Java input method for Virtual Keyboad

Question

Hi,

I am facing problem in implementing Input method for Virtual Keyboard, currently I am using robot class for sending input to any application from virtual keyboard. but for that I need to create mapping of key-code and unicode, which is not consistent on different keyboard layout, can I directly pass the UNICODE to any application using Input method without worry about mapping between keycode and unicode.

any useful link or sample code will be useful.

It is simple Java program which is always on top of any application and work as onscreen keyboard. using a mouse while you press any button (key) of the keyboard, the corresponding character will be typed in the application running below. This is working perfectly for English Alphabets. I am facing problem while I am doing for unicode.

Answer 1

Is your virtual keyboard used as a device by your OS ? Or, in other words, have you tried considering it as a "real" keyboard ? According to Java hardware abstraction, were your virtual keyboard to be considered as a driver, it should simply work like a real keyboard.

EDIT : according to comment, this is not a virtual device, but a Java application, as a consequence, probleme is different.

According to Javadoc, Robot can send key strokes given as int. To create those key strokes from characters, I would recommand you create them using getKeystroke(char) before to transform them into integer values using getKeycode(). This way, you would have integer values associatesd your unicode characters, whichever they are.

EDIT 2 : once again, a modification ;-)

it seems like getKeyStroke(String) "should" handle unicode characters.

Answer 2

Hi, find the code snippet below

   public static void simulateKeyEvent(char key){
    try{
            AWTKeyStroke awtKS = AWTKeyStroke.getAWTKeyStroke(key);
            int key_code = awtKS.getKeyCode();
            System.out.println("key = "+key+" keyCode = "+key_code);
            robot.keyPress(key_code);
            robot.keyRelease(key_code);

    }catch(Exception e){
            e.printStackTrace();
    }
}