnoff!)? what is the best solution?

the second solution need an integration in the core, can be approved by Frodo?
(i don't know very well how CVS rules works...)



I'm waiting for feedback!

 

[Dazzyb2K3]

lol, this is fantastic. I don't really use text entry much but for those that do this is the best thing i've seen!

Would agree that it shouldn't take the whole screen but apearing as a popup overlay is good idea.


Great work Clodo!

 

[tkortell]

Yes, realy nice work

btw, greate game -> "beyond good & evil"


/tk

 

[Smirnuff]

I love the idea, especially the aesthetics, and hope that I'm missing something... to me it seems that this would be a very slow input method, work out the number of key presses needed to type Xavier Humperdink. There are ways to reduce the number needed but then its going to just add to the complexity, both for the developer and the user.

Also, I personally think that a traditional style edit control is the most needed thing here, the methods of working with that control are secondary - such as the method you've already demonstrated, or an SMS control pad etc.

Cheers,
Smirnoff.

 

[Khris]

I'd have to agree that this method would take a long time to input things.

My idea would be to have a key which can select different case, and "bank" of characters.

EX:

A-Z
a-z
0-9
Punctuation

You could cycle through these 4 "banks" and still use the circular input method which would reduce time to enter characters.

 

[PLeblanc]

I love the text entry in BG&E, but it really requires a continuous input stream.

For people with gamepads and mice/pointer sticks attached, this would be fantastic, for those with just a remote, this wouldn't really be an improvement. However, there's no reason why it couldn't be an option so that people with just remotes wouldn't *have* to use it.

Great demo of the idea too.

 

[Clodo]

I'm update the demo (same link of the first post)
- Many position mode, now the selection works...
- Delay after the first click of the key removed
- Added "keys repeat speed"
- key "Shift" to the same thing of the "Enter"

To do a most occurate "timing" about writing, don't use it in fullscreen,
because the frame-rate and the focus movements are low
(with bitmap and directx i'm think don't occur this frame-rate problem that exists in flash)...


Smirnoff -> If we create differents "presets" of options and keyslist, i
don't think that this method add complexity for users;
A newbie user can use the default preset, and Advanced user can go in
Configuration->Advanced->MoreAdvanced->VeryVeryAdvanced->ChangeVKSettings...

For example, in MP when i stop a record, it's recorded directly with the
name that come from the TVGuide. If exists a quick method to input directly
the name of the file, can be useful for me if after the stop, a dialog is show
for input the filename.
But it's correct that this can reduce the user-friendly of MP, so must
be an option like "ConfirmFileNameOnStopRecord", default "false", in the
VeryVeryAdvanced config tabs..

In general, there isn't many need to create that now, but when come an
irc-plugin (i'm working on it) or a browser-plugin, enter an arbitrary strings quickly
(for example, an url) is, for me, more more important.

Also, different presets can be useful for globalization, more simple
than create many xml layout for the standard VK.

however, I have written this demo just to understand if people think that
can be quickly than a standard VK or not.



critifer -> there are variables/formulas that control the disposition,
so create a more smaller version (for example, for a popup) can be done only
by reduce the radius... however a large radius allow to put many other objects
in the center, like a list for intellisense/suggested phrase etc..

Khris -> i'm thinking about the multiple keys list,
but for example if you want 4 bank of 10 characters each, you can
enter the entire string (40 chars) as a KeysList, set the pageSize
to 10, and use pageUp and pageDown key to switch.
Like the "alphabeth" position schema in the updated demo, that have
the uppercase characters aligned to the lowercase characters, so can
switch with pageUp and pageDown.

PLeblanc -> My ONLY remote control for pc is an Ati RW, and have a stick that
simulate mouse movement. The other remote (also MCE) don't have a stick?
This method can be very quickly with a stick/mouse, but if a remote-controller
don't have a stick, probably an SMS (or T9) input is better...
So this is a big problem... sigh... in MCE there isn't any analog input?

Thanks to all! Clodo

 

[PLeblanc]

"The other remote (also MCE) don't have a stick?"

Most of the remotes I have seen have four discrete directional keys with an OK or Select in the middle. The ATI does have a nice directional pad, and I like using mine for mouse controls, but the other MCE or PC remotes I have access to don't (a sony, a toshiba, an MS, a firefly, and a dvico).

But don't forget everyone who has a game pad!

 

[Clodo]

For who know the source code, so
the major known remote-control used by MP's users don't throw any
"Action.ActionType" (for ex. ACTION_MOUSE_MOVE)
with fAmount1/fAmount2 valorized? Only on/off or down/up values?



The "four discrete directional keys" don't send information about how much
is pressed (for example, like a left/right trigger of the xbox controller)?

It's a limitation due to infrared technology, so only radio-frequency remote
can have an analog input?

If yes, this is a BIG BIG problem for this type of VK, and i think this VK
can't be useful for many many people... sigh sigh ....