Keyboard Repeat Switcher (Widget and Applet)
 

The Keyboard Repeat Switcher allows you to switch between the two input modes that are available in PR1.2 and above:

• Longpress gives blue key value (default in PR1.2)
• Longpress repeats key (default in older releases)

The reason for this is that in certain situations (e.g. using vim and mutt in X Terminal) the user might desire that keys (such as h, j, k and l for navigation in vim) are repeated instead of giving the blue key value. On the other hand, in situations like IM and SMS, the user might find the "longpress gives blue key value" mode more useful.

This widget simply places a check button on the Desktop with which the user can toggle the repeat mode on and off. To my knowledge, it only works with PR1.2, and only makes sense for PR1.2 and later, as earlier firmware versions do not have the "longpress gives blue key value" feature and always repeat keys.

Due to popular demand, two different variations of this little gadget are now available, depending on the frequency of use and the free Desktop/Status Menu screen space you have left:

• Desktop Widget
• Status Applet

Improvement suggestions, feature requests and bug reports are welcome - post them here.

Related bug reports: Maemo bug 10159 and Maemo bug 5421

Re: Keyboard Repeat Switcher Widget
 

Thanks, I have not tried PR1.2 leak, but have been curious about how the "long press" will be implemented when it comes officially. I'm glad to see there will be an option to change back to the old mode.

Re: Keyboard Repeat Switcher Widget
 

Thanks! I predict bug 10159 will get a lot of duplicates after PR1.2 is released so I'd like to leave it open at least until we have official word from Nokia.

Hm, I think using Fn would still be quicker than a long press but that's just me.

Out of curiosity, how do long presses on the arrow keys behave on PR1.2 with non-english keyboard layouts? Do they autorepeat or produce the alternative arrow keypress?

I think it would be more useful (read: more easily accessible) as a statusbar applet.

Re: Keyboard Repeat Switcher Widget
 

I've created a prototype now, and will try it out. I can imagine that some people (who already have many statusbar applets) might not appreciate yet another applet there, so maybe I'll do another package so that users can chose between the Desktop widget and the statusbar applet. I don't think both can be put into the same package, as the statusbar applet appears as soon as it is installed, so users who only want the Desktop widget have a problem there.

Re: Keyboard Repeat Switcher Widget
 

Just uploaded the status applet variant:

http://maemo.org/packages/view/repeatswitcherstatus/

Re: Keyboard Repeat Switcher Widget
 

This application will be a must for anyone who spends any time in the XTerminal. Like me...

To make long press on a key produce alternative key is just bad. No matter how you look at it.

Re: Keyboard Repeat Switcher Widget
 

I'd like to be able to disable it without taking up space in my status menu or adding a widget. A CLI version would be nice, or maybe an addon to the Settings app if possible.

Re: Keyboard Repeat Switcher Widget
 

gconftool -s -t bool /apps/osso/inputmethod/ext_kb_repeat_enabled {false/true}

Re: Keyboard Repeat Switcher Widget
 

Since this is the bugtracker: =)

This is a matter of preference, but could you add " widget.get_toplevel().hide()" under " self._client.set_bool(self.KEY, widget.get_active())" so that it automatically closes after choosing an option? I like to be able to get back to what I'm doing after selecting an option.

Oh, sorry, this is for the status menu flavour.

Re: Keyboard Repeat Switcher Widget
 

Yes, that makes sense. Merged this change in repeatswitcherstatus 1.4, which is being uploaded to Extras-Devel as we speak.