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if i want to add a"third party" keyboard to Cyanogen's build?

if i want to add a"third party" keyboard to Cyanogen's build
how to accomplish that?
and if i want to make it the default keyboard
how to do that..?
thanks in advance
Roy

if this "third party" keyboard is an app like better keyboard or something similar, i would assume just install it or put into your update.zip package and flash it. it should appear under settings-locale and text and just check it on and uncheck any other keyboards like with the htc_ime. unless you are talking about something else then in theory this should work.

thanks for the comment
yes it is an App file.. so i just need to add it to system/app in the update?
and how i can make it the default keyboard so right after a fresh install it would appear and ready to use with specific config that i set?
thanks again

Barina said:
thanks for the comment
yes it is an App file.. so i just need to add it to system/app in the update?
and how i can make it the default keyboard so right after a fresh install it would appear and ready to use with specific config that i set?
thanks again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think you can. All roms use android kbt as default (don't quote me on this but I believe so)and it's more trouble then it's worth to make something else default before install. It would be easier to go into settings->locale and text the first time you use it and just make it default (i.e. uncheck all other VKs). Once you do that, your vk will pop up everytime you touch fill-able field. Hope that helps.

OK, I'm curious about the other keyboard. The hardware keyboard. I have a German G1, and have actually become quite fond of QWERTZ even though I mostly only speak English. I've gotten used to reaching down for y and up for z. Also, There are keys like the euro symbol that I actually use a lot living in Deutschland. Not to mention that all the little symbols are laid out completely differently than QWERTY, so looking at the keys just makes life that much tougher. Anyways, I want to change QWERTZ to be my default keyboard, other than having to type in a long string of commands each time or use gscript. I would like it to be so that it works in recovery, and doesn't get lost each time I change builds. Is this possible?

hmmm, I would say yes...I wouldn't be able to tell you how though. I downloaded Russian keyboard from the market and it has the ability to change mapping of hardware KBT and change languages on it. So obviously there is a way. I believe devs name is Game Warrior (could be one word). It's on the market... contact him-he may be able to point you in the right direction.
Also... did you try switching locales in Settings->Locale and Text menu? That could do the trick (not sure what would you choose though as I'm not familiar what country uses QWERTz set-up).
Good luck, I hope you figure it out... sorry I had it easy.. I just dl'd my vk from the market

I DID have it working when I first got my phone. Everything was just dandy with JF1.51 as well. I decided to install the latest DizzyJACHero, and had to update my recovery image, SPL and Radio. Somewhere in there, it borked things up. I tried going back to another SPL and recovery, but only ended up in bootloops when I did that. I redid everything, but I'm stuck with QWERTY unless I do some terminal stuff each time I change roms. And with all the nice new ones (I LOVE Rosie, but she's a resource/battery hog) it's becoming more frequent that I change roms. Eh, I guess I'm just stuck having to terminal my way out of it, like usual with computers.

SPL, Radio and/or Recovery image have nothing to do with the way your keyboard behaves... hmmmm
Here... talk to DudeOfLife in the developement forum (pm him or something). His rom at some point had every language and every layout included.. he should know about this. As an alternative... you can make a script of what you put in terminal and have G1 run it on start-up to change mapping for you. Rogro82 is the king of scripts fyi.
Good luck

all u need to do is istall the new keyboard as an update. thats if it come in an update.zip format. otherwise, just install the .apk file and you should be good to go. best of luck!

shelay said:
all u need to do is istall the new keyboard as an update. thats if it come in an update.zip format. otherwise, just install the .apk file and you should be good to go. best of luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He is not talking about virtual keyboard... he is talking about hardware.

borodin1 said:
I don't think you can. All roms use android kbt as default (don't quote me on this but I believe so)and it's more trouble then it's worth to make something else default before install. It would be easier to go into settings->locale and text the first time you use it and just make it default (i.e. uncheck all other VKs). Once you do that, your vk will pop up everytime you touch fill-able field. Hope that helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks a lot

