Add an option to disable the on-screen keyboard temporarily

[vshymanskyy]

I did a small investigation of how it can be done using ADB with a great success.
First, I installed NULL keyboard. A keyboard that does nothing. Yes, really.
It works great, but once I set IME to Null, I can't switch back easily (only through Android settings menu).

IME switching can be done using ADB:

List all IME:

> adb shell ime list -s -a
com.google.android.inputmethod.latin/com.android.inputmethod.latin.LatinIME
org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard/.LatinIME
com.wparam.nullkeyboard/.NullKeyboard

Get current IME:

> adb shell settings get secure default_input_method
org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard/.LatinIME

Set Null IME:

> adb shell ime set com.wparam.nullkeyboard/.NullKeyboard      
Input method com.wparam.nullkeyboard/.NullKeyboard selected

Restore IME:

> adb shell ime set org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard/.LatinIME 
Input method org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard/.LatinIME selected

[rom1v]

Would a wrapper script be sufficient?

Related (to "custom actions"):

• Automatically enable/disable debugging features #96
• set display brightness #101
• Querying SCRCPY session in progress? #153

[vshymanskyy]

well yes but i wonder how to combine those custom scripts when needed.
I already created something like:
https://gist.github.com/vshymanskyy/a44ff7af2848653e91f269910cb9d50f

... and it works just f*cking awesome!

[rom1v]

👍

adb shell content insert --uri content://settings/system --bind name:s:show_touches --bind value:i:0

Could be replaced by the higher-level command:

adb shell settings put system show_touches 0

[p1ho]

This solution works awesome!

[sharunkumar]

well yes but i wonder how to combine those custom scripts when needed.
I already created something like:
https://gist.github.com/vshymanskyy/a44ff7af2848653e91f269910cb9d50f

... and it works just f*cking awesome!

here's a windows batch script based on your script: https://gist.github.com/sharunkumar/ca2cd57936e4bac974578d1e8a6b3cf6

[intgr]

The downside of a wrapper script is that when I disconnect my phone without closing scrcpy manually, it won't have a chance to restore the keyboard.

[Peter-maximus]

completely agree with having the option to emulate physical keyboard and this way to disable gboard once scrcpy connected to phone...
this way there will be also automatic restore of the original keyboard once usb cable disconnected.
Which unfortunately is not the case if using the workaround script. For that properly working you need firstly close scrcpy and adfterwards disconnect phone...

[rom1v]

scrcpy --hid-keyboard (on dev branch) allows to simulate a physical keyboard, and the virtual keyboard is disabled (it can be enabled from Android settings if necessary).

[Peter-maximus]

do you mean it's going to be implemented in next regular version?

[rom1v]

@Peter-maximus Yes, on Linux.
#37 (comment)

[Peter-maximus]

What about version for Windows?

[rom1v]

If someone manages to make it work on Windows (and mocOS)… See discussion.

On Linux, it just works.

[strazto]

The workaround posted by @vshymanskyy is clever, but with all of the already discussed.

Also, the app "null keyboard" has been removed from the store.

There is a new app "No Keyboard" which gives us pretty much everything we want, but leaves only a small bar with a keyboard switcher shortcut - For me, it's preferable to a workaround as we don't have to mess with scripts, and also there's no awkward process of restoring our settings if we don't exit cleanly.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.github.visnkmr.nokeyboard&hl=en&gl=US