Virtual Keyboard Input Method User's Manual

This manual explains how to use Virtual Keyboard Input Method. It can be used for input characters with GUI interaction and customize Keyboard layout emulation layout.

How to invoke

Menu

Input Method switcher menu (Fig-1 - Input Method Switcher menu) has 'Virtual Keyboard entry' in menu which is brought up with right mouse menu on it.

Fig-1 - Input Method Switcher menu

Command

/usr/bin/iiim-keyboard brings up Virtual Keyboard GUI (Fig-2 – Initial appearance).

How to input character with GUI

Clicking key on Virtual Keyboard will enter clicked key's the active label to the target window. The target window means the window which had input focus before the Virtual Keyboard. The active label is changed depends on the modifier keys (Shift/Caps/AltGraph) on Virtual Keyboard (Fig-3 – Shift and AltGraph modifiers take effect on Czech – Generic101 keyboard). The modifier keys act as toggle button while other keys act as press button.

Fig-3 - Shift and AltGraph modifiers take effect on Czech – Generic101 keyboard

How to use different symbol keyboard GUI

Popup menu

Virtual Keyboard window has the popup menu which can be popped up with secondary mouse button (usually it is right mouse button) (Fig-4 - Popup menu).

'Symbols' menu item has the sub-menu which has selectable symbol list (Fig-5 - Symbol menu). The selected symbol is reflected to current Virtual Keyboard immediately (Fig-6 – Arabic symbol).

How to use different layout keyboard GUI

'Layout' item in Popup menu has the sub-menu which has selectable layout list (Fig-7 – Layout menu). The selected layout is refrected to current Virtual keyboard immediately (Fig-8 – Generic104 layout).

Fig-7 - Layout menu

How to switch keyboard

'Show Keyboard' menu in Popup menu has the default entry 'US/English – Generic101' (Fig-9 – Show Keyboard menu).

Fig-9 - Show Keyboard menu

If select 'Save Keyboard' when showing other Symbol and/or Layout (ex: Belgian – Gneric101), 'Belgian – Generic101' item will be added to 'Show Keyboard' submenu. User can switch 'US/English – Generic101' and 'Belgian – Generic101' keyboard with that submenu. And if 'Display Multiple Keyboards' check box is selected, then selecting 'Show Keyboard' submenu item causes adding new tab pane to Virtual Keyboard window (Fig-10 – Multiple Keyboard).

Fig-10 - Multiple Keyboard

'Save Keyboard As...' allows to specify arbitrary name to symbol and layout combination. And 'Delete' item delete saved keyboard item from 'Show Keyboard' submenu. (Deafult 'US/English – Generic101' can not be deleted.)

How to synchronize physical Keyboard with Virtual Keyboard

Select 'Synchronize with Physical Keyboard' checkbox select active Input Method to the current Virtual Keyboard symbol emulation Input Method. That means user can activate/unactivate keyboard layout emulation for the symbol on the Virtual Keyboard with Input Method trigger keys.

How to make custom symbol set

Select 'Edit Key...' brings up the keyboard window for editing (Fig-11 – Edit keyboard window).

Fig-11 - Edit keyboard window

In this window, drag&drop key will swap keys. And double clicking or select context menu (with secondary mouse button) will bring Key Editor window (Fig-12 – Key Editor window).

Fig-12 - Key Editor window

Four fields correspond to active labels for Shift and AltGraph modifiers combinations. Each field can be used to specify strings which are entered by target key with Shift and AltGraph modifier.

When editing has been done, then use 'Save As...' button on Eidt keyboard window to specify customized symbol set name and save it. If current editing symbol set is prior saved custom symbol set, 'Save' button is active and able to be used to override saving.

The saved customized symbol can be used as one of Input Mehod which can be selected from Input Method switcher (iiim-panel).

If the customized symbol is not needed anymore, then it can be deleted with 'Delete Cuttom Symbol' menu item. It brings up simple dialog which has the list of custmized symbol name, and 'Delete' and 'Cancel' button (Fig-13 – Delete Custom Symbol dialog window).

Fig-13 - Delete Custom Symbol dialog window