How to recognize vitual keyboard is visible (iPAQ 3955)

Question

I'm running a java application on the iPAQ 3955 PDA, with Jeode runtime. I have a need to recognize (from the java app) when the virtual keyboard has been elevated, so that I can collapse my application somewhat to accomodate the keyboard on the little screen. If I don't do this, some of my text fields are covered up. Any ideas? Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi,
well I think there is no way to detect if the keyboard is visible, except Jeode has implemented this function. But then you should have recognized it in the API I guess. (I am not using Jeode)
Another idea is that the keyboard can only come up if the stylus tap is presses (I hope thats the name of the symbol on the lower right). Thefor you have to listen for keyevents and if you detect that the stylus tap is pressed (or any other key on the keyboard) you know that the keyboard is visible. If the tab ist pressed again, you know that the keyboard is not visible anymore.
Below is an exceprt from the book Programming Microsoft Windows CE. Altough the book is written for the use of embedded Vusual C++ I think it will give you an short overview on which keys are available.
I don't know what codes are provided by Jeode, I just remember that I had some difficulties on handling keyevent with Suns Personal Java Runtime, because that one dind't forward all keys :-(
Wish you good luck and have fun,
FReAK
Figure 3-1 Virtual key values in relation to the keys on the keyboard. Not all keys will be on all keyboards.
Constant Value Keyboard Equivalent
VK_LBUTTON 01 Stylus tap
VK_RBUTTON 02 Mouse right button4
VK_CANCEL 03 Control-break processing
VK_RBUTTON 04 Mouse middle button4
-- 05�07 Undefined
VK_BACK 08 Backspace key
VK_TAB 09 Tab key
-- 0A�0B Undefined
VK_CLEAR 0C Clear key
VK_RETURN 0D Enter key
-- 0E�0F Undefined
VK_SHIFT 10 Shift key
VK_CONTROL 11 Ctrl key
VK_MENU 12 Alt key
VK_CAPITAL 14 Caps Lock key
-- 15�19 Reserved for Kanji systems
-- 1A Undefined
VK_ESCAPE 1B Escape key
-- 1C�1F Reserved for Kanji systems
VK_SPACE 20 Spacebar
VK_PRIOR 21 Page Up key
VK_NEXT 22 Page Down key
VK_END 23 End key
VK_HOME 24 Home key
VK_LEFT 25 Left Arrow key
VK_UP 26 Up Arrow key
VK_RIGHT 27 Right Arrow key
VK_DOWN 28 Down Arrow key
VK_SELECT 29 Select key
-- 2A Original equipment manufacturer (OEM)�specific
VK_EXECUTE 2B Execute key
VK_SNAPSHOT 2C Print Screen key for Windows 3.0 and later
VK_INSERT 2D Insert1
VK_DELETE 2E Delete2
VK_HELP 2F Help key
VK_0�VK_9 30�39 0�9 keys
-- 3A�40 Undefined
VK_A�VK_Z 41�5A A through Z keys
VK_LWIN 5B Windows key
VK_RWIN 5C Windows key1
VK_APPS 5D
-- 5E�5F Undefined
VK_NUMPAD0�9 60�69 Numeric keypad 0�9 keys
VK_MULTIPLY 6A Numeric keypad Asterisk (*) key
VK_ADD 6B Numeric keypad Plus sign (+) key
VK_SEPARATOR 6C Separator key
VK_SUBTRACT 6D Numeric keypad Minus sign (-) key
VK_DECIMAL 6E Numeric keypad Period (.) key
VK_DIVIDE 6F Numeric keypad Slash mark (/) key
VK_F1�VK_F24 70�87 F1�F241
-- 88�8F Unassigned
VK_NUMLOCK 90 Num Lock1
VK_SCROLL 91 Scroll Lock1
-- 92�9F Unassigned
VK_LSHIFT A0 Left Shift3
VK_RSHIFT A1 Right Shift3
VK_LCONTROL A2 Left Control3
VK_RCONTROL A3 Right Control3
VK_LMENU A4 Left Alt3
VK_RMENU A5 Right Alt3
-- A6�B9 Unassigned
VK_SEMICOLON BA ; key
VK_EQUAL BB = key
VK_COMMA BC , key
VK_HYPHEN BD - key
VK_PERIOD BE . key
VK_SLASH BF / key
VK_BACKQUOTE C0 � key
-- C1�DA Unassigned5
VK_LBRACKET DB [ key
VK_BACKSLASH DC \ key
VK_RBRACKET DD ] key
VK_APOSTROPHE DE ` key
VK_OFF DF Power button
-- E5 Unassigned
-- E6 OEM-specific
-- E7�E8 Unassigned
-- E9�F5 OEM-specific
VK_ATTN F6
VK_CRSEL F7
VK_EXSEL F8
VK_EREOF F9
VK_PLAY FA
VK_ZOOM FB
VK_NONAME FC
VK_PA1 FD
VK_OEM_CLEAR FE