Well, I actually feel kinda smart for once. I just opened up a build which had the QWERTZ files in it. I deleted everything else except that folder (and the ones inline above it) and those files. Renamed them to the v3 files. I also added in all the ringers/notifications/alarms that I wanted from other builds in the right locations as well. I now can unzip any build I want to check out, copy the system folder I created over, and it fixes all my keyboard issues, plus ensures I'm never left with just one ringtone/alarm again. Just rezip and resign, then I can flash it right over. Just verified it all worked before posting. If anyone else wants that, I recommend trying it. My next question will be, can I JUST use these files, make a new update.zip that I will flash over any existing rom. If so, I'll just make one and post it up. Well, I guess I may as well try that now. I'm not doing much else tonight.

So, quick answer, NO. It didn't work like I hoped.
Long answer, If I understood more about the update script, I may have been able to get it to work. I noticed it was formatting the System folder when it went to install, pretty much screwing EVERYthing up. Maybe if someone knows how to make the script only replace the files instead of completely wiping the system folder, I may have something others can use. As it stands, it's really useful for me, and pretty much noone else.

ghrayfahx said:
So, quick answer, NO. It didn't work like I hoped.
Long answer, If I understood more about the update script, I may have been able to get it to work. I noticed it was formatting the System folder when it went to install, pretty much screwing EVERYthing up. Maybe if someone knows how to make the script only replace the files instead of completely wiping the system folder, I may have something others can use. As it stands, it's really useful for me, and pretty much noone else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Can't you put your commands (that you type in the terminal) into your userinit.sh and it will run on every start up? Not a pro about this but I think it's one way of doing it.
2. There's a guy in the development forum who will build a custom rom for you. He made a post, you should see it on first or second page. Drop him a line. He may just show the way how to do it or he may just build you a rom. Don't worry, we'll figure it out one way or another

Cool, sounds good. I was looking at the script, and it's pretty straight forward. I COULD possibly figure it out if I wanted, but I wouldn't want to put other people's phones at the risk of me being an idiot. Heh. I'll check with the other guy. Thanks

Blackstone device emulator

Hello all,
i have searched quite a bit for an emulator which mimics the Blackstone on your PC.
I am new to Rom cooking (1 day to be precise) and dont want to risk bricking my own so i wondered if there was something of an emulator which i can use to test Roms.
thanks in advance,
- Mega

same is my case...

No idea if this will do what you want, I'm not entirely too sure how this works.
Windows CE 5.0 Device Emulator
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/...12-ca31-4be9-a3bf-b9bf4f64ce72&displaylang=en

WM 6.5 Emulator is here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...1d-97a8-4f80-bc6a-ae010e085a6e&displayLang=en
But I've no idea how to run a blackstone's ROM on MS's emulator.
I'm trying to do same thing that you want do.

Was checking about it a year ago.
Got no answers
Seems its not possible at the moment.

I created an emulator (at least in looks, I don't think you can do a hardware emulator) for my Touch Pro and used it in Visual Studio 2005 Pro when I played with development.
Basically you have three images:
1. A skin (the chasis of the phone, I found a high res image and sized it properly in Photoshop).
2. A layer of what the skin looks like with all buttons pressed (make the Talk button look like it lights up or something).
3. A mask layer with different colors identifying the buttons (Green = Talk, Red = End, etc.).
In an XML file, you'll define the hex codes for the colors and assign an action. For example, if you used green for the Talk button on the mask image, you would enter something like "00FF00 = Talk", so when the Talk button is pressed in the emulator, the "pressed button image" shows the Talk button being "pressed", and the mask image tells the emulator to bring up the dialer, since green (00FF00) = Talk in this case. I've got VS 2008 Pro now (I tinker, not really much of a developer), so I'm not sure how you do it in the standalone emulator. I'd imagine it's a similar process.
-EDIT- I just read your post again, and I'm not sure how you would change the ROM that the emulator reads, since it reads the MS issued ROM when it boots. Maybe have to compile it as a .BIN file, once again, not sure on that.

visual studio includes one (might be useful if you are considering some developing down the line)

Yea, sorry if I made that unclear to Meganut and the others who were asking, VS includes the emulator in the development environment, so all I had to do was make the Touch Pro skin. I'll work on a Blackstone skin and post the files so you guys can hopefully use it as well in the standalone emulator...I just ordered a T8285 today, so I may want to start playing again, so my gain is your gain. I'll try to get it done tomorrow at work.
WOO HOO...I'M GETTING A TOUCH HD!!

