"Ctrl" on phones with no trackpad?

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What steps will reproduce the problem?
1. Use ConnectBot with the LG GW620R
2. Connect to a remote host.
3. Do anything for which you need the Ctrl key, like sending a message in Pine.

I've read through the various tickets regarding Ctrl functionality, but
haven't seen any that address using ConnectBot on a phone without a
trackpad/scroll button. Is there a way to toggle Ctrl on phones such as mine?

Thank you!

Original issue reported on code.google.com by jsa...@csee.umbc.edu on 27 Nov 2009 at 3:35

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Same problem with the Motorola Droid, which also has no trackball. You can't do 
a CTRL-C or CTRL-A (to 
control screen(1) for example). This means on the currently only Android 2.0 
device you can not use connectbot 
and screen easily.

Original comment by christia...@gmail.com on 24 Dec 2009 at 11:49

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And of course the same is true for the ESC key (which somehow is simulated 
using the non-existant CTRL key), 
so you also can't use vi/vim.

Original comment by christia...@gmail.com on 24 Dec 2009 at 11:52

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Ignore my comments, didn't realize that "trackball" on the Motorola Droid means 
you need to press down on the 
d-pad.

Original comment by christia...@gmail.com on 24 Dec 2009 at 11:54

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Yup, GW620 doesn't seem to have anything that maps to KEYCODE_DPAD_CENTER.

I added search -> ctrl and alt+search -> ESC mappings, as the search key is 
conveniently placed and otherwise unused. Attached patch also fixes page up and 
page 
down to work as one would expect on GW620.

Original comment by atte.tim...@gmail.com on 1 Jan 2010 at 3:17

Attachments:

• gw620_keyfixes.patch

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Hello.

I have the same issue with the Acer liquid which has no trackpad. Would you 
have a
workaround for this?

Many thanks in advance.

Regards.

Original comment by vraderme...@gmail.com on 1 Jan 2010 at 5:40

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No way to use control key on the Archos 5 internet tablet. Does anyone know of 
a wokaround for this?

Thanks

Original comment by mgnsupp...@gmail.com on 9 Jan 2010 at 5:19

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on Acer Liquid i can't input ctrl or esc so can authors create configuration of 
esc and 
ctrl keys like in Better Terminal. In BetterTerminal? i can select which key is 
used 
for ctrl key. In example I use Volume Up button on my phone for ctrl.

Original comment by solarw.m...@gmail.com on 30 Jan 2010 at 1:22

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This app looks great on the Archos 5, but with no trackball at all its 
usefullness is 
needlessly limited!  Please consider some way to reach modifiers and ESC via 
the 
screen!

Original comment by vandy...@gmail.com on 21 Feb 2010 at 4:15

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It works on the Archos 5 (at least with recent firmwares).

Press and hold the power button.
Select "Buttons mode"
Use the button labeled "OK" as prescribed in the connectbot manual (single 
press-
control, double-press - esc)

Original comment by rah...@gmail.com on 21 Feb 2010 at 4:20

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Wow!  I had no idea there was a "buttons mode".  You might still consider 
adding a 
screen-based solution, but that keeps me covered for now.  Thanks!

Original comment by vandy...@gmail.com on 21 Feb 2010 at 4:51

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Please propose a solution for Liquid. I really like this application but 
missing CTRL
and ESC is really a mess...

Original comment by vraderme...@gmail.com on 26 Feb 2010 at 10:46

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Want CTRL key working onmy Acer Liquid)

Original comment by solarw.m...@gmail.com on 7 Mar 2010 at 10:17

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I also have a Liquid and also want CTRL and ESC :-)
Does gw620_keyfixes.patch work for Liquid?

Original comment by vita...@yourcmc.ru on 8 Mar 2010 at 12:39

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Patch given no longer applies to the current source.

Can we get this re-written for the current source, and perhaps integrated into 
the
next release?

