$VIRTUALKEYBOARD Alternative for Windows and Linux

[SpriggsySpriggs]

There used to be a keyword for QB64 that would pull up the virtual keyboard for Android development. The keyword still exists in QB64 but is deprecated and not used. This is my attempt at making something similar for Windows and Linux. Enjoy. For Linux, you will need to install onboard from the command line in order to use the function.

Code: QB64: [Select]

1. Option _Explicit
2.  
3. Dim As String test
4.  
5. VirtualKeyboard 1
6. Input "Test the keyboard! ", test
7. Print test
8.  
9. Sleep
10.  
11. VirtualKeyboard 0
12.  
13. Sub VirtualKeyboard (toggle As _Byte)
14.     $If WINDOWS Then
15.         Type PROCESSENTRY32
16.             As Long dwSize, cntUsage, th32ProcessID
17.             $If 64BIT Then
18.             As Long padding
19.             $End If
20.             As _Unsigned Long th32DefaultHeapID
21.             $If 64BIT Then
22.             As Long padding2
23.             $End If
24.             As Long th32ModuleID, cntThreads, th32ParentProcessID, pcPriClassBase, dwFlags
25.             As String * 260 szExeFile
26.         End Type
27.         Type STARTUPINFO
28.             As Long cb
29.             $If 64BIT Then
30.             As Long padding
31.             $End If
32.             As _Offset lpReserved, lpDesktop, lpTitle
33.             As Long dwX, dwY, dwXSize, dwYSize, dwXCountChars, dwYCountChars, dwFillAttribute, dwFlags
34.             As Integer wShowWindow, cbReserved2
35.             $If 64BIT Then
36.             As Long padding2
37.             $End If
38.             As _Offset lpReserved2, hStdInput, hStdOutput, hStdError
39.         End Type
40.         Type PROCESS_INFORMATION
41.             As _Offset hProcess, hThread
42.             As Long dwProcessId
43.             $If 64BIT Then
44.             As Long padding
45.             $End If
46.         End Type
47.         Declare Dynamic Library "Kernel32"
48.             Function CreateToolhelp32Snapshot& (ByVal dwFlags As Long, Byval th32ProcessID As Long)
49.             Function Process32First%% (ByVal hSnapshot As _Offset, Byval lppe As _Offset)
50.             Function Process32Next%% (ByVal hSnapshot As _Offset, Byval lppe As _Offset)
51.             Function OpenProcess& (ByVal dwDesiredAccess As Long, Byval bInheritHandle As _Byte, Byval dwProcessId As Long)
52.             Function TerminateProcess%% (ByVal hProcess As _Offset, Byval uExitCode As _Unsigned Long)
53.             Function CloseHandle%% (ByVal hObject As _Offset)
54.         End Declare
55.         Declare CustomType Library
56.             Function CreateProcess%% Alias "CreateProcessA" (ByVal lpApplicationName As _Offset, Byval lpCommandLine As _Offset, Byval lpProcessAttributes As _Offset, Byval lpThreadAttributes As _Offset, Byval bInheritHandles As Integer, Byval dwCreationFlags As Long, Byval lpEnvironment As _Offset, Byval lpCurrentDirectory As _Offset, Byval lpStartupInfor As _Offset, Byval lpProcessInformation As _Offset)
57.             $If 32BIT Then
58.                 Function Wow64DisableWow64FsRedirection%% (ByVal oldvalue As _Offset)
59.             $End If
60.         End Declare
61.         Const TH32CS_SNAPPROCESS = &H00000002
62.         Const PROCESS_TERMINATE = &H0001
63.         Const CREATE_NO_WINDOW = &H8000000
64.         Dim As _Byte ok
65.         Select Case toggle
66.             Case 1
67.                 $If 32BIT Then
68.                     Dim As _Offset oldvalue
69.                     Dim As _Byte result
70.                     result = Wow64DisableWow64FsRedirection(oldvalue)
71.                 $End If
72.                 Dim As STARTUPINFO si
73.                 si.cb = Len(si)
74.                 si.hStdInput = 0
75.                 Dim As PROCESS_INFORMATION pi
76.                 Dim As _Offset lpApplicationName
77.                 Dim As String fullcmd: fullcmd = "cmd /c osk" + Chr$(0)
78.                 Dim As String lpCommandLine: lpCommandLine = fullcmd
79.                 Dim As _Offset lpProcessAttributes, lpThreadAttributes
80.                 Dim As Integer bInheritHandles: bInheritHandles = 1
81.                 Dim As Long dwCreationFlags: dwCreationFlags = CREATE_NO_WINDOW
82.                 Dim As _Offset lpEnvironment, lpCurrentDirectory
83.                 ok = CreateProcess(lpApplicationName, _Offset(lpCommandLine), lpProcessAttributes, lpThreadAttributes, bInheritHandles, dwCreationFlags, lpEnvironment, lpCurrentDirectory, _Offset(si), _Offset(pi))
84.             Case 0
85.                 Dim As Long snap
86.                 snap = CreateToolhelp32Snapshot(TH32CS_SNAPPROCESS, 0)
87.                 Dim As PROCESSENTRY32 pEntry
88.                 pEntry.dwSize = Len(pEntry)
89.                 Dim As _Byte hRes
90.                 hRes = Process32First(snap, _Offset(pEntry))
91.                 While hRes
92.                     If _StrCmp(Left$(pEntry.szExeFile, InStr(pEntry.szExeFile, ".exe" + Chr$(0)) + 3), "osk.exe") = 0 Then
93.                         Dim As Long hProcess
94.                         hProcess = OpenProcess(PROCESS_TERMINATE, 0, pEntry.th32ProcessID)
95.                         If hProcess <> 0 Then
96.                             Dim As _Byte terminate, closeh
97.                             terminate = TerminateProcess(hProcess, 9)
98.                             closeh = CloseHandle(hProcess)
99.                         End If
100.                     End If
101.                     hRes = Process32Next(snap, _Offset(pEntry))
102.                 Wend
103.                 closeh = CloseHandle(snap)
104.         End Select
105.     $ElseIf LINUX Then
106.         Select Case toggle
107.         Case 1
108.         Shell _Hide _DontWait "dbus-send --type=method_call --dest=org.onboard.Onboard /org/onboard/Onboard/Keyboard org.onboard.Onboard.Keyboard.Show"
109.         Case 0
110.         Shell _Hide _DontWait "dbus-send --type=method_call --dest=org.onboard.Onboard /org/onboard/Onboard/Keyboard org.onboard.Onboard.Keyboard.Hide"
111.         End Select
112.     $End If
113. End Sub

[SpriggsySpriggs]

I've updated the original post to also work with Linux. Requires an installation of onboard

[SpriggsySpriggs]

On Discord, @Ashish pointed out that it wasn't working in 32 bit Windows. This was caused by an issue that is present in several programming languages and caused by Windows redirecting to 64 bit file directories. Thankfully, easily fixed by making one function call. Now it works in 32 and 64 bit Windows.

[SMcNeill]

I've got a virtual keyboard here as well, if you want to check it out sometime: https://www.qb64.org/forum/index.php?topic=3608.0

[SpriggsySpriggs]

Oh, yeah that thing. I remember seeing that. Mine just brings up the OS's on-screen keyboard.

[Ashish]

Thanks! Now it works for me