GSXR750K2 said:
Yea, sorry if I made that unclear to Meganut and the others who were asking, VS includes the emulator in the development environment, so all I had to do was make the Touch Pro skin. I'll work on a Blackstone skin and post the files so you guys can hopefully use it as well in the standalone emulator...I just ordered a T8285 today, so I may want to start playing again, so my gain is your gain. I'll try to get it done tomorrow at work.
WOO HOO...I'M GETTING A TOUCH HD!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
An HD skin for my emulator would be awesome!

Sorry it took so long. Here is the emulator skin for the Touch HD. You can examine the XML file and PNG images to get a feel for what I was saying in my previous post. I've named the files so that you can drop them in and overwrite the default 800x480 emulator in the 6.1.4 SDK Refresh (the default looks pretty pathetic anyway). If you are insistent on keeping it, just rename the files. Reason for doing it this way is I hate screwing with making a new emulator, and if I want to change images (6, 6.1.4, 6.5), I can just move these four files around I have the same skin using a different ROM.
--EDIT--
I corrected the Home button and uploaded the changes below (I changed the mask file also to make it about four times smaller than it was), but for some reason the "Back" button will not respond, although I've tried multiple masks and hex codes to make at least do something. I'll continue to dig in to the Back button issue, I won't have much time this weekend though.

-EDIT-
Scratch what I said here if you already tried it. Like I said previously, I use VS2008 which comes ready to run, so I'm not sure what is needed to get this to work in the standalone emulator. Maybe some of the guys using the emulator can shed some light?

As some might have mentioned above, to make the MS emulator (or any for that matter) run a different ROM is impossible at the moment.
dwizzy130

dwizzy made a good point, the ROM images used in the Emulator and Visual Studio are as Microsoft created them before any vendor touches them. You can "install" things on the emulator and it will retain everything after soft-resetting, just as a physical device will, but chefs won't be able to create their ROMs in a file useable by the Device Emulator. Maybe some of the brilliant people on here can see if they can tear the BIN file apart...

GSXR750K2 said:
Sorry it took so long. Here is the emulator skin for the Touch HD. You can examine the XML file and PNG images to get a feel for what I was saying in my previous post. I've named the files so that you can drop them in and overwrite the default 800x480 emulator in the 6.1.4 SDK Refresh (the default looks pretty pathetic anyway). If you are insistent on keeping it, just rename the files. Reason for doing it this way is I hate screwing with making a new emulator, and if I want to change images (6, 6.1.4, 6.5), I can just move these four files around I have the same skin using a different ROM.
--EDIT--
Just found that the "Home" and "Back" buttons aren't working, I left them off of the XML definitions. I'll leave the "rough draft" version up here for now so you guys can get a feel for it. Depending on whether you've installed Visual Studio or the Standalone Emulator, you'll have different paths to put these files, so make a note of where you install it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that. I created my own, but yours look far better
Just one thing: if one would like to revert to the original skin for whatever reason, it might be better to rename the files to e.g. Blackstone.xml etc.
Any chance to get the home and back buttons working? I'll check if i can find out on my own, but seems you're more experienced with that.

Thanks, glad you like it. I'll check on the Home and Back buttons today.

