Android Question Show soft keyboard even though a hardware keyboard is connected

[DKnowles]

Hi All

Has anyone found a way to force the soft keyboard to display even with a Hardware keyboard connected, and before anyone say WHY? the hardware keyboard is a Bluetooth barcode scanner which can run as a HID Keyboard. The scanner is a laser 1D scanner for use in very poor light with 1D barcodes and some of the barcodes are hidden away under sinks behind toilet panels, generally where you don't want to put your phone.

The problem I have is that you have to turn the physical keyboard off every time you connect the device.

So the solution could be - turn of physical keyboard (via code) or force soft keyboard to show (via code).

The first would be my preference as their are dozens of input fields inside the app.


FYI the scanner is a Opticon 2002 and the Samsung galaxy II tablets are not used for anything else but our app and we have Added Opticons own soft keyboard which still displays the barcodes even when the physical keyboard is not enabled.

Thanks for any pointers

David

 

[Erel]

It is not possible to disable it by code. There seems to be a solution for this issue if you build your own custom keyboard. This means that you might find an existing keyboard app that already supports it.

Maybe this app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apedroid.hwkeyboardhelper&hl=en

 

[stevel05]

If you're lucky you device may support this to do it manually.

 

[DKnowles]

Tried those, but to no avail.

But on a positive note the Opticom 2002 had a new firmware version listed on their US site, strange the little blighter now works as a Bluetooth Serial Port and with little or no change to my code it now scans (already had bluetooth thermometer connecting) , 3 days!!!! wasted and with the unit working properly 15 mins to get it working and integrated. Don't you just love programming