[Idea] The use of "SYM" Key

[Waxberry 638]

During recent work we noticed that under Android system the "ALT" key will bring emoji by default.

 

How about removing "SYM" key then using ALT key for emoji, but replacing SYM key with search key. So we can enable some default Android shortcuts with search key.

 

 

 

 

 

What do you think?

 

P.S: The launcher will sooner support long press a physical key to launch custom app.

[rinrailin 4]

Waxberry, As far as I remember, SYM key was usefull too. Maybe it would be better to replace right Ctrl key with search key? And maybe you can post here a schema of Pro1's keys layout?

[VaZso 1,998]

For me, I need a modifier key to be able to type language-specific characters (á,é,í,ó,ö,ő,ú,ü,ű) and their capital version.

It is also good to have Alt / Ctrl keys to be used with software.

 

I don't know if SYM or "Search" key is more useful as I don't know their functionality in Android.

However, "Search" function may be reachable as a second function of a button - am I right?

[Benni 183]

I think it would be best to make it user-configurable, if this is possible.

[EskeRahn 5,464]

Though search is a nice feature it is way too unimportant to have a dedicated key for. IMHO

 

And as Benjamin said above: "User-configurable" please. :)

 

Generally I do not like the idea of any 'action' by a single key (And this goes for the F-logo key too...)

Simply because the relative small keys inevitably will lead to accidental key-strokes. But where pressing the wrong letter is easily remedied by backspace, launching search (or anything else) requires a close of the program/function, that is not easily done from the keyboard, (though some might be reacting well to Esc)

 

I remember one of the slider keyboard cases I used for the aPple Iphone 6-, had a square key, that gave the home screen. And I cursed it every time to an extend where I dropped it in favour of another where the same square was at a Fn-level.

 

So I would suggest that (calling the yellow arrow Fn here) ALL actions/launches should be with a modifier only. E.g. Fn+Logo for launching the suite, Fn+Q for launching search (a capital Q both looking a bit like a magnifying glass and being the first letter of Question).

 

And it will be elegant if people can assign short cut actions to key-combos of their preference. For some "Search" would mean search the device, for others it could be launching their favourite search engine in their default browser, (Personally I never use a search on the device, but others use it a lot)

 

Personally multpile modifier keys would be great, to give access to a range of layouts, to ease the access of foreign language characters and all kind of symbols, including emojis.

[VaZso 1,998]

@EskeRahn, yes, I think search is better to be called using a modifier button.

 

Also, I have used ctrl + shift + x combination on my N900 to call the terminal several times, so a similar function to launch apps is a good thing, although it is a software issue.

...but if a specific key on the keyboard can be programmed to lauch applications (by a combination of that key and another one), especially if the phone has a software written by the team to specify which apps to launch, that would be a good thing to everyone.

[elvissteinjr 359]

I personally don't care for either function, but I'd love to keep away from anything that dumps the Google Assistant into my face. It's bad enough that by default that thing launches when long holding the virtual home button on stock Android. So if there's this Search button thingy, make it configurable so it can actually be useful, please.

[netman 1,424]

Yes for me also google assistant is just a joke. Remapping via xposed framework or alike is always possible, but it'd be really nice if it can be also done without root.

[EskeRahn 5,464]

Totally agree with you elvissteinjr and netman (again)

[AnnieC 115]

For me, I need a modifier key to be able to type language-specific characters (á,é,í,ó,ö,ő,ú,ü,ű) and their capital version.

 

I'd like that as well. I'm really hoping that we will have the option to customize the keyboard in any way we want.

 

 

[david 929]

EskeRahn - I agree about default keys that launch apps. I have the same frustration with some of the keys on my Galaxy S Relay 4G. Allowing people to program single or multiple key presses to do whatever they want is a good idea. I'm of the opinion that a default, single key app launch on the physical keyboard isn't a good idea, unless it is a long press, so that it isn't accidentally triggered when typing.

 

As for the original question, it would help to have some pictures of the keyboard with before and after versions to get an idea of what is being proposed.

[Waxberry 638]

Just a quick heads up about what we planned to do with the Sym key:

 

We are working with a new entry in setting, under such user can choose the characters that show up on-screen when sym key is pressed. So everyone can have their commonly used local symbols in Sym key.

 

(And yes, sym key will be kept, and its content shall be user definable)

[Craig 1,435]

Sounds like you found a good use of that SYM key.

 

I strongly think you should get rid of those two diaganol arrow buttons . They don't seem to serve any purpose. Shift functions of numbers and symbols should be accomplished with the Shift key like a real keyboard. Replace the one on the right with a slash/questiohmark dedicated key like a real keyboard.

 

That F-key is an additional modifier that perhaps could be user customized too unless there's another purpose. F-key with the numbers should function as F1/F2 etc like a keyboard.

[EskeRahn 5,464]

Sounds like you found a good use of that SYM key.

 

I strongly think you should get rid of those two diaganol arrow buttons . They don’t seem to serve any purpose. Shift functions of numbers and symbols should be accomplished with the Shift key like a real keyboard. Replace the one on the right with a slash/questiohmark dedicated key like a real keyboard.

 

That F-key is an additional modifier that perhaps could be user customized too unless there’s another purpose. F-key with the numbers should function as F1/F2 etc like a keyboard.

 

Uh please don't !!

I accidentally 'thanked' your post, but STRONGLY disagrees with the removal of the arrows. They could name them in stead like "Fn" or "AltGr" "Alt", but I would like it to have all these 'modifier' keys, to allow us to have easy access to a variety of layouts.

 

But If I have my way it will be possible to remap even modifier keys for direct usage, for those that like you would prefer this. I hope for maximal flexibility in how we can use the keys to fit each users wishes as much as possible.