GSXR750K2 said:
Thanks, glad you like it. I'll check on the Home and Back buttons today.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be great, thanks a lot.
Meanwhile, i found the buttons, but would be great if you could check/confirm. I did check the back button with AEbutton and it gave me the same code on both physical device and emulator. Not sure about the home though.
<button
toolTip="Home"
onClick="0x3B"
mappingColor="0xE6E6E6"
/>
<button
toolTip="Back"
onClick="0x5C"
mappingColor="0xFFFF4B"
/>

The updated skin has been uploaded (it is at the bottom of page 1).
6Fg8, I had to use 0x3E for the "Home" button (which is the same as End), the 0x3B works as the Left Soft Key. I've made several attempts to get the back button to do something...anything, no matter what mask I use or hex command I assign to it, it just sits there. Since you have some experience with the emulator files, feel free to go in and play with the XML/PNG files and see if you can get it to respond and if you figure out what is going on with it, let me know...my weekend is sort of tied up, so I may not have much time to dig into it over the next couple of days. -EDIT- Maybe you can give me some pointer in this aspect, I've found it doesn't seem to matter if I use "onClick" or "onPressAndHold" if I only assign one hex command to it, as no other advanced menu options are assigned. Have you found that it makes a difference?

GSXR750K2 said:
The updated skin has been uploaded (it is at the bottom of page 1).
6Fg8, I had to use 0x3E for the "Home" button (which is the same as End), the 0x3B works as the Left Soft Key. I've made several attempts to get the back button to do something...anything, no matter what mask I use or hex command I assign to it, it just sits there. Since you have some experience with the emulator files, feel free to go in and play with the XML/PNG files and see if you can get it to respond and if you figure out what is going on with it, let me know...my weekend is sort of tied up, so I may not have much time to dig into it over the next couple of days. -EDIT- Maybe you can give me some pointer in this aspect, I've found it doesn't seem to matter if I use "onClick" or "onPressAndHold" if I only assign one hex command to it, as no other advanced menu options are assigned. Have you found that it makes a difference?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the skin update.
I tested the back button with AEbutton, see here. This is a great piece of software and lets you redefine keys including custom keys, and you can see what code is sent (at least for the custom keys added). Just installed it on emulator, added a user defined key for the back button and an action ("show actions menu"), and presto - works. Compared with the real device the keycode is identical, so i assume the definition is fine. Unfortunately, the home button cant be captured on the PDA for comparison.
The difference between onClick and onPressAndHold is only when the event is fired. onClick fires on button release, onPressAndHold fires on button press and repeats sending codes. So if the software which receives the key doesnt care, there is no difference.

work great, thanks for this and the updated version!
GSXR750K2 said:
The updated skin has been uploaded (it is at the bottom of page 1).
6Fg8, I had to use 0x3E for the "Home" button (which is the same as End), the 0x3B works as the Left Soft Key. I've made several attempts to get the back button to do something...anything, no matter what mask I use or hex command I assign to it, it just sits there. Since you have some experience with the emulator files, feel free to go in and play with the XML/PNG files and see if you can get it to respond and if you figure out what is going on with it, let me know...my weekend is sort of tied up, so I may not have much time to dig into it over the next couple of days. -EDIT- Maybe you can give me some pointer in this aspect, I've found it doesn't seem to matter if I use "onClick" or "onPressAndHold" if I only assign one hex command to it, as no other advanced menu options are assigned. Have you found that it makes a difference?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

How to use skin in designer window?
thanks for the skin it looks great. I am new to Visual Studio and so wondered if you could help with two problems I have relating to using the HD skin.
firstly, I get to see it in the emulator but it is larger than my screen and it will not scroll up. can this be overcome?
Second, how do I get to use the skin in the Designer Window so I can see what the screen will be like when placing objects on it?
I've tried many ways but to no avail so hope you can help me.
Thanks
Gary

Swype for andrioid is out

It's out alright as a demo but its only android devices with wvga screens (Droid/milestone) you can see it on androidspin
i was wondering if it would be possible to port it to the g1 it couldn't be more than a few classes to change but i don't know.

Try ShapeWriter Works fine on my G1
http://www.shapewriter.com/android.html

Already have shapewriter installed, it's pretty nice but i've read that swype was suppose to be better, so i wanted to give it a try.

