Cycling 74 » Topic: a virtual keyboard in max

a virtual keyboard in max

Dalmazzo — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:29:10 +0000

Hi all,
This is the third time I ask this question and I don’t have a correct answer, perhaps I’m not writing it well.
I need to know if it possible to program in Max a virtual keyboard for a touchscreen installation, I need a keyboard integrated in the same patch, also designed for this patch.
That mean:
I need a virtual keyboard that works like the native virtual keyboard included in Os X, and also windows.
A keyboard that could send this keys-data to any software.
I can’t use the native virtal keyboard just because in the interface the keyboard in not all the time visible and i need to call this keyboard when people need to write something. And i need to call just the keys or the numbers but separately (not too much space in the patch).

I’m trying using “mxj autobot” and it send keyboard message, but I don’t find the way to make it works like an absolute master, for example, if i make mxj autobot send randomly messages, when I click on textEdit it start to receive this messages, but if i click a particular key in max, of course it change to max and the textEdit stops to receive. How can I have a program that works choosing the app where i need to write and then type the letters doing clicks on my virtual keyboard?
if you have an answer please write me.
Thanks a lot
David

Re: a virtual keyboard in max

spectro — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:38:02 +0000

Text Buttons? It would take some work to create a fully-functioning virtual keyboard with textbuttons but it could then respond to touch just like clicking on the textbutton(s) with a mouse. Use a script message to thispatcher to bring the virtual keyboard to the front and disable hide other windows. Yes, no, maybe?

– Pasted Max Patch, click to expand. –

Re: a virtual keyboard in max

Dalmazzo — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:01:32 +0000

i’m searching for a virtual keyboard programmed in max, but useful in safari or chrome for example, people that visit the installation need to comment and surf the web.

Re: a virtual keyboard in max

seejayjames — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:34:39 +0000

I don’t think a full-featured keyboard would be possible due to the “keyboard focus” problems—textbuttons etc. are fine but the strokes wouldn’t get sent where you want them to, in every possible case. If autobot won’t work you’d need to find a different virtual keyboard, which accesses the keystrokes at the OS level rather than the Max level.

The other way to accomplish this, perhaps, is to use a Max-programmed keyboard and use [jweb] for your Web surfing needs. If that works for you, you can stay in Max permanently, no need to switch apps.

I understand the switching-focus issue (like you explained with TextEdit). So when you’re clicking/touching your virtual keyboard, Max will get focus. Maybe you need to do some sort of mini-buffer for the keyboard: people type a line or a short paragraph, then they can virtually “paste” it into the right place?

With a virtual keyboard I don’t know how much people would be surfing, as it might get a bit cumbersome. Probably will be doing a lot more “clicking” than typing. But comments would of course need to be possible. Maybe try having a mini-buffer for their text, though again, I don’t know how to “copy/paste” this into (say) a web-based “Comments” text box. I might just use a [textarea] instead, save a preset when they’re done commenting, no problem :)