James Knott wrote: > James Knott wrote: > >> David Hagood wrote: >> >>> OK, now, having recapitulated the conversation, I am going to summarize it: >>> >>> YES - IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. You are remoting an X application. The X protocol >>> does not provide enough information for the system to know what is an entry >>> field and what is not. The X server has no means to know when it should >>> show the keyboard and when it should not - thus the X server would have to >>> show the keyboard all the time. There is not enough screen real estate to >>> do so. That is why Nokia implemented the virtual keyboard at a layer above >>> X - in the GTK layer, where the information about what is an input field >>> and what is not actually IS available. >>> >>> Just because you want something to be does not make it so. Yes, it would be >>> nice if the X protocol had been designed to make the information about what >>> type of widget a field was available to the X server. It would be nice if >>> GTK had been designed as an X protocol extension, like GLX. >>> >>> It was not. >>> >>> It is not likely ever to be so designed. This is NOT like HTML, where the >>> rendering engine knows what is an input and what is not. >>> >>> Have you ever actually done any programming at the X protocol level? >>> >>> I have. That is why I understand the difference between X protocol and GTK. >>> >>> Now, unless and until you can come back to me, and speak of actual low >>> level X protocol messages and structures, and explain how the X server can >>> tell the difference between a non-entry focusable field like a button and >>> an entry field such that the X server can know when to display the virtual >>> keyboard and when not to, don't waste my time with you whining. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> All you've done is convinced me that the method chosen is not the >> appropriate method for a "device". Perhaps GTK is not the best tool for >> this. Perhaps it should have been done at a lower level, so that it >> functions as a proper device, and uses GTK only as necessary for display >> and input methods. >> >> > > Further on this. As an experiment, I just installed xvkbd on my main > system, running the KDE desktop. I then connected to another system via > ssh and started an application. I am able to use the xvkbd virtual > keyboard to type into OpenOffice on the remote system. This is > precisely the result I'm looking for on the N800. Please tell me again > how it's impossible to use a virtual keyboard for this, when I'm able to > do so here. > > > In addition, I tried using "onBoard", which is a virtual keyboard, running on Ubuntu, with Gnome desktop, which I understand uses GTK. It also works fine for typing into a remote X app via ssh. As before, your claim
"YES - IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. You are remoting an X application. The X protocol does not provide enough information for the system to know what is an entry field and what is not. The X server has no means to know when it should show the keyboard and when it should not - thus the X server would have to show the keyboard all the time. There is not enough screen real estate to do so. That is why Nokia implemented the virtual keyboard at a layer above X - in the GTK layer, where the information about what is an input field and what is not actually IS available." is not correct. I have demonstrated with two different virtual keyboards, that it is indeed possible to run an X app via ssh, with a virtual keyboard. Now that this fact has been established, perhaps you can explain why the N800 virtual keyboard fails in this regard. It is not because it is not possible with X. Incidentally, xvkbd occupies a small area of my screen and while onBoard uses a larger area, it is still smaller than my desktop. As for the keyboard showing or not showing all the time, I'm not expecting it to disappear, when not needed. It would be nice if it could simply be available for me to use, in the manner I might use xvkbd or onBoard Is it possible to call the N800 virtual keyboard as an app? -- Use OpenOffice.org <http://www.openoffice.org> _______________________________________________ maemo-users mailing list maemo-users@maemo.org https://lists.maemo.org/mailman/listinfo/maemo-users