I didn't know about shape writer.. I always used htc_ime or slidetype.. ill check it now thanks! But swype wouldn't be hard I don't think. Just changing key size to fit. I tried the swype trial on my g1 and it was a screen size error so idk.. maybe someone good with 9's? Idk if that's what it takes but maybe

no you wouldnt need to edit the keyboard itself if you look in the drawable folder theres keyboards for a vga res and the qvga its got to be just a setting somewhere in the files.

same with me , i tried to instal swype , installs great
just doesnt work , says wrong resolution

Jonno12345 said:
Try ShapeWriter Works fine on my G1
http://www.shapewriter.com/android.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, I've been using Shapewriter since it came out. I was one of the initial beta testers. =]

I'd like to try all the slide keyboards. I find ShapeWriter to be incredible. After learning it over a few days and perfecting it over a week or two I'm able to type nearly as fast as I do on a keyboard. If there is something better than ShapeWriter then I'm all for it.

swype
ive been talking to people about getting swype on g1 and mytouch, all we need is the source code.
if anyone has any ideas please let me know

tiger013 said:
ive been talking to people about getting swype on g1 and mytouch, all we need is the source code.
if anyone has any ideas please let me know
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'd have to ask the makers of swype... not sure how they would take it

really and honestly i don't think that we need the complete source code, theres a file in one of the folders (assets i think) with all the keyboards it contains some settings like the screen type and resolutions. I think that if someone could edit it to reflect the correct g1 settings and resign the package it would work, but don't quote me on it. but if someone would it would be great i tried but couldn't get it to sign correctly but it was my first.

There's a Swype built for Sapphire in the wild, and it almost even works. Might be made to work correctly with some additional work.

i downloaded swype, and got it installed ans works great but only on my AOSP 2.5.1, i downloaded super D 1.7 and cannot install, i says could not be installed on this phone, the file name i have is Signed-swyptest_2. ths was on androidspin for like 1 day and dissapeared.

rbaggio00 said:
i downloaded swype, and got it installed ans works great but only on my AOSP 2.5.1, i downloaded super D 1.7 and cannot install, i says could not be installed on this phone, the file name i have is Signed-swyptest_2. ths was on androidspin for like 1 day and dissapeared.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check the other thread. I'm the one that made that file.

HVGA Swype ... but not

AndroidSPIN is reporting that an HVGA version of Swype is now available, letting those of us with Eris' finally take a crack at this thing.
Which would be great, if it functioned. The install process goes okay (a step above the poor G1 users out there), but the keyboard then ... nothing. It's as though it doesn't exist. The Settings options are there (under Locale + Text), but nothing seems to happen. adb logcat revealed nothing in particular.
Anybody know what's up here?

You might want to follow this thread and see if it works for you.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=622144
I would try it but I'm more of a two handed typer myself...

I like the HTC Keyboard... (maybe because I just got the phone and I'm not tired of it yet). I had swype on my Omnia before I sold it, and it worked ok there because the small, lower res screen made touch typing difficult. I'm not finding that on the Eris. Although Swype would be more fun with a capacitive screen, I had to really push hard to get to work right on the Omnia...

I agree, the HTC keyboard is top-notch. I'm already at near-native typing speed on common words. It was more out of curiosity than anything. I'm always fascinated by emerging input technologies for embedded devices, and this seemed the most clever one to cross my desk in a while.

pinksocker69 said:
I agree, the HTC keyboard is top-notch. I'm already at near-native typing speed on common words. It was more out of curiosity than anything. I'm always fascinated by emerging input technologies for embedded devices, and this seemed the most clever one to cross my desk in a while.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like it...i use it on my Xperia...
I tried this one out on my Eris and its okay..but landscape is slow and lame...
Good Stuff though..
But like Pink I tried it just because its new....lol

acidbath5546 said:
I tried this one out on my Eris and its okay..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, you got it to work? Was there any special trickery you did? Or did it just *POOF* work for you?

pinksocker69 said:
Oh, you got it to work? Was there any special trickery you did? Or did it just *POOF* work for you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol...no trickery...just MAGIC! lmao.
Just download it...
Then go into settings/locale&text/ and check the swype box.
Then head into your text or email app, and long press your dialogue box, it will ask you which input you wanna use swype or default keyboard and select swype!
Only prob I am having is that when i am in landscape mode, it will type but it wont show what i am typing on the screen, but if i switch to portrait it is there? weirdness...

