bVnc Pro: Unihertz Titan Pocket + Kika keyboard.

[GuruSR]

Trying to bring up the keyboard (additions) on the Titan Pocket shows up for a flash and vanishes, it also doesn't offer support for the Alt, FN or Sym keys which removes any numbers or symbols. Have to send characters to get access to the keyboard to just type numbers.

[iiordanov]

Hey @GuruSR Just so I'm clear on this. You have a device with a physical keyboard and you're trying to bring up Ctrl, Alt, Tab, etc buttons at the bottom to get Modifier keys, correct?

Regarding lack of support for Alt, FN or Sym, I remember when I had a device I had special support for Alt to allow symbol input since Alt was overloaded for that function on my device. Sounds like your device has another way of inputting symbols.

At the moment I am not in possession of a working device with a physical keyboard with the array of functions yours appears to have. I can try making an experimental version of bVNC where all attempts to extract metaState from the Android KeyEvent is discarded and the symbol the KeyEvent is supposed to input is extracted and sent as-is. If that works for you, we can make it an option or we can enable such a mode when a physical keyboard is present.

[GuruSR]

Hey @GuruSR Just so I'm clear on this. You have a device with a physical keyboard and you're trying to bring up Ctrl, Alt, Tab, etc buttons at the bottom to get Modifier keys, correct?

The phone when you use it has an indicator at the top of the screen for ALT, SYM, Caps and FN. When you're using the keyboard in regular input (which it does show when I use the send keys), along the bottom of the screen you'll see a display of the keyboard (Kika keyboard) which does show up for like 1 FPS and then it is gone again, though when it shows up the 4 buttons you have on the middle right edge DO jump upward to make way for it to show up.

Regarding lack of support for Alt, FN or Sym, I remember when I had a device I had special support for Alt to allow symbol input since Alt was overloaded for that function on my device. Sounds like your device has another way of inputting symbols.

Yes, I push the Alt, FN, Sym or Caps and it shows an indicator (usually up at the top of the screen), I cannot see them the use of this App, others I can, normally it is up with the indicator bar at the top of the screen (absent during connections).

At the moment I am not in possession of a working device with a physical keyboard with the array of functions yours appears to have. I can try making an experimental version of bVNC where all attempts to extract metaState from the Android KeyEvent is discarded and the symbol the KeyEvent is supposed to input is extracted and sent as-is. If that works for you, we can make it an option or we can enable such a mode when a physical keyboard is present.

Well, from what I've seen, if there is some reason why the keyboard shows up and vanishes, that may indicate the issues, because that keyboard shows up "minimized" and I can bring up other parts, like a number pad, symbols, etc (these are alternatives for when the top indicator bar isn't available). I DO see it show up normally, but it only lasts for 1 refresh and then everything shifts down as it disappears.

[iiordanov]

I checked and Kika keyboard works fine on a phone with no physical keyboard.

The app inhibits soft keyboards on devices that have a physical keyboard. I didn't anticipate a use-case where somebody would like to see a soft keyboard when they have a hardware one and wanted to avoid confusion. I can look into how to allow both to show up - long-tap on the keyboard icon perhaps?

The other stuff like the alt fn and sym indicator is going to be harder. The app works in character by character input mode (NULL_TYPE IME mode) by default, which turns off all such extras.

Maybe let's fix the issues one by one.

On Sun, Feb 26, 2023, 12:00 a.m. GuruSR @.***> wrote:

Hey @GuruSR https://github.com/GuruSR Just so I'm clear on this. You have a device with a physical keyboard and you're trying to bring up Ctrl, Alt, Tab, etc buttons at the bottom to get Modifier keys, correct?

The phone when you use it has an indicator at the top of the screen for ALT, SYM, Caps and FN. When you're using the keyboard in regular input (which it does show when I use the send keys), along the bottom of the screen you'll see a display of the keyboard (Kika keyboard) which does show up for like 1 FPS and then it is gone again, though when it shows up the 4 buttons you have on the middle right edge DO jump upward to make way for it to show up.