Original comment by paul.a.g...@gmail.com on 13 Mar 2010 at 8:29

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I have rewritten the patch as the earlier patch given by atte.timonem no longer
works, here is a new one. and also a copy of ConnectBot with the changes 
compiled in,
for those who dont have the SDK. (old copy of connectbot must be uninstalled)

Here are the new keybindings:
Search: Ctrl
Mod-Search: Esc (or Alt if quickly followed by another button)
Mod-Up: PageUp
Mod-Down: PageDown
Mod-Left: Home
Mod-Right: End

These keybindings wont (shouldnt) interfere with other devices and so should be 
fine
to intergrate into the furture ConnectBot releases.

Feel free to try this on the other phones (such as the liquid) to see if this 
helps
or not and post your results here.

I also want to add the option to use the camera button as the Tab key as the 
tab on
the Gw620 is in an awkward position, but my lacking java skills will make it
difficault for me.  Can someone try and do this?

Regards,
Paul

Original comment by paul.a.g...@gmail.com on 16 Mar 2010 at 4:05

Attachments:

• TerminalKeyListener.patch
• ConnectBot-GW620.apk

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Could not install this version on Acer Liquid. :-)

Original comment by vita...@yourcmc.ru on 16 Mar 2010 at 5:51

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If it wont install its more than likely something to do with the way i 
built/signed
the apk.  It installs fine on my GW620 after removing the origional connectbot
application (selecting replace application didnt work for me).

Im no expert at android so i may have done something wrong when compiling the 
apk,
but non-the-less please give it another try as it installs and runs ok on my 
GW620,
and i dont know why it would be any different. 

Original comment by paul.a.g...@gmail.com on 16 Mar 2010 at 7:02

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Oops, sorry :-) It installed perfectly after removing original ConnectBot.
That's simply because I'm even more "not expert" in Android than you :-D

Original comment by vita...@yourcmc.ru on 16 Mar 2010 at 9:07

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And what is the "Mod" key?

Original comment by vita...@yourcmc.ru on 16 Mar 2010 at 9:17

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Just had a look at he Acer Liquid, and im sorry to say it looks like this patch 
wont
be any use to you, as it looks like you dont have either a mod key, and im not 
100%
sure that the search button on there will act as ctrl either- you can try 
ofcourse. 
Sorry I wasted your time, it seems that the Liquid suffers from a severe lack of
buttons, and the only thing i can think is to try and see if a bluetooth 
keyboard
will work (probably not practical and again no idea if android actually 
supports this).

This patch is only really for phones some phones with hardware keyboards, and 
that
lack the ability to push down their dpad.

Thanks for looking into this though i saw earlier other users were asking about
getting keys working for your phone.

The search button might (or might not) now act as control with this mod. Let the
other users on this page know if it does for future reference.

Original comment by paul.a.g...@gmail.com on 16 Mar 2010 at 10:58

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Wow loads of typos in that that last post, but you get the jist of it!

Original comment by paul.a.g...@gmail.com on 16 Mar 2010 at 11:00

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In fact, it does work on Liquid as Ctrl (Esc really) and it's convenient, 
although 
it is not a piece of whole new functionality, because Esc can be binded to 
Camera 
button.

Original comment by vita...@yourcmc.ru on 17 Mar 2010 at 11:07

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I think your confused, Search is mapped to Ctrl, Esc acts as Esc and Alt. So by 
my 
reconing this mod should be able to give you access to Ctrl, Esc, Alt with the 
use 
of this mod and the camera button.

I just noticed that there is no | £ ¬ \ or ` keys on the LG GW630. however by 
using 
Mod-Shift-T i can get a £ and by pressing Mod-Shift-L i can get the `

I have checked all sorts of key combos and cannot get the rest of the keys so 
im at 
a bit of a loss and cant use connectbot to do coding on my GW620, I think im 
gunna 
have to mod in these extra keys, currently on the GW620 the following 
combinations 
are not used, and im going to attempt to use them to add the following 
keybindings:
Mod-W `
Mod-E £
Mod-A ¬
Mod-Z |
Mod-N Tab
Mod-M \
Mod-S <Spare>
Mod-D <Spare>

I am worried however that these changes might interfere with either existing 
hardware, or possibly future hardware, and so might not be suitable for 
comitting to 
the source.  If this is the case then maybe i can (licence permitting) release 
this 
version on the Market as a seperate branch for GW620 users.

