How Do I make my own keyboard for an app in android
- by Ephraim
I am currently working on an app, that requires a keyboard in a different language (Specifically Hebrew), the problem is, that I don't know where to begin. I don't want the user to have to go onto an app store, and install a separate app that has more languages in it just to use my app, and, I only want the keyboard to be available in my app, ie, it shouldn't effect anything outside my specific app. the way I am doing it right now, is to create it as part of the main layout, and just make it visible whenever the user clicks on the Edit Text. the problem with this, is I can't get the size of it to readjust. I had originally tried using 2 different layouts (one in the res/layout folder, and one in the res/layout-lnd folder), but this caused different problems in my app, making it slower. so I am wondering 2 things, either of which should work. one: how would I create the layout for the keyboard to readjust. or Two: how would I make a keyboard correctly.
here is the xml code that I am useing specifically partaining to the keyboard:
<FrameLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:visibility="gone"
android:background="@color/puzzle_dark"
android:id="@+id/hebrwKeyboardView"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="146dip"
android:layout_gravity="right|center_vertical|center_horizontal|bottom"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:clipChildren="false"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<TableLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="145dip"
android:clipChildren="false"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical|center_horizontal|bottom"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<TableLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="145dip"
android:clipChildren="false"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical|center_horizontal|bottom"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<TableRow android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:clipChildren="false"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:stretchColumns="true">
<LinearLayout
android:baselineAligned="true"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_gravity="center"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:clipChildren="false"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<Button
android:id="@+id/KoofButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:text="@string/Koof"
android:layout_gravity="center"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:ellipsize="marquee"/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/raishButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:text="@string/Raish"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:ellipsize="marquee"/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/alephButton"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:text="@string/Alef"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:ellipsize="marquee"/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/tetButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:text="@string/Tet"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:ellipsize="marquee"/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/vuvButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
android:text="@string/Vuv"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:ellipsize="marquee"/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/nunSophitButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
android:text="@string/NunSofit"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:gravity="fill"
android:ellipsize="marquee"/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/memSofitButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:text="@string/MemSofit"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:ellipsize="marquee"/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/payButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:text="@string/Pay"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
android:ellipsize="marquee"/>
</LinearLayout>
</TableRow>
<TableRow android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:clipChildren="true"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<RelativeLayout android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:clipChildren="true"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center"
android:gravity="bottom"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<Button
android:layout_alignWithParentIfMissing="true"
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/shinButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:text="@string/Shin"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:layout_toRightOf="@id/shinButton"
android:id="@+id/dalidButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:text="@string/Dalid"
android:layout_alignWithParentIfMissing="true"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:layout_alignWithParentIfMissing="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/gimleButton"
android:layout_toRightOf="@id/dalidButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:text="@string/Gimle"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:layout_alignWithParentIfMissing="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/chufButton"
android:layout_toRightOf="@id/gimleButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:text="@string/Chuf"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:layout_alignWithParentIfMissing="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/ieyinButton"
android:layout_toRightOf="@id/chufButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:text="@string/Ieyin"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:layout_alignWithParentIfMissing="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/yudButton"
android:layout_toRightOf="@id/ieyinButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:text="@string/Yud"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:layout_alignWithParentIfMissing="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/chetButton"
android:layout_toRightOf="@id/yudButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:text="@string/Chet"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:layout_alignWithParentIfMissing="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/lamidButton"
android:layout_toRightOf="@id/chetButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:text="@string/Lamid"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:layout_alignWithParentIfMissing="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/chufSofitButton"
android:layout_toRightOf="@id/lamidButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:text="@string/ChufSofit"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:layout_alignWithParentIfMissing="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/paySofitButton"
android:layout_toRightOf="@id/chufSofitButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:text="@string/PaySofit"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
</RelativeLayout>
</TableRow>
<TableRow android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<LinearLayout android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center"
android:gravity="bottom"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/zionButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:text="@string/Zion"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/samichButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:text="@string/Samich"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/betButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:text="@string/Bet"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/heyButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:text="@string/Hey"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/nunButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:text="@string/Nun"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/memButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:text="@string/Mem"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/tzadiButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:text="@string/Tzadi"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/tuffButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:text="@string/Tuff"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/tzadiSofitButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:text="@string/TzadiSofit"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
</LinearLayout>
</TableRow>
<TableRow android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<LinearLayout android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center"
android:gravity="bottom"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/hebrewBackButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="right"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
android:text="<--"/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/hebrewSpaceButton"
android:layout_width="150dip"
android:layout_height="35dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"
android:text=""
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
<Button
android:soundEffectsEnabled="true"
android:id="@+id/hebrewDoneButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="right"
android:text="Done"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
/>
</LinearLayout>
</TableRow>
</TableLayout>
</TableLayout>
</FrameLayout>
Here is a picture of what it looks like right now in portrait:
and here is what it looks like in landscape:
