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So the app I am making requires a darker keyboard to be used (or else the contrast between content and keyboard is far too high), so I need to change what keyboard appears when I interact with an EditText.

I've taken a look at the Android Soft Keyboard, but I'm having a hard time following it. If someone is able to help me with that, it'd be wonderful, though I am hoping there is an easier way out there already.

Thanks.

Guillermo Tobar
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Vic Vuci
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  • try this: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6096395/how-to-set-keyboard-background-in-android explained in more detail: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7752580/creating-a-softkeyboard-with-multiple-alternate-characters-per-key – Guillermo Tobar Jan 17 '12 at 15:05
  • I'll look into that soon when I have time, thanks, this looks like it may help. – Vic Vuci Jan 17 '12 at 15:13
  • @GuillermoTobar can you please delete your duplicate comments? – slayton Jan 17 '12 at 16:51

2 Answers2

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Here is a sample for your reference http://tutorials-android.blogspot.com/2011/06/create-your-own-custom-keyboard-for.html

Shadow
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  • I should have mentioned I also worked through this. I got it working but it doesn't look nearly as nice as the one in the android documents. I'm thinking it might be a bit too complex for me to implement a good looking one though. – Vic Vuci Jan 17 '12 at 14:42
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If you want a keyboard with a specific look and feel in your app you need to include it in the app. Your app can say which keyboard variant it wants to appear (qwerty, numpad, etc...) but appart from that it cannot change the keyboard.

There are literally dozens of keyboards to chose from. I suggest that you don't design you app to require a very specific looking keyboard, instead design your app to look good under all circumstances.

slayton
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  • Could you point me in the right direction as to where I could find the keyboard variants? Unfortunately, the specifications say that the keyboard needs to be dark. =/ – Vic Vuci Jan 17 '12 at 15:05
  • Keyboard variants can be selected using IME Options, see this: http://developer.android.com/reference/android/widget/TextView.html#attr_android:imeOptions – slayton Jan 17 '12 at 16:48
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    As far as changing the keyboard color, you are going to need to include your own if it has to be dark. I would strongly suggest going back to whowever said "the keyboard must be dark" and try to explain that android just doesn't work that way. There are dozens of device manufacturers all with different keyboards and then there are even more 3rd party keyboards you can download from the market. Not letting a user use the keyboard they know and like will only frustrate them and incite them to NOT use your application. – slayton Jan 17 '12 at 16:50