I remember when looking at the keybinding code i was unsure on how to make 
changes 
like these for normal keys, but i will persevere.  If one of the devs (or 
someone 
who is any good at java) can help I will be greatly apreciative.  contact me on 
here 
or find og01 in #connectbot on irc.freenode.net.

Original comment by paul.a.g...@gmail.com on 17 Mar 2010 at 12:39

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On the Motorlla Droid, I have been unable to send function keys, either using 
the
center directional button + the numbers/letters, or the shift key + # key. 

I have tried pressing the keys in sequence, all simultaneously, and in every
combination. Nothing seems to work, at least on this particular server, which is
normally accessed with a VT220 emulation.

For example, to attempt to send F4, I tried center + 4, center then 4, center 
then
Alt then 4, center + Alt then 4, center + Alt + 4, shift then 4, shift + 4, 
shift
then Alt then 4, shift + Alt + 4, center then shift then 4, center then shift 
then
Alt then 4, center + alt + shift + 4. None of them sent F4. 

Maybe I just haven't had enough sleep, but it seems like there is no apparent 
way to
send a function key, at least to this server.  Please tell me I am wrong.

I wrote this earlier as part of post on
http://code.google.com/p/connectbot/wiki/UsageWithSoftKeyboard

Original comment by rsmo...@gmail.com on 17 Mar 2010 at 6:15

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rsmorra: it should just be shift-Number for F1-F10

Original comment by paul.a.g...@gmail.com on 17 Mar 2010 at 7:15

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Ok another patch, this time with more keybindings for the GW620. I've compiled 
it and
i'll put it here.
So here are all the new keybindings:
Search = Ctrl
Mod-Search = Esc (also alt if quickly followed by another key, acts same way as
pressing a tracker ball)
Mod-Left = Home
Mod-Right = End
Mod-Up = PageUp
Mod-Down = PageDown
Mod-m = Tab
Mod-w = `
Mod-s = \
Mod-z = |

Im pretty sure that covers all the keys required to do coding/shell work on the 
GW620.

fyi these already work with the GW620
Mod-Shift-R = Euro
Mod-Shift-T = £

I Must Stress that the Origional ConnectBot must be uninstalled in order for 
this to
install correctly!

If you like this mod, click the star at the top, perhaps the devs will clean up 
and
apply these patches if this bug gets enough attention.

Original comment by paul.a.g...@gmail.com on 17 Mar 2010 at 9:40

Attachments:

• TerminalKeyListener.patch
• ConnectBot-GW620.apk

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Paul: Since there's no separate number/symbol key row on the Motorola Droid, as 
there
are on some Android phones, I am unable to follow the normal directions 
exactly. 

I Am able to type what should be the function keys, pressing the shift key, 
then alt,
then one of the top row, letter/number keys, such as R(4).  

However, the key sequence or hexadecimal sequence/code which is sent by 
Connectbot,
is not what other terminal emulators I have are sending when I press the same
function keys.  They are set to emulate a DEC VT100 or VT220 terminal. 

Below is a list of the hexadecimal codes sent by Connectbot when typing a 
function
key, and what they would need to be, for them to work with the VT series 
compatible
servers I've worked with.

F1 = 60. Must be 1B4F50
F2 = 00. Must be 1B4F51
F3 = B4. Must be 1B4F52
F4 = E2AC. Must be 1B4F53
F5 = C2A3. Must be 5B33357E03
F6 = C2A1. Must be 1B5B31377E
F7 = A8. Must be 1B5B31387E
F8 = 5E. Must be 1B5B31397E
F9 = 5B. Must be 1B5B32307E
F10 = 5D. Must be 1B5B32317E
F11 doesn't exist on the Droid, nor on connectbot. Must be a way to send F11 as
1B5B32337E

Since there is no apparent way to customize the keyboard map, nor any 
customizable
soft keys in connectbot, there doesn't seem to be any way to use it on these 
systems,
which is a same.

