Bug 391083

Summary:	Allow user to 'press' keys that aren't on Android keyboard
Product:	[Applications] kdeconnect	Reporter:	Hoàng Văn Khải <hvksmr1996>
Component:	android-application	Assignee:	Albert Vaca Cintora <albertvaka>
Status:	REPORTED ---
Severity:	normal	CC:	danydaniel7932, gbr, h93m7k, julien.dlq, me, miha.frangez, oguilherme, post, raphael.kde, report.bug
Priority:	NOR
Version First Reported In:	unspecified
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Android
OS:	Android 7.x
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Hoàng Văn Khải 2018-02-26 03:30:18 UTC

Targeting feature: Remote Control (control desktop using Android device)

Remote Control allows user to send keyboard signal to desktop using Android keyboard which never provide enough keys.

Request: Provide a virtual keyboard that provides these keys.

Missing keys:
- Super (a.k.a. Meta, Windows)
- Fn keys (F1 → F12)
- Num pads (Numbers, NumLock, ...)
- ESC, CTRL, ALT, SHIFT, CapsLock, Context Menu
- Insert, Delete, Home, End, Page Up, Page Down
- Print Screen
- Fn alternate keys: Volume Controls, Brightness Controls, TouchPad lock...

Comment 1 Albert Vaca Cintora 2018-02-26 23:29:25 UTC

You can download a keyboard with special keys, like Hacker's Keyboard, if you need them.

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard&hl=en
FDroid: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard/

Comment 2 gbr 2018-09-15 08:06:36 UTC

I would also like this feature! Hacker's Keyboard can be useful for some people, but in my case it's not that good. If I use the 5 row keyboard layout (where I have all the keys available), I have to type very carefully so I won't hit the wrong key, because they're really small so they can fit my phone's small screen[1]. Unified Remote has a nice approach to that, it adds a separate button to show all special keys, so when you click it they're displayed in a different "row", at the top of the screen[2].

[1] https://i.imgur.com/KMrqTsM.png
[2] https://i.imgur.com/440Q2bm.png

Comment 3 Raphaël Jakse 2018-11-08 08:57:43 UTC

I like the way Termux adds keys to the Android keyboard and provides a way to hide them. Maybe kdeconnect could do something like this, maybe taking Termux' code for that?

Comment 4 Ralf Jung 2021-09-26 03:00:28 UTC

Yes I think it would be great if KDEconnect had better support for this. I have installed Hacker's Keyboard (thanks for the recommendation), but for regular use I prefer the default Android keyboard -- so now I need to swap keyboards each time I need the advanced keys in KDEconnect. Also, even with Hacker's Keyboard I am unable to send things like "Ctrl-+", or at least it does not lead to applications actually zooming in.

Comment 5 Andrew Shark 2022-05-18 19:04:52 UTC

*** Bug 436982 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 6 Julien Delquié 2024-10-05 06:55:09 UTC

(In reply to Albert Vaca Cintora from comment #1)
> You can download a keyboard with special keys, like Hacker's Keyboard, if
> you need them.
> 
> Google Play:
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.pocketworkstation.
> pckeyboard&hl=en
> FDroid: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard/

Google Play tells me that this app is not available for my device.
It only works on old android version. I use Android 13.

Like others here, I would like missing keys in KDE Connect.

Comment 7 Gravemind2015 2024-11-11 14:43:00 UTC

Although a bit off-topic, since there was mention of Hacker's Keyboard (which seems abandoned), there also exists Unexpected Keyboard:
Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=juloo.keyboard2
F-Droid: https://f-droid.org/packages/juloo.keyboard2/

The layout can be a bit confusing but it does offer many PC specific buttons (Ctrl, Alt, F keys etc.).