[maemo-developers] Virtual keyboards

[From: Tomas Junnonen]

ext Frantisek Dufka wrote:
> Tomas Junnonen wrote:
>> A VKB implemented using a toolkit on the other hand allows the keyboard
>> to instrument with the running application through the API of that
>> toolkit. This means communication is bi-directional between the
>> application and the VKB, allowing a different set of features and
>> "smart" behavior
> 
> So is it possible to extend VKB to be even smarter about client windows
> and use toolkit methods for gtk window but fall back to generate X
> events for other windows (i.e implement both approaches)?

Sure, it's possible. You wouldn't be able to access some features, and
you would need some interface to toggle the keyboard, but you'd end up
with an Hildon-VKB lookalike that behaves like matchbox-keyboard.

But I'm not sure that approach is so useful in the end. For example, the
applications on the tablet are designed to not need modifier and
function keys, and the VKB is designed around these assumptions. When
you use remote X applications that's no longer the case. In such use a
full keyboard emulator like matchbox-keyboard might make more sense, and
the effort involved could be better spent improving matchbox-keyboard
instead.

Regards,
Tomas