There really must be a way to customize the keyboard map and/or soft/onscreen 
keys to
sent whatever hex code is required by the particular legacy system the user 
needs to
connect to. 

Original comment by rsmo...@gmail.com on 17 Mar 2010 at 11:27

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Hi!

Perhaps the application "Full Keyboard" is a solution for Liquid users. It's not
perfect (TAB key doesn't work) but already better...

Give your advice...

http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/tools/full-keyboard_fjvs.html

Original comment by vraderme...@gmail.com on 18 Mar 2010 at 11:04

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Hey to the person who tried to contact me via IRC, Tsjoklat, your too 
impatient, I
would have answered if you hung around for longer, and in order to chat in
#connectbot you have to register with nickserv (look it up on google or 
something). 
Anyway - I have no idea if the devs here will incorperate my patch.  The devs 
dont
seem too responive at the moment.

My hack is just a hack mind you, probably shouldnt be commited, imho I think 
they
need to come up with some structure to allow a remap on a per device basis.  
There
are always going to be new devices with new keyboards released and having only 
one
layout is not going to work on every device, and claiming that every phone that
doesnt match the G1 keyboard layout has 'made a design mistake' just isnt going 
to
cut it in the long run.

Original comment by paul.a.g...@gmail.com on 21 Mar 2010 at 9:03

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Hi,

I owning an xperia X10 and there are no d-pad.
Are there any solution for us ? perhaps adding the CTRL modifier shortcut at 
the list of shortcuts for the camera button ?

Original comment by mc.cr...@gmail.com on 9 Jun 2010 at 8:14

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Geeksphone one has no "dpad center button" and no "Esc" button.

I suggest a menu option available during sessions that pops up a window like in 
androidVNC:
http://sites.google.com/site/androidvncviewer/home/specialkeys.png

This provides a slow but universal way to enter any key combo.

Original comment by LatinSuD@gmail.com on 12 Jun 2010 at 10:10

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Another solution is to map different keys to different functions.
Currently you can only map "Camera button" to "Ctrl+A" and a few more options.

We should be able to map all interesting buttons to all interesting functions 
independently:
Buttons: Search, Camera, Vol Up, Vol Down, Dpad Center.
Functions: Ctrl, Font Size +, Font Size -, Ctrl+A, etc...

Is there a way to programatically know whether a phone has which buttons?
Else i suggest a setup wizard to find out, then work out a default 
configuration.

Original comment by LatinSuD@gmail.com on 14 Jun 2010 at 9:30

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This issue is just as apparent on the HTC EVO.  Lot of us tech-geek IT folks 
have snapped them up hoping to be able to remotely fix server problems while 
not at the office.  Hrm.

Original comment by arikelt...@gmail.com on 1 Jul 2010 at 2:40

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[deleted comment]

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This issue is also apparent on a the samsung vibrant, where the only physical 
keys are the power and volume buttons. 

There needs to be some alternate, universally functional method of special 
input, perhaps involving gestures or tapping. Maybe with one tap for ctrl and 
two for escape, just like the trackball/dpad solution, but for those of us 
without such luxuries.

p.s. In my opinion, Full Keyboard, in its current state, is close to unusable. 
An awkward excuse for a solution at best.

Original comment by bdj...@gmail.com on 20 Jul 2010 at 10:20

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I'm using a X10 mini pro and am having problems. Any suggestions? without ctrl 
or esc ssh is basically useless...

