Possible Input method -- press and drag

Lars Hallberg lah at micropp.se
Wed Oct 3 12:36:14 CEST 2007


Derek Pressnall skrev:
> I've had an idea for a novel input method that would work on touch
> screen devices.
> The idea is to present a graphic that is similar to a standard phone
> keypad layout, with standard lettering and number positions.  To enter
> a specific letter, you touch the button associated with that letter
> and drag your finger/stylus in a particular direction to indicate
> which letter to choose. For example, to enter an "a", press the number
> 2, then drag to the left and release.  A "b" would be "press 2, drag
> upwards and release", and a "c" would be "press 2, drag right then
> release".  And so on.  To enter the number 2, just press and release
> without dragging.  To be easily usable, the method shouldn't require
> you to drag completely off the button, but should also require a
> minimum drag length.

Take a look at the octakey.py demo in the key2key.tgz on:

https://projects.openmoko.org/frs/?group_id=42 (You can find it in svn too).

It's an adoption of http://www.micropp.se/openmoko/ without splash 
pop-up and with 8 drag directions. Sounds pretty the same.

You need py-gtk and python to run.

Feel free to play with it, I'm more working with key2key.py right now 
(slightly harder drag input - You have to hit other keys, not only drag 
in right direction. On the other hand You get more functions as any 
other key can be a secondary target).

And finger-keyboard is a good project to join if You want to experiment 
with input methods.

/LaH





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