Custom Grid Keyboard

Android App Analysis and Review: Custom Grid Keyboard, Developed by Apps Simrd. Listed in Tools Category. Current Version Is 0.9.3, Updated On 10/10/2016 . According to users reviews on Google Play: Custom Grid Keyboard. Achieved Over 835 Installs. Custom Grid Keyboard Currently Has 10 Reviews, Average Rating 3.4 Stars

Version 0.9.3, requires Android 4.2.2 or more recent.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This app will eventually be discontinued. It has been replaced by the app "Grid Keyboard" which should be used instead, unless the tablet has a version of Android older than 5.0.
See https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=apps.simrd.gridkeyboard

WARNING
This application can take time to be configured. It is for persons who want to choose which keys appear on their keyboard, and at which position. Maintenance (or new features) could be infrequent.

PERMISSIONS
Custom Grid Keyboard asks for 2 permissions:
- Vibrate the tablet (key-tap feature)
- Read and write files (word list files for the suggestion feature, and keyboard configuration files). These file actions are executed only upon explicit request by the user.

DOCUMENTATION
The Help file explaining the features and how to design/configure a custom grid keyboard can be downloaded:
https://drive.google.com/uc?id=0B3UWjqKv7Jr0Yi1KLTd3bUtpV0E
Project source code:
https://drive.google.com/uc?id=0B3UWjqKv7Jr0N2wtNG1zb1RzZVk


DESCRIPTION

Custom Grid Keyboard is a tablet-only application that allows the design of a personal keyboard, which appears as a grid of characters. The number of rows and columns that the grid has, as well as which character or control key goes in each cell, is defined in the Settings page. Two default keyboard layouts are provided, as examples and starting points.

Optionally, Custom Grid Keyboard can be split in two sections: a compact alphabetic section on the right side, and the main grid on the left side.

The keyboard has no swiping gesture.
Most of the features can be customized.

Free (open source) without ads.

MAIN FEATURES

- Keyboard height adjustable, per screen orientation (landscape and portrait).
- The grid can have 3 to 14 rows, 4 to 22 columns.
- More than one grid can be defined, with a control key to switch among them.

- Optional alphabetic-only section, with 2 possible configurations (QWERTY, circle with rings).
- Editor tool for the enumeration of characters or control keys to fill the grid.
- The grid can temporarily display a range of Unicode characters (for example, an emoji range).

- Optional automatic capitalization.
- Two tapping feedback options: Vibrate and Highlight character cell.
- Configurable colors for the different areas or types of keys of the keyboard.

- Up to 5 keyboard languages can be defined.
- Control key to quickly change the keyboard language, associated to 2 features:
(1) Word suggestion
(2) Accented characters. Those of the currently selected keyboard language (possibly different than the tablet's language) will appear automatically in additional grid column(s). Custom Grid Keyboard does not use the technique of the long press showing a choice for vowels or consonants that can be accented.

- Optional word suggestion (completion), based on the importation of word lists files. Words are suggested based on the currently selected keyboard language. Embedded English and French word lists (23000 words each).

- Optional clipboard to store frequently used words or acronyms while editing texts.
- Special state key "Txt" (like Ctrl or Alt) to insert predefined text (sentences or single words) at the cursor position.

- Choice of keys that can have the automatic-repeat behavior, with configurable repeat speeds.

- Custom Grid Keyboard configurations can be saved to files and restored from files, transferred to computers, and shared with other tablets.

- Help section giving explanations, design guidelines, and listing all the supported control keys.

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