OKBoard

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OKBoard (a.k.a. Magic Keyboard) is a gesture based keyboard that allow single stroke typing. Usage is explained in this video. English, French and Dutch are supported without the need for additional packages, other language resources are available in separate packages, e.g. for Swedish (okb-lang-sv). It currently works on Jolla phone, Xperia X / XA2 / 10 / 10 plus. Larger phones (such as XA2 plus/ultra & Fxtec Pro1) may be supported in a later release.

Do not use other third party keyboards at the same time (unless they are just simple layouts for new languages).

Source code: http://git.tuxfamily.org/okboard/okb-engine.git/ and http://git.tuxfamily.org/okboard/okb-keyboard.git/. Instructions for adding new languages are included in README.md files (latin alphabet only at the moment).

If you get an error message about missing dependencies (dbus-python, patch ...) when installing, just run "pkcon refresh" as root and try again. Also some issues may be solved by uninstalling and reinstalling.

OKBoard tends to break for each new Sailfish release, so if possible, wait for other users reports before upgrading to a new OS version.

Screenshots: 

Keywords:

Application versions: 
AttachmentSizeDate
File okboard-full-0.6.27-1.armv7hl.rpm10.5 MB13/05/2021 - 13:47
File okboard-full-0.6.34-1.aarch64.rpm10.51 MB29/09/2021 - 20:00
File okboard-full-0.6.34-1.armv7hl.rpm10.5 MB29/09/2021 - 20:00
File okboard-full-0.6.35-1.armv7hl.rpm10.5 MB18/09/2022 - 14:33
File okboard-full-0.6.35-1.aarch64.rpm10.51 MB18/09/2022 - 14:33
File okboard-full-0.6.37-1.aarch64.rpm10.51 MB05/02/2023 - 14:36
File okboard-full-0.6.37-1.armv7hl.rpm10.5 MB05/02/2023 - 14:36
Changelog: 

0.6.37 : Support for SFOS 4.5

0.6.35 : Disable Sailjail to allow admin app to start on SFOS 4.4

0.6.34: Fix for "Installation not complete" error

0.6.27: Support for SFOS 4.1

Comments

rover's picture

I'm keen to find out the answer to this as well.

I would be happy with the whole keyboard being shifted to the left or the right without adjusting the scale, that might even be easier for one handed use.

What can we do to get the keyboard enabled? I'm happy to take a look at the code if someone can point me in the direction of learning how to deploy and test.

Shervrar's picture

Works reasonably well. Two things though:

1) Android capitalization is off. I know this was mentioned before, but would it be possible to maybe default to all-lowercase when using an android app (or when no surrounding text information is available)?

2) After entering a word via swipe gesture, backspace backspaces twice. Example: "Car Dumpling" <Backspace> "Car" <Dumpling> "CarDumpling" <Backspace> "Ca". I hope this makes sense.

eber42's picture

1) that is the default behaviour, but I have just discovered there is now some surrounding text information available while using Android apps, which may trigger the problem you see. I'll try to have a fix for this issue.

2) I can not reproduce this (or I have not understood your description), maybe you could post a video & proper context info (device, OS, app used & okboard version)

Shervrar's picture

1) Thanks!

2) Well I just tried again and it didn't do it. Maybe I had something else intefearing with it before, or the OS update fixed it? Either way the problem is gone now. I'll make sure to post a video should it happen again.

3) A different question, do you think it would be possible to show word suggestions even when not swiping?

Shervrar's picture

2) Okay, it started doing it again. Video is here:

https://send.firefox.com/download/71426c4ea592ee4d/#PHgUuVfWvg_2e4mIFtzP8w

 

eber42's picture

You are using an Android application which is not well supported by the current version. Try with a native app and tell me if you can reproduce this issue.

As stated above, context information is now provided by the keyboard framework when using android apps, but it provides inaccurate values that lead to the bugs you have described, and it is not handled by current okboard version because I discovered this change two days ago. I'll try to add a workaround in the next release.

Shervrar's picture

>You are using an android application

Do you mean the video? That is just the Sailfish OS browser, not an android app.

eber42's picture

Oops, thanks for clarification, now this makes more sense.

There is still no context information available in browser text input areas. This issue is in my backlog but i'm not sure it can be improved that much.

rob_k's picture

Hi eber42,

Thanks for repairing the candidates section. Working fine again while swiping. But... It seems to me that when typing the candidates section stays empty. Is that a side effect from your changes?

Cheers, Rob

eber42's picture

Candidates are shown only after a "swipe" to allow correcting a bad guess. At any other time the standard Jolla keyboard behaviour is supposed to stay unchanged (i.e. it should display XT9 next word prediction or completion). Maybe you could post a video to make sure I understand the issue ?

svex87's picture

I have an issue using Okboard in Android Apps like Whatsapp (German language pack) In Android Apps okboards adds two blank space after the first word and than the next word starts with a capitale letter.

eber42's picture

I know it is really annoying, but I do not know how to solve this issue at the moment: the Sailfish keyboard framework does not provide surrounding text information for Android applications, so this prevent autospacing from working properly. Any help or suggestion welcome.

eber42's picture

I have just checked and this is not true anymore (I do not know when it has changed), so I will check if it is possible to add proper support for Android apps.

rob_k's picture

Great to have this new update so fast, thanks!

murfik's picture

Thanks for answer! Great keyboard, but need support other langs for 'must have' status

murfik's picture

how to add russian lang?

eber42's picture

Only languages with latin alphabet are supported at the moment. There are a lot of changes required to support other alphabets so it will probably not be implemented soon

rob_k's picture

For other languages like Finnish: there are instructions available, how to compile language files.

rob_k's picture

It is so great to have OKboard working again, thanks! The only thing is that the suggested words have changed. No longer words that may have been meant, based on the spelling variations of the swipe. Now it seems to predict the next word.

eber42's picture

Oops, that is really a bug, I'll try to fix this soon

Sanpo's picture

Add Finnish support please ;)

Historyscholar's picture

Can you support Chinese :)    

eber42's picture

Really no, that would be a completely different product (... and I know nothing about Chinese)

akikk88's picture

Finnish support plz ☺

nerip's picture

Thanks but it still buggy on XA2 Plus...It works and stop working....

eber42's picture

As already stated, large devices over 5" like XA2 Plus are not yet supported. I'll add support in a future release.

nerip's picture

Thanks

PawelSpoon's picture

Hooray !!

ferlanero's picture

Best keyboard ever has returned!! Thank you very much!! :D

skyjumper's picture

Perhaps I am missing something, but I can't seem to find the 0.6.17 source in the Git tree? Is it available? Wanting to play and build my own test version whilst waiting for an official build from you :-)

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