Original comment by tank.en.mate on 21 Jul 2010 at 10:49

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Issue is also apparent on the Samsung Captivate. A friend and I decided to swap 
out the swipe left / right action for escape (to the left) and control (to the 
right) instead of the original terminal change action. In practice, I really 
like it, especially as FullKeyboard is bad. Furthermore, it works on pretty 
much any device, including the upcoming Streak (which won't have a search 
button). I miss the terminal changing a little bit, but not having ctrl and esc 
was far far worse.

Diff against r506 attached.

Original comment by agen...@gmail.com on 26 Jul 2010 at 9:25

Attachments:

• connectbot-ctrl-esc-swiping.diff

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Thanks for the swipe left / right patch.  Just compiled it today for my EVO.  
Works well.  If anyone wants the .apk for it let me know.

Original comment by boone...@gmail.com on 30 Jul 2010 at 7:57

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[deleted comment]

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The Android port of Nethack uses a special keyboard for combinations of ctrl 
and meta, and escape, might that be an option for Connectbot?

Original comment by tomas.br...@gmail.com on 31 Jul 2010 at 9:37

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There's a development version which has an onscreen button for CTRL and for ESC 
just so everyone knows.

Original comment by dligh...@gmail.com on 31 Jul 2010 at 9:50

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FYI, I was able to get the Epic 4G's "Sym/.com" (98) key on the physical 
keyboard to function as a CTRL by adding it to the case statement in 
TerminalKeyListener.java.

diff --git a/src/org/connectbot/service/TerminalKeyListener.java 
b/src/org/connectbot/service/TerminalKeyListener.java
index e768134..1fad3a7 100644
--- a/src/org/connectbot/service/TerminalKeyListener.java
+++ b/src/org/connectbot/service/TerminalKeyListener.java
@@ -355,6 +355,7 @@ public class TerminalKeyListener implements OnKeyListener, 
OnSharedPreferenceCha
                return true;

            case KeyEvent.KEYCODE_DPAD_CENTER:
+           case 98:  // "Sym/.com" button on Samsung Epic 4G
                if (selectingForCopy) {
                    if (selectionArea.isSelectingOrigin())
                        selectionArea.finishSelectingOrigin();

Original comment by kreuc...@gmail.com on 23 Sep 2010 at 5:42

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Note that connectbot, latest version, has addressed this.  When you tap the 
screen it'll bring up on-screen buttons for Ctl and ESC.  It made me happy, 
first time I saw it!  Enjoy.

Original comment by vandy...@gmail.com on 23 Sep 2010 at 8:13

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hi, after upgrading to openetna (froyo) i notice the keyboard mapping on alt 
keys (orange symbols) are all in the wrong place (eg. alt+i outputs a "$" 
instead of "=") only the ones on the number keys are displayed correctly.
this happens only with connectbot, all other applications works fine (better 
terminal emulator included)...
somebody has a clue why this happens and what i should do to fix it?
thank you!

Original comment by skun...@gmail.com on 25 Oct 2010 at 12:34

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CTRL can be brought up on-screen. skunk73, your issue is #261 and it should be 
fixed now as well.

Original comment by kenny@the-b.org on 9 Dec 2010 at 9:05

• Changed state: Fixed

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Trying connect bot on the new galaxy tablet. On screen buttons are visible 
after tapping. But i cant push them... Others with same issue?

Original comment by oeste...@gmail.com on 13 May 2011 at 4:31

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It works on the galaxy tab. When you tap the screen the ctrl/esc buttons will 
be visible for a second, if you touch them they will disappear, but they are 
being pressed, even though you have no visual feedback.

Original comment by ludovico...@gmail.com on 21 May 2011 at 5:45

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don't works good with lg-p970h

Original comment by dario201...@gmail.com on 8 Nov 2011 at 7:04

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FYI, Hacker's Keyboard has a full 5-row layout including Ctrl/Alt/Esc, and 
includes a compatibility mode to work with the Market version of ConnectBot:

https://market.android.com/details?id=org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard

(Disclosure: I'm the developer of Hacker's Keyboard)

Original comment by Klaus.We...@gmail.com on 21 Dec 2011 at 9:06

Attachments:

• hk-new-ics.png