virtual-keyboard

I have realized I need some sort of virtual keyboard so that I can type different alphabets faster with UK keyboard layout.

I have been inspired by this website in my trilingual language journey.

Dependencies

• Python (>=3.11) download here
• GTK (>=4) download here

Note: please don't do global system installation of python dependencies through pip, poetry can install it safely for you

Run with python

poetry shell && poetry install
python ./keyboard.py

Or roll your own binary

poetry shell && poetry install --with dev
poetry run pyinstaller --clean --onefile -w --add-data "data/style.css:./data" --exclude-module=pytest keyboard.py
./dist/keyboard

FAQs

• Do you plan to add more languages?

We can consider as long as we don't break existing languages

• Why Python?

Safest way to touch GTK and not become a sociopath even if python binding is not feasible and has no docs.

• Why GTK?

I use GNOME so I wanted to feel the native experience even though I hate every library GLib ecosystem produce in raw complex macro-maniac C

• Will you support GTK3 or Python 2.7?

No, please use up-to-date software

• Why no binaries through releases?

Life is hard with shared C libraries and Python libc dependent behaviour, I would need custom github actions runner and insane budget to produce binary for every system.

TODOs

• Design the layout for buttons with label size and color
• Finish the text area input implementation with Gtk.Entry
• Add sub-menu to pick target languages
• Key Event presses follows target language mapping
• Port it to GTK 4
• Tint animation on keyboard pressed/released buttons
• Use multi-line text area input implementation with Gtk.TextView
• Bug fix on grid grow/shrink not adapting the window
• Bug fix on CTRL+A and CTRL+C and CTRL+V shortcuts