florisboard
Split-screen keyboard in landscape
Hi, the current traditional landscape keyboard makes it tricky and uncomfortable to use it on larger screens. May I recommend to consider the following design (idea from Samsung Keyboard)?
Thanks for your suggestion, I really appreciate it! I can definitely implement this into FlorisBoard, just don't know exactly when this will happen. I will add it to the v0.5.0 milestone for now.
Make it optional though. As a geture for switching, I suggest pinching the screen. (The movement that is used to zoom into pictures or out of them)
"Zoom out" = Separate Board "Zoom in" = Join Board
(Of course, those movements should be of horizontal nature)
Also, t'd be nice if the empty space between these 2 halves can be removed (i.e. not a part of keyboard) or atleast made transparent.
hi @ajyotirmay since u are already using larger screen, so, i thought to ask your views on ortholinear layout (#356) in non-split and also if u'd prefer it over staggered one for split keyboard too. Along with all its existing benefits, ortholinear layout will:
- look much more symmetric in split mode.
- be space saving too when combined with my above suggestion (of transparency or say true split)
- make space for one additional key - in the foll mockup, i have put forward delete there
@yashpalgoyal1304 that looks nice! The asymmetric split on Samsung's Keyboard did look weird to me (though I started appreciating the functionality over form).
I wonder if it'd be possible to re-arrange the keys and move 'b' to the right side of split, since that's how it is for most computer users.
Also, t'd be nice if the empty space between these 2 halves can be removed (i.e. not a part of keyboard) or atleast made transparent.
I'm not sure how that can be achieved. It can be transparent, but there certainly can't be any UI elements from the app below the keyboard since it's going to look awkward.
However it can be used to provide additional features like arrow keys and stuff (but then it will be alot of stuff in the UI, not a good experience, or am I wrong?)
I wonder if it'd be possible to re-arrange the keys and move 'b' to the right side of split, since that's how it is for most computer users.
i see ur point here.
- My personal views:
- even though, we (most of us - myself included) press B with rt index, it's technically not right
- but that's due to it requiring wayyyy too much finger travel to press with left index due to the faulty staggered layout
- and since, ortho layout doesnt have this fault, it will be easier to get used to with left index in this layout.
- And having just 2 keys on right (esp in android's context) made me too a bit ... amh, lets say uncomfortable (for lack of a better word in my vocabulary),
- But I just checked online:
- 🔍 split keyboard - the results shown were staggered and all of those show 'B' on left.
- So, it definitely is on the left in ortholinear ones too: 🔍 split ortholinear keyboards
- I tried but couldnt narrow down the results to show just split soft keyboards/input method editors hence, couldnt find examples if B is on left or right in soft boards.
- So, considering all above (low pain, high gain), i think it will be better if it stays on left and aligns with the standard layout of split hard keyboards.
since it's going to look awkward.
i didnt think about it initially, but now that u said it, i guess it might be. However i cant say for sure as we are just imagining how it will look. It requires some trials to make affirmative statement i think.
it can be used to provide additional features like arrow keys and stuff (but then it will be alot of stuff in the UI, not a good experience, or am I wrong?)
amhhhh, yeah, other stuff can be provided there - i have seen them in screenshots of some IMEs on android. It can be a nice addition (i.e. has to be optional) and so, I dont think it will be a bad xp. But that may not be an optimal addition if it has high code debt and low demand.
Oh, I wish to have this on a later release! I'm so used to using the split layout that using standard keyboard layout on landscape mode becomes uncomfortable.
As a long time AnySoftKeyboard (ASK) & Tablet user I also vouch for this feature. For Pinch-Stretch on ASK I've setup like this. (Can be used for all orientation modes, not specific to landscape only)
- Pinch gesture - Merge layout
- Stretch gesture - Split layout
On FlorisBoard we're missing both Pinch/Stretch "gesture" & Merge/Split "action".
This seems related to #2146 Though I don't think they're in competition. Both options would be good.
Wouldn't it be possible to implement an addon for this? Other open-source keyboard projects like Heliboard already come with this feature, but florisboard at the moment after all is the most popular open-source android keyboard...
Thanks fior this great open source masterpiece! Countless features in place and nicely done. But still the missing Two-handed mode is a severe limitation, not only on tablets, but also with phones, which many people would prefere to use in landscape mode (simply because anatomy/physis AND field of view overrules web-designer trends)!
Please create a switch similar to (and beyond) the "One-handed mode" (and the corresponding virtual key layout as depicted at the top of this issue of course). If Two-handed mode split width was adjustable similar to the "One-handed mode keyboard width", this would also allow users with edge case screen sizes to adjust to their needs (or hand/finger size resp. travel preferences).
Since all other FOSS alternatives I have tried so far also miss this - in my opinion - crucial layout, you'd get credits first ;-)
The issue is still open, so most likely not - time will tell if this is a feature that enough people want.
