OriginalPlus: new enhanced keyboard skin

[laak]

New Enhanced alphanumeric keyboard skin.

Keypads enhancement in alphabets keyboards as well as tri-cells virtual graffiti area. However, unlike most other skins, this design retains the original look and it is mainly for functional enhancement. It is provided as freeware.

http://www.vex.net/~lawrence/Screen1.gif
http://www.vex.net/~lawrence/Screen2.gif

Click here to download (http://www.palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?prodid=55186)

Thanks to DomG and Festus440 for their wonderful tools.

I found that a soft reset is necessary after activation by T3AgendaBG (and also deactivation). Not sure if there is a bug, or the side effect of using completely different size keys.

Features:
- perhaps the most un-customized looking customized keyboard :-)
- 64 keys portrait keyboard with keypad on the right.
- 52 keys landscape keyboard with an additional vertical row of numeric keys.
- 24 keys numeric keypad added in tri-cells format virtual graffiti input (portrait/landscape-left & right handed). An area of numeric graffiti input area is maintained to facilitate certain foreign characters and symbol graffiti writing.
- "CTL" command key added in all keyboards and keypads.
- Status bar dark background removed for a cleaner look.
- Extra symbols in alpha and "int." special keyboards.
- "dual-cells" graffiti input and "123" numeric keyboards left untouched.


Comments welcome.

[MythoFactory]

Wow, that's an extended keyboard! it must've taken you hours!
anyway, congrats ;)

....what happened to the BT icon?:confused:

[fbott]

This is the keyboard I have been waiting for!!!!!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!!
It is replacing Icewind as I type this.
I will take this kind of functionality over style anytime.
Of course, this functionality with the style of IceWind would be really sweet.
Are you listening Mytho? :D

[laak]

Originally posted by MythoFactory
what happened to the BT icon?:confused:[/edit]

This is a screen capture from the Simulator, which does not display the bluetooth icon. In T3, the BT icon is there.

[DomG]

Hi,

It is a very useful keyboard

Thanks ;)

[fbott]

One question/suggestion now that it is on my T3.
Is it possible to make the top row different between the upper and lower case letters?
That would allow for some other characters to be added such as 1/4, 1/3, and 1/2. Unless they are already there and I just have not been able to find them.

[fbott]

Please forget my last post.
I just found the shift key. :D

[laak]

A minor updated file posted (v1.01)

Forgot to put in "(" ")" brackets in main portrait keyboard. :(
1/4 and 1/2 symbols moved to special "int." keyboard
Reduce duplicate characters in special keyboard.

http://www.vex.net/~lawrence/download.html#T3

[PatrickS]

Very, very nice. These DIA skins keep getting better and better.

I have a strange bug, though. When I press the backspace key <== the shift lock goes on. Hmmm..? Anybody else see this? I am using TealScript so I'm wondering if I have a conflict.

Some feature requests for you to consider:
- I like the idea of the CTL key but I would change it to be at the top of the keyboard, closer to where the command bar appears, cutting down on the stylus travel needed to activate-and-select from the command bar. I would also try to put the Graffiti symbol for the stroke on the key instead of the letters "CTL"

- It would be great if there were a way to enter the shortcut symbol. This is the only common Graffiti gesture I can't see on your keyboard!


Very cool, laak, thanks much.

[laak]

Originally posted by PatrickS
I have a strange bug, though. When I press the backspace key <== the shift lock goes on. Hmmm..? Anybody else see this? I am using TealScript so I'm wondering if I have a conflict.

Thanks very much for your useful feedback.
I am not able to reproduce this bug. It works as expected in both my T3 and simulator. Anyone else has this problem? I do not have Tealscript, so this is a potential conflict area. Make sure you are not at the first character of certain applications such as the Memo where shift is automatically engaged for first character capitalization.

I like the idea of the CTL key but I would change it to be at the top of the keyboard, closer to where the command bar appears, cutting down on the stylus travel needed to activate-and-select from the command bar.

I would like to hear more opinion about this. Current location is better if you use a command+key combination (e.g. /C, /X, /S etc); whereas a top location is better for command+select icon operation.

I would also try to put the Graffiti symbol for the stroke on the key instead of the letters "CTL"

I tried it, but I felt that the symbol is too easily confused with a forward slash. The dot at the end does not look too obvious.

It would be great if there were a way to enter the shortcut symbol. This is the only common Graffiti gesture I can't see on your keyboard!

That's great idea. Does anyone know how this could be accomplished?

[PatrickS]

Originally posted by laak
I am not able to reproduce this bug.

That's because there isn't one... you were right about the auto-caps function. <patrick turns sheepish red>

I tried it, but I felt that the symbol is too easily confused with a forward slash. The dot at the end does not look too obvious. I am a software designer / developer and what I have seen are two schools of thought about correct software design. There are those who design the software so that a beginner will find the software easy to use and those who design for the seasoned veteran. If you can do both, so much the better, but sometimes you have to make a choice.