Regarding lack of support for Alt, FN or Sym, I remember when I had a device I had special support for Alt to allow symbol input since Alt was overloaded for that function on my device. Sounds like your device has another way of inputting symbols.

Yes, I push the Alt, FN, Sym or Caps and it shows an indicator (usually up at the top of the screen), I cannot see them the use of this App, others I can, normally it is up with the indicator bar at the top of the screen (absent during connections).

At the moment I am not in possession of a working device with a physical keyboard with the array of functions yours appears to have. I can try making an experimental version of bVNC where all attempts to extract metaState from the Android KeyEvent is discarded and the symbol the KeyEvent is supposed to input is extracted and sent as-is. If that works for you, we can make it an option or we can enable such a mode when a physical keyboard is present.

Well, from what I've seen, if there is some reason why the keyboard shows up and vanishes, that may indicate the issues, because that keyboard shows up "minimized" and I can bring up other parts, like a number pad, symbols, etc (these are alternatives for when the top indicator bar isn't available). I DO see it show up normally, but it only lasts for 1 refresh and then everything shifts down as it disappears.

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[GuruSR]

Well, as I said, that Kika keyboard shows up as a minimized 2 section tray of options (most of which do what I want without seeing the Alt, Fn, Sym & Caps indicators). The easiest way to fix this would be to have an option in the settings (wrench) "Allow Screen Keyboard with Hardware Keyboard" (not sure how to word that to fit on-screen without it becoming ... yeah). Then with that turned on, you wouldn't hide the on-screen keyboard as I see it being done, that would totally solve the issue, since I'd have access to all of the items I would normally get via keyboard shortcuts, using the shortcuts available in the Kika keyboard on the bottom of the screen.

[GuruSR]

33 seconds into this, shows the actual Kika keyboard, if that stays, it's all perfect, since it lets me do everything (and more) than I can do with the special keys on the keyboard.

https://cdn.shopify.com/videos/c/vp/026b522dacfe4838818170d682eb7de4/026b522dacfe4838818170d682eb7de4.HD-720p-1.6Mbps-11662462.mp4

[iiordanov]

Hey, I added an experimental option to long-tap the keyboard button to force the softkeyboard to show.

Could you please try this version and see if it does what we want?

https://github.com/iiordanov/remote-desktop-clients/releases/download/v5.1.2/freebVNC-v5.1.2_2-final.apk

[GuruSR]

The keyboard icon is highlighted always, when I tap the keyboard opens and vanishes again. The long press did nothing.

What happens.

[iiordanov]

Here is another experimental build: https://github.com/iiordanov/remote-desktop-clients/releases/download/v5.1.2/freebVNC-v5.1.2_2-final.apk

What happens when you regular short-tap on the keyboard icon? Do you get a "Show virtual keyboard" flip button alongside some soft keyboard input methods?

Further question. Do any of the methods discussed here: https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/52249/how-to-display-the-on-screen-keyboard-when-bluetooth-keyboard-is-connected

Help force the soft keyboard to show even though you have a hardware keyboard?

[GuruSR]

I have a setting that forces the onscreen keyboard to always be on during input, not sure what that means with the usage outside of that, there isn't really any other settings sadly. The link you gave for the keyboard are excessively outdated [6 Android generations] and next to none of them exist anymore.

I tested it, clicked the link and it came up with Choose Input method and the "Show virtual keyboard" setting I have on always shows up: "Keep it on screen while physical keyboard is active" and below is "Kika-Keyboard" and when I click it, that vanishes and there is no Kika-Keyboard on screen and I double checked, it never shows up either, unlike the last version where it tried.

Edit: Thought I'd state this, since it might be relevant, the Kika-Keyboard is an overlay, it doesn't cause the screen to shift, that might lead to some insight as to why it isn't showing up.

[iiordanov]

How about this version ?

https://github.com/iiordanov/remote-desktop-clients/releases/download/v5.1.2/freebVNC-v5.1.2_2-final.apk

I'm running out of options to force the soft keyboard up...

On Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 12:56 PM GuruSR @.***> wrote:

I have a setting that forces the onscreen keyboard to always be on during input, not sure what that means with the usage outside of that, there isn't really any other settings sadly. The link you gave for the keyboard are excessively outdated [6 Android generations] and next to none of them exist anymore.

I tested it, clicked the link and it came up with Choose Input method and the "Show virtual keyboard" setting I have on always shows up: "Keep it on screen while physical keyboard is active" and below is "Kika-Keyboard" and when I click it, that vanishes and there is no Kika-Keyboard on screen and I double checked, it never shows up either, unlike the last version where it tried.

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[GuruSR]

The same thing came up, asking about the "Show virtual keyboard" and the always on setting below and then at the bottom the only keyboard I can click.

When that comes up, the entire set of icons on the screen from the app, jump up what looks like 8 to 16 pixels (can't tell, it isn't a large amount upward). No keyboard shows up.

[iiordanov]

Alright, how about this one:

https://github.com/iiordanov/remote-desktop-clients/releases/download/v5.1.2/freebVNC-v5.1.2_2-final.apk

?

On Wed, Mar 1, 2023 at 10:54 PM GuruSR @.***> wrote:

The same thing came up, asking about the "Show virtual keyboard" and the always on setting below and then at the bottom the only keyboard I can click.

When that comes up, the entire set of icons on the screen from the app, jump up what looks like 8 to 16 pixels (can't tell, it isn't a large amount upward). No keyboard shows up.

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[GuruSR]

Alright, how about this one: https://github.com/iiordanov/remote-desktop-clients/releases/download/v5.1.2/freebVNC-v5.1.2_2-final.apk ? … On Wed, Mar 1, 2023 at 10:54 PM GuruSR @.> wrote: The same thing came up, asking about the "Show virtual keyboard" and the always on setting below and then at the bottom the only keyboard I can click. When that comes up, the entire set of icons on the screen from the app, jump up what looks like 8 to 16 pixels (can't tell, it isn't a large amount upward). No keyboard shows up. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#435 (comment)>, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAK3EV5ROEQZUZSDR4MQSZ3W2AKXFANCNFSM6AAAAAAVGPIWSM . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: @.> -- The conscious mind has only one thread of execution.

Success, though any possibility to move that dialog to a setting, the keyboard IS showing up properly and showed up DURING the dialogue, I just tap off of the dialogue and it stays, though now the 4 buttons used to do things on the app, are now centered in the middle of the screen (not sure if that was an accident).

[GuruSR]

Maybe make the keyboard icon go solid when it is on and then tap it again to hide it, but that setting really needs to be somewhere else as each time I hit the keyboard button, it is there and really not needed during use. An App setting, not a site setting (since the device is going to access all of them). Once the icons wind up back on the far right, send another test and I can verify if it works without the dialogue.

[iiordanov]

Let's see if this version just works for everybody: https://github.com/iiordanov/remote-desktop-clients/releases/download/v5.1.2/freebVNC-v5.1.2_3-final.apk

On Thu, Mar 2, 2023 at 2:29 PM GuruSR @.***> wrote:

Maybe make the keyboard icon go solid when it is on and then tap it again to hide it, but that setting really needs to be somewhere else as each time I hit the keyboard button, it there and really not needed during use. An App setting, not a site setting (since the device is going to access all of them). Once the icons wind up back on the far right, send another test and I can verify if it works without the dialogue.

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[GuruSR]

Works right for me. Though the 4 button overlay is centered in the screen instead of right justified, is this a new setting? Either way, will be patient for it to migrate to the Pro version.

[iiordanov]

Hey, no, this layout issue where the buttons are in the middle is a bug that happens on your specific platform with the Kika keyboard.

These keys are supposed to sit on top of any soft-keyboard your device may have.

We can look into that separately. If you don't use the keys you can also turn them off from a button on the toolbar.

On Sun, Mar 5, 2023 at 7:41 AM GuruSR @.***> wrote:

Works right for me. Though the 4 button overlay is centered in the screen instead of right justified, is this a new setting? Either way, will be patient for it to migrate to the Pro version.

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[iiordanov]

Closing this, please let me know if I need to reopen @GuruSR.

