[mythtv-theming] (rant, bad language) virtual keyboard definitions

Paul Harrison mythtv at sky.com
Sat May 10 08:34:42 UTC 2014


On 10/05/14 04:49, Sam Jacobs wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> So, I was just looking to see if I could define a virtual keyboard as a 5 column, alphabetised grid, which might make it a little bit easier to enter text with a remote. I didn’t think it would be a walk in the park in any case, but I looked at the files for it (in MythFrontend.app/Contents/Resources/share/mythtv/themes/default/keyboard/; for Linux users that would probably be /usr/share/mythtv/themes/default/keyboard, although I don’t know why I’m telling you that…) and pretty much shat myself.
>
> Are you fucking kidding me?!
>
> You have to define, in each <LANG>.xml, and for EVERY SINGLE KEY, to which key the up arrow takes you, to which key the down arrow takes you, to which key the left arrow takes you, and to which key the right arrow takes you.
>
> And you would have to do this for every single language ALL AT ONCE, because there is only one keyboard.xml.
>
> There are <LANG>_ui.xml files too, which I *really* hope aren’t actually used any more, because if they are then there are widgets in MythUI that I’ve never even heard of. There's <container>, <keyboard>, and what the hell is <fcnfont> for?
>
> It’s no shitting wonder it’s completely documented, there’d be no point—who in their right mind would want to work with any of this?? Even masochists have limits!
>
> Rant over.
>
> Sorry.
>
> Sam
>
>

Good morning Sam,

First please don't swear on the mailing list. It doesn't bother me in 
the slightest I hear worse than that at work every day :) but some 
people get offended. I do know you are only letting of a little stream :)

Now you point it out it isn't idea to say the least. Sometimes things 
develop in strange ways and that is what we are left with. I think the 
problem here is some people wanted the movement in the keyboard to wrap 
at the edges, so if you move all the way to the right you would be moved 
to the far left.

To the best of my knowledge MythUI widgets don't have a way to say when 
you press right in this widget move to this widget which is why you have 
this strange arrangement with the movements defined in separate xml 
files. Originally some keyboard layouts had more keys than others to 
match real keyboard layouts for some international users. That was later 
changes so at least now there is only one keyboard-ui.xml file.

There is no doubt this can be improved but how often do keyboard layouts 
get changed? I think you are the first to do so and there are more 
important things that need looking at first.

Paul H.


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