a virtual keyboard in max
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
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?
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.
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 :)