Android: How to intercept keydown globally (on hardware keyboard)

Question

Is there a possibility for an android app to run as a service in the background, intercept keydown events from the hardware keyboard and change behavior (i.e. the resulting character) in some special cases?

The idea in mind is to have sort of a keyboard layout fix, mainly making important special characters available using an alternative keymap instead of having to select from a huge grid on the touch screen. Sometimes, the default keymap of a mobile devices do not represent all important characters, even more when it comes to non-english languages.

Thanks for inspiration :) Peter

EDIT: additionally emphasized hardware

If abused, yes. As many other things apps can do. I guess the fact that it can be abused does not mean that it is not possible. — PeterP
– PeterP, Commented Nov 22, 2010 at 10:25

Fred Grott · Accepted Answer · 2010-11-22 14:06:59Z

0

What you are describing is in fact not a service in background but replacing the keyboard app itself..take a look at the SWype app.

You do not have to create a service to do this as you want just the your own keyboard layout coming up when entering text, etc.

The sample of replacing a default app in the sdk is the homescreen but the keyboard app can be replaced as well..

answered Nov 22, 2010 at 14:06

Fred Grott

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3 Comments

PeterP Over a year ago

Actually, (fortunately) my keyboard is not an app, but a piece of hardware to slide out :) Of course, I could be using a software keyboard but... no ;-)

Fred Grott Over a year ago

that is the way you would do it not by attempting to have a runonboot service as the other way opens security holes.

PeterP Over a year ago

Hm, so you are saying that the hardware keyboard is managed by a piece of software which is an app itself? That's interesting... Maybe I'll have to do quite some more research on this, but with my current (decent) knowledge I cannot imagine how this replacement could be achieved. And how this app would look like. I could not really find any information on this, so if you know a good link, I would be happy to hear from you :) Thanks a lot for your input

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