I think the right approach depends on how often the designer thinks the software will get used. Software which is used only occasionally should probably have a design bias towards the beginner. Software that is used constantly (such as yours, IMO) should really be tuned towards efficient use by a knowledgable user. That's a long-winded explanation for a simple little function, I know, but I believe the confusion to which you allude would not last very long and, I think, seasoned users would prefer the symbol. JMO.

Thanks again for a great skin and for such a quick response!

[MythoFactory]

Originally posted by PatrickS

- It would be great if there were a way to enter the shortcut symbol. This is the only common Graffiti gesture I can't see on your keyboard!


I'm not sure I'm getting it right... You would like to be able to enter the 'forward slash with a dot' as text, e.g. in a memo?

FIY, Laak, the graffiti shortcut symbol hex code is 0x16. refer to SymbolFinder (PalmGear) to get all the hex codes of the Palm ASCII Table

[laak]

Originally posted by MythoFactory
I'm not sure I'm getting it right... You would like to be able to enter the 'forward slash with a dot' as text, e.g. in a memo?
FIY, Laak, the graffiti shortcut symbol hex code is 0x16. refer to SymbolFinder (PalmGear) to get all the hex codes of the Palm ASCII Table

Ahh, thanks! I was thinking about a totally different thing. On reading Patrick's post again, I think you are right.
I was thinking about this shortcut
http://www.palmos.com/dev/support/docs/devguide/images/upd2.gif
which cannot be entered using a keyboard.

And thanks for your tips!:)

[MythoFactory]

Originally posted by laak
Ahh, thanks! I was thinking about a totally different thing. On reading Patrick's post again, I think you are right.
I was thinking about this shortcut
http://www.palmos.com/dev/support/docs/devguide/images/upd2.gif
which cannot be entered using a keyboard.

And thanks for your tips!:)

the one you showed can be entered too; hex 0x17 (I tested on my skin) the problem is that the 0x16 symbol doesn't appear on the key :(

...and some fonts doesn't include the glyphs for those symbols. The standard font does, it seems

[laak]

Originally posted by MythoFactory
the one you showed can be entered too; hex 0x17 (I tested on my skin) the problem is that the 0x16 symbol doesn't appear on the key :(


That's interesting! So does a "0x17" followed by "ds" gives you the date stamp; or "0x17"+"dts" giving you the date & time stamp? Does the symbol appear on the key? If it works, it is a worthwhile addition to the keyboard.

[MythoFactory]

sorry to disappoint you, but it doesn't work. it only allows you to print the symbol, it doesn't execute the command... :(

as you may know, the code for the command stroke execution (CTL key) is 0x0106, wether the code for its character is 0x16. I can't remember the code for the debug stroke execution, but it's the same, I think.

addtionnaly, you can't include macros in the skin, AFAIK

you mean, if you type it in the find window? if so, it should work... I think

[PatrickS]

I had meant the shortcut symbol that starts off shortcut expansion, like in the prefs. I guess from reading this discussion it isn't possible. Well, at least to get the shortcut function... too bad.

[MythoFactory]

Originally posted by PatrickS
I had meant the shortcut symbol that starts off shortcut expansion, like in the prefs. I guess from reading this discussion it isn't possible. Well, at least to get the shortcut function... too bad.

frankly, I never understood how that thing worked :o shame on me. How do you use the "ds" shortcut?

[laak]

Originally posted by MythoFactory
frankly, I never understood how that thing worked :o shame on me. How do you use the "ds" shortcut?

Try it out in Memo. First, write a shortcut symbol (stroke similar to a lowercase cursive "L" character):
http://www.palmos.com/dev/support/docs/conduits/win/images/Util_DebugTipsa.gif

then write "ds" immediately after it. Once you finished writing the "s", the whole thing would be magically replaced by the date stamp.

If you go to Prefs->Shortcut, you can customize/add your own shortcut characters and expanded words.

It is also used to toggle certain debugging settings for developers:
Shortcut numbers (http://www.palmos.com/dev/support/docs/conduits/win/Util_DebugTips.html)
Be careful if you try this though!

[MythoFactory]

:) thanks ! I think I was mixing up "shortcut' stroke and "command" stroke. I was always trying to do it with the "command" stroke :o... it tells how often I input text on my Palm... ;)

[PatrickS]

So, Mytho, since you didn't know what the thing did, is it possible that your statement that the shortcut function cannot be activated through a skin was... premature?
:)

[MythoFactory]

it certainly was :o, but after I tried it, I can tell you I couldn't do it, at any input speed i was capable of ;) it seems that the code for the ASCII glyph is only used as a feedback... and in the apps that need to show the stroke without executing it. Same for the Command stroke....I think ;)

[Torsten]

Thanks a lot for this great keyboard. but there is one thing i would wish - the black background behind the symbols. is there any chance for a skin with this?

Torsten

[laak]

Originally posted by Torsten
Thanks a lot for this great keyboard. but there is one thing i would wish - the black background behind the symbols. is there any chance for a skin with this?

Do you want one in German keyboard layout?
Check your PM.