Works just fine for me. make sure to disable audio sounds in the swype settings, there is a bug with the sounds.

I tried using it yesterday but it just wasn't my cup of tea...

here... http://rapidshare.com/files/354228280/Swype.micro.1.16.apk
this version is working fine for me, no expire warning. micro version = no tutorial/help file.

i really love swype on the eris.. it makes typing soooooo easy.

Swype vs HTC_IME?

I recently discovered both and I'm not sure which one I like best. What does everyone else like?

I was the same way so I kept both. That way I can switch whenever I want to man. It's nice.

I have both, but my fallback is the T9 keyboard from HTC. Swype is a funky concept, but in the end, a qwerty keyboard is a qwerty keyboard to me. I don't need another one if I have a physical one already.

Swype.Its so fast to type.

Swype, because now I can easily text with one hand while driving.

HTC_IME is the best VK around.

Swype !!!
and the 1.16.12.5230.t version even better

Swype it is.having to tick every letter is just soo annoying.and if I choose to, I can still do this with swype. Plus its a thing ipod users envy

Swype is good enough that I would consider buying a phone without a physical keyboard.

when i have to type web addresses in, i go with the htc ime, othewise, swype all the way (on a MT3G)

i use swype to play with... honestly i'm faster with a qwerty keyboard (i use better keyboard) but swype really is something to behold.

oshizzle1991 said:
when i have to type web addresses in, i go with the htc ime, othewise, swype all the way (on a MT3G)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tried the 1.16...... version?
its much better at the standard 'single tap' typing than the 0.5...

swype.
Most defintely swype beats the htc IME for me. It just so smooth and make sure you get the newer version! Honestly, its slower for me to open my keyboard anymore...Now i have actually decided to get the nexus because typing will be a breeze.

I just downloaded Swype, it is amazing. I can type much faster single handedly (don't drive and text!) than with HTC IME. It is much more forgiving, which considering my large fingers and the Dream's tiny screen, is absolutely great.

Firerat said:
tried the 1.16...... version?
its much better at the standard 'single tap' typing than the 0.5...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where can we get the latest swype for hvga 1.16.12.5230.t above link still is for the older version. Many thanks in advance.

immyh said:
Where can we get the latest swype for hvga 1.16.12.5230.t above link still is for the older version. Many thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmm, didn't even notice that
the version number in my sig is taken from the swype settings
may be they round it off
edit : oh, file shows as Swype-SwypeReference-HVGA-trial-release.1.16.12.5228.219 on mediafile

i switch between three input methods:
swype is my primary for email, sms and such when at work, home, or out and about. ...and to simply make iphone people drool.
android keyboard from nexus has taken over the roll that ime use to fill since it has speech to text so it serves as my input when in the car so i can respond to emails the same way i can with handcent sms...just talk to the phone and watch the words appear
when i end up needing to surf web for a while or input email addresses, i still find myself falling back to htc_ime.

I tried installing Swype-SwypeReference-HVGA-trial-release.1.16.12.5228.219.apk via ASTRO.. I already had the "version 1" installed, so it offered me to "upgrade".. and I went down that path until it said "Swype cannot be installed on this phone"
??
EDIT: I also tried Apps Installer, but that always FCs on me
EDIT2: I uninstalled previous version of Swype.. rebooted.. launched Apps Installer (no FC this time) and the new Swype installed.

love Swype.....
IMO better than HTC_IME, especially with different lang.
very accurate for me, even in Korean typing!!! Cool

I have tried every setting in Swype, but I keep getting a little pop up thing with symbols on it. I can't figure out how to get anything to type. I have gone through the instructions, but I guess I need to watch the tutorial.