
=================================================
Hildon Input Method Example Plugins README File
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:Date: 2009-09-21
:Web site: http://live.gnome.org/Hildon/HildonInputMethod

.. contents::

Introduction
=============

The Hildon Input Methods (HIM) Example Plugins is a set of 
plugins created to help developers write their own plugins 
for Hildon Input Methods.

Supplied Plugins
=================

Hildon IM Example FKB (finger plugin)
--------------------------------------

This plugin provides a landscape QWERTY finger keyboard that 
supports capitalization and layout switching, enabling users  
to insert special symbols and numbers.

Hildon IM One-Hand FKB (finger plugin)
---------------------------------------

The one-hand FKB is an alphanumerical keypad that can be used 
with one hand in both portrait or landscape screen modes. When 
in landscape mode, the text view will be placed on the side 
of the keypad instead of on top of it.

It detects the screen mode automatically and also supports 
capitalization and long tapping to insert numbers.

Hildon IM Keyboard Decorator (hardware keyboard plugin)
--------------------------------------------------------

The keyboard decorator randomly substitutes the letters users 
insert by the same letters using diacritics or by similar 
letters from other alphabets.

This plugin shows how developers can obtain key events (and process 
them before sending the letters to the client text widget) while 
making the writing of English more visually rich.

Plugins Usage
==============

Usage Before Maemo 5
---------------------

After installing, you can activate the plugin like so: ::

  gconftool-2 --type string --set /apps/osso/inputmethod/input_method_plugin "himExample_vkb"


Usage After Maemo 5
--------------------

The example plugins can be tested by modifying the value of 
the following GConf keys, which indicate the preferred plugin 
to be used for each trigger (keyboard, finger or stylus): ::

  /apps/osso/inputmethod/default-plugins/hw-keyboard
  /apps/osso/inputmethod/default-plugins/stylus
  /apps/osso/inputmethod/default-plugins/finger

The default values are "hildon_keyboard_assistant" for the 
keyboard and *hildon_western_fkb* for finger and stylus. 
Note that the finger/stylus detection might not work.

These are the values for the example plugins provided by this 
package, which are specified by the HildonIMPluginInfo::name 
struct field. ::

  hildon_im_onehand_fkb
  hildon_im_example_fkb

For example: ::

  gconftool-2 --type bool --set /apps/osso/inputmethod/use_finger_kb true
  gconftool-2 --type string --set /apps/osso/inputmethod/default-plugins/finger "hildon_im_example_fkb"

The following keys might be interesting for simulating the 
behaviour of a real device within a Scratchbox environment:
::

  /apps/osso/inputmethod/have-internal-keyboard 
  
*true if the device has a HW keyboard, false if not (default: true)*
::

  /system/osso/af/slide-open
  
*true if the HW keyboard is open, false if it is closed*


.. TODO: Add the URL of actual documentation about these gconf keys.