[Craig 1,435]

Uh please don’t !!

 

I accidentally ‘thanked’ your post, but STRONGLY disagrees with the removal of the arrows. They could name them in stead like “Fn” or “Alt”, but I would like it to have all these ‘modifier’ keys, to allow us to have easy access to a variety of layouts.

 

But If I have my way it will be possible to remap even modifier keys for direct usage, for those that like you would prefer this. I hope for maximal flexibility in how we can use the keys to fit each users wishes as much as possible.

 

 

 

There is already a function key which I assume you can use as a modifier for everything except # keys. And there's an alt key, which other than pulling up emoji when pressed by itself, can be used as a modifer for all the other keys. And the symbol key that you can use as a modifier for national-letters/symbols/etc. Do you really need a fourth modifier key?!?

 

[Craig 1,435]

Uh please don’t !!

 

I accidentally ‘thanked’ your post, but STRONGLY disagrees with the removal of the arrows. They could name them in stead like “Fn” or “Alt”, but I would like it to have all these ‘modifier’ keys, to allow us to have easy access to a variety of layouts.

 

But If I have my way it will be possible to remap even modifier keys for direct usage, for those that like you would prefer this. I hope for maximal flexibility in how we can use the keys to fit each users wishes as much as possible.

 

If you renamed them fn and alt, you'd just be duplicating keys that are already there, at least at the keyboard I'm looking at on the fxtec home page.

 

There is already an F- key which I assume you can use as a modifier for everything except # keys. And there's already an ALT-key, which other than pulling up emoji when pressed by itself, can be used as a modifer for all the other keys. And the SYM-key that you can use as a modifier for national-letters/symbols/etc as described in the post before mine.

 

Do you really need a fourth modifier key?!? If it wasn't there, then there would be space for the missing slash/questionmark key and no more need to use it, all keys (including numbers and synmbols) could then be their normal qwerty shift function. Are you really really sure you need that fourth modifier key, at the expense of it behaving like a regular keyboard instead?

[EskeRahn 5,464]

If you renamed them fn and alt, you’d just be duplicating keys that are already there, at least at the keyboard I’m looking at on the fxtec home page.

 

There is already an F- key which I assume you can use as a modifier for everything except # keys. And there’s already an ALT-key, which other than pulling up emoji when pressed by itself, can be used as a modifer for all the other keys. And the SYM-key that you can use as a modifier for national-letters/symbols/etc as described in the post before mine.

 

Do you really need a fourth modifier key?!? If it wasn’t there, then there would be space for the missing slash/questionmark key and no more need to use it, all keys (including numbers and synmbols) could then be their normal qwerty shift function. Are you really really sure you need that fourth modifier key, at the expense of it behaving like a regular keyboard instead?

 

Sorry meant "AltGr" not "Alt".

As I said, I hope for flexibility so those of us that wants a lot of modifier options can get it, and those that want more regular keys can get that too. I doubt they are hard wired to any function, so just a matter of the software allowing the flexibility.

 

I hope that the geeks among us can make several different 'packages' of layout-combinations, for sharing, and then each user can chose what fit them the best, and hopefully the program for it will be so easy to use so it does not require much skills to modify at will. Hopefully not even rooting.

[Doktor Oswaldo 904]

They could name them in stead like “Fn” or “AltGr”.

 

Yeah I know I seem to be the only one to use "AltGr" but it is a must. There is a reason it is a different key than "alt" and removing a modifier key is always a pain. Keeping it close to the PC-Layout also means it will be easier to use a different OS.

 

 

[EskeRahn 5,464]

EskeRahn wrote:

They could name them in stead like “Fn” or “AltGr”.

 

Yeah I know I seem to be the only one to use “AltGr” but it is a must. There is a reason it is a different key than “alt” and removing a modifier key is always a pain. Keeping it close to the PC-Layout also means it will be easier to use a different OS.

 

It is much a matter of how the national layout is made. You almost never need it with a US layout. But In Danish you need the AltGr all the time to get to vital symbols such as

@ £ $ { [ ] } | € \ and the accent key ~

And it is similar for other languages.

(But personally I could not care less if it is marked by a yellow arrow, "Fn", "AltGr" or whatever)

 

Actually the tedious frequent use is one of the reasons why I normally use the US layout (except when typing Danish text where we need ÆØÅ).

 

(Back in the eighties I made a completely customizable DOS keyboard driver, used to the effect of having a standard US layout, and ÆØÅ on their 'standard' positions combined with a modifier key, and a shortcut for quick language swap - that was the ideal layout for me, And it used way way less memory than the one provided with DOS)

[EskeRahn 5,464]

I accidentally ‘thanked’ your post,

 

New "Remove thanks" button, to handle accidental clicks. Nice :)

[Craig 1,435]

Ok, fair enough. But there's two of them. And Sym should be AltGr anyway. But another one on the right would be nice if keyboard can be rearranged. The right one can be made slash/questionmark. Then shift can be used like normal and no need to use AltGr/arrowkey for standard US layout (other than custom modifiers, etc) as all labeled keys will be accessible with shift like US keyboard.

 

I just want shift to behave normal and to have a dedicated slash/questionmark key. So when it's a letter, shift makes capitol, if a number/symbol then shift makes it do whatever else is displayed on the key. Like every other keyboard I've ever used.

 

[This reminds me of something that happened to me years ago. My password at the time was a combination of letters and shifted numbers, and I never paid attention to what symbols they were (i remembered my password like abc-shift-123). I was at the Narita airport in Japan and they had a free computer lounge with free internet and I wanted to check my email, etc, but the keyboard had different symbols on the numbers and I couldn't figure out my password... without a picture of a US keyboard, and by the time I found one my time was up.]

Edited August 2, 2020 by Craig