[GuruSR]

Sure, you got it fixed on the Free, but not the Pro, comment here when it changes. :)

[iiordanov]

Please join the Beta in the pro version, it's going to be in beta for up to a few weeks to see if the changes impact any devices around the world :).

On Sun, Mar 12, 2023 at 11:47 AM GuruSR @.***> wrote:

Sure, you got it fixed on the Free, but not the Pro, comment here when it changes. :)

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[GuruSR]

I just did, the current FREE beta is unlike the tests above, the keyboard flashes and vanishes.

[iiordanov]

So that probably also means the bVNC Free beta is also broken?

On Sun, Mar 12, 2023, 10:52 p.m. GuruSR @.***> wrote:

I just did, the current beta is unlike the tests above, the keyboard flashes and vanishes.

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[GuruSR]

Okay, the Pro beta works so far, even the icons that normally give menu, keyboard, etc, are on the right side in the middle.

[iiordanov]

Sounds good! Thanks for checking and enjoy!

[iiordanov]

Hey,

I had to revert the change I made for your keyboard to work correctly, and implement a feature to replace it. Seems like we broke some other use-cases like barcode scanners - yes, my apps are used by countless of corporations for warehouse operations, apparently :).

Anyway, when you get the latest beta (it should say v5.1.2_115129 in Advanced Settings at the bottom), go to the Global Preferences (the wrench), and select Software Keyboard Type and select the 2nd option. You can try the third one too, but it's weird, and requires space to send words over.

Let me know how it works for you.

Cheers! iordan

On Mon, Mar 13, 2023 at 8:14 AM GuruSR @.***> wrote:

Okay, the Pro beta works so far, even the icons that normally give menu, keyboard, etc, are on the right side in the middle.

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[GuruSR]

Well, third option works, except for 1 thing. The backspace doesn't work, so I can't delete, but all the keys work, the alt, the symbols, even the word suggestions show up, but the backspace doesn't work at all. It does work in the search on the program when I type something in at all the profiles, then the backspace works, but not on a connection.

[iiordanov]

You need the second option, not the third, I guess. Does backspace work in that option?

For backspace, try Long-Pressing it.

On Tue, Jun 27, 2023, 8:58 p.m. GuruSR @.***> wrote:

Well, third option works, except for 1 thing. The backspace doesn't work, so I can't delete, but all the keys work, the alt, the symbols, even the word suggestions show up, but the backspace doesn't work at all. It does work in the search on the program when I type something in at all the profiles, then the backspace works, but not on a connection.

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[GuruSR]

The long press didn't work, tried #2 option, the Sym key switches the symbols list onscreen, the Alt (with or without locking it on) shows the alt keys, the Caps (with/without locking it) properly shows the caps or not, though no indicators on-screen, but that is expected as the bar at the top of the screen isn't there.

[iiordanov]

So this works for you, I take it?

Thanks! iordan

On Tue, Jun 27, 2023 at 10:50 PM GuruSR @.***> wrote:

The long press didn't work, tried #2 https://github.com/iiordanov/remote-desktop-clients/issues/2 option, the Sym key switches the symbols list onscreen, the Alt (with or without locking it on) shows the alt keys, the Caps (with/without locking it) properly shows the caps or not, though no indicators on-screen, but that is expected as the bar at the top of the screen isn't there.

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[GuruSR]

Yes, it works this way, though it is weird the backspace was the only thing to not work on option #3. But yes, #2 is working fine.

[iiordanov]

I have observed that certain Android keyboards refuse to send backspace if their edit buffer appears empty. If you type something first before hitting backspace, they agree to send some backspace commands but then will stop once their edit buffer empties again.

Not sure if this is the same on your keyboard.

On Wed, Jun 28, 2023, 11:59 p.m. GuruSR @.***> wrote:

Yes, it works this way, though it is weird the backspace was the only thing to not work on option #3 https://github.com/iiordanov/remote-desktop-clients/pull/3. But yes, #2 https://github.com/iiordanov/remote-desktop-clients/issues/2 is working fine.

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