Rockbox Development > Feature Ideas
Ideas for Better Text Entry Methods
bushidohacks:
--- Quote from: Llorean on July 24, 2008, 10:15:14 AM ---
--- Quote ---Since Rockbox is supposed to unlock the full computer potential of an MP3 player
--- End quote ---
I'd just like to clarify that Rockbox is about being the best *music* player it can, not unlocking the full potential of MP3 players as computers.
--- End quote ---
I agree with tonsOfSparks. Text entry could definitely be improved.
I was thinking some form of virtual keyboard layout or a "pickboard". Automatic word completion is a must, especially with devices that lack any advanced input components (i.e. touchscreen).
Mad Cow:
--- Quote from: bushidohacks on September 15, 2008, 11:20:34 AM ---
--- Quote from: Llorean on July 24, 2008, 10:15:14 AM ---
--- Quote ---Since Rockbox is supposed to unlock the full computer potential of an MP3 player
--- End quote ---
I'd just like to clarify that Rockbox is about being the best *music* player it can, not unlocking the full potential of MP3 players as computers.
--- End quote ---
I agree with tonsOfSparks. Text entry could definitely be improved.
I was thinking some form of virtual keyboard layout or a "pickboard". Automatic word completion is a must, especially with devices that lack any advanced input components (i.e. touchscreen).
--- End quote ---
I use the virtual keyboard alot, and not once have I thought that word completion would be useful. Word completion is useful when you're inputting many words because it saves time, there's no reason to type up more than a few words per use of the rockbox keyboard. I don't know about you, but I only use to to rename files and occasionally edit CFGs, that doesn't require word completion, it's just a waste of binary size (and we all know how much the devs hate that ;))
I personally love the opti2 layout on the wiki page, it's incredibly fast when you get used to it, the only problem with it is that it doesn't display properly on portrait-oriented screens with big fonts, but some tweaks fix that.
Obo's idea would be much better suited to players with smaller screens and fonts though.
Zardoz:
--- Quote ---obo's idea would be much better suited to players with smaller screens and fonts though.
--- End quote ---
I think obo's idea would be suited to all 'targets' and especially small ones. Let's face it, none of them are too big (in real speak)! My sight is starting to fail so perhaps I'm biased in this regard but I would love this part of rockbox to be overhauled. It's definitely chief on my list of 'snags'
Trexx:
Did anything ever come about from this? Obo's idea is really an improvement over the current method.
Personally, I use the text entry a lot for searching for songs in a playlist, and although I've gotten used and fairly good at it on the current "keypad", the microscopic text size and highlight scheme makes it hard to get to the right letter the first time. Hm... come think of it, why doesn't it use the same highlight scheme as the rest of the menus?
Obo's implementation would be great, especially if the font size were a tad larger... perhaps the font size could be selected (for the text entry option) as a separate menu item on the WPS/font options (ie: same pt size as current theme, current theme + 2pt, current theme + 4pt, specific size).
Addditionally, spaces could be set halfway between each row as well as at the start & end so it will never be too far scrolling to get to it.
But seriously, I would love to see the text entry improved.... thanks for all who can actually code and make the constant improvements to Rockbox... it truly Rocks!
Chronon:
The font can be switched to the current user font by loading a custom .kbd file. This also allows you to choose which glyphs you want and how to arrange them. See LoadableKeyboardLayouts for more on that topic.
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