5. Key swipe gestures for the 'Alphanumeric input' mode
6. Action swipe gestures for the Alphanumeric input mode
7. Key swipe gestures for the SpellCheck mode
8. Action swipe gestures for the SpellCheck mode
9. Key swipe gestures for the AutoComplete mode
10. Action swipe gestures for the AutoComplete mode
11. Key swipe gestures for the Help list mode
12. Action swipe gestures for the Help list mode
13. Key swipe gestures for the Help input mode
14. Action swipe gestures for the Help input mode
15. Comparison of user interaction with the Default input
The 'Alphanumeric input' feature allows the user to enter text without using the Standard keyboard. Although one might argue that entering text using 'Alphanumeric input' is not strictly typing as experienced using a Standard keyboard, the result is the same; namely, text is entered into the desired control so the words 'entering' and 'typing' are used interchangeably.
More specifically 'Alphanumeric input' allows the user to enter letters, numbers, punctuation and symbols using Key tables and Segment Braille in Grade 1 and Grade 2. The use of these methods is explained as part of the tutorial
Learning to type with Alphanumeric input using a TouchScreen or TouchPad
As explained in the Overview page of the tutorial mentioned above, the TouchScreen is the most practical way of user interaction using touch. However, this reference page is for both a TouchScreen and TouchPad. The main difference is that although the TouchPad is fully usable with swipe gestures, Tap gestures which are designed to speed up interaction, do not work well with a TouchPad (see the 'Tap gestures' section in this page further below).
The use of the TouchScreen or TouchPad for 'Alphanumeric input' in SpeakOn is implemented using modes of operation or, in short, modes. Each mode has a name which reflects its role. The actions of the TouchScreen's or TouchPad's gestures in each mode perform operations to fulfil their roles. While as far as possible gestures perform similar actions across all 'Alphanumeric input' modes, a few gestures perform different actions in different modes.
The user switches to a mode, performs some actions and switches back to a previous mode.
A small 3 by 3 keyboard known as a KeyGrid is always drawn on the screen. Each key is labelled as follows, starting from the top:
Function Up Backspace
Left Select Right
Modifier Down Space
Each key is given a name which relates to its functionality.
The four arrow keys conveniently form the imaginary sides of a square; the 'Up' key, the 'Down' key, the 'Left' key and the 'Right' key. The 'Select' key is in the centre of this imaginary square. The Home, End, Cancel and Escape key actions are performed using gestures - see further below.
The modifiers that can be set are None (No modifier), Shift, Ctrl and Shift + Ctrl.
One of these modifiers is set first using the Modifier key followed by the key itself.
The function key scrolls through a list of available functions.
The Backspace (9) and Space (3) keys provide similar functionality to their use on a Standard keyboard as well as additional features.
While it is possible to interact with these keys using touch directly, the quickest and most practical way to interact with these keys is using gestures. Therefore only using gestures for interaction is covered in this reference page.
A swipe gesture comprises swiping the finger in one straight line or more without lifting it until the end of the gesture. The swiping action must be fairly swift.
Each gesture is given a name which relates to its functionality and its touch sequence is enclosed in curly brackets {}.
Swipe gestures are divided into two groups: Key swipe gestures and Action swipe gestures.
Key swipe gestures on the TouchScreen or TouchPad are used to invoke a key on the on-screen KeyGrid.
Action swipe gestures on the TouchScreen or TouchPad provide the functionality of missing keys and are a quick way to perform common operations that can usually be done using a sequence of keys.
Tip - All Key swipe gestures point to the location of the key on the on-screen KeyGrid and follow some of the lines of the upper case letter I.
After a key is invoked it becomes the active key; see the Tap Gesture section further below for active key use.
The specific Key swipe gestures and Action swipe gestures available depend on the mode of operation as shown further down the page.
With Tap gesture, the user touches the TouchScreen or TouchPad with a finger and then lifts it without sliding. Tap gesture anywhere on the TouchScreen or TouchPad invokes the active key. An active key can be removed by sliding the finger and lifting it from the panel outside the on-screen KeyGrid. If there is no active key, the tap is ignored, making the TouchPad or TouchScreen insensitive to touch until a key is invoked.
Only single tap is supported as single tap operation is much faster than double tap.
Note - Tap gestures work well with a TouchScreen. However, your Tap gesture experience with your TouchPad may vary. Depending on your type of TouchPad and sometimes the TouchPad settings of your computer, lighter or harder touch might be required. Also, although SpeakOn is programmed to accept a single tap, your TouchPad might require a double tap to achieve the same. Furthermore, the author found that on his laptop sometimes a single tap is sufficient and sometimes a double touch is required to achieve the same.
Tap interaction with Alphanumeric input' is optional and, taking into account the possible difficulties encountered with some TouchPads mentioned above, it is not recommended.
Function {swipe up > left} - Cycles between available key tables and Braille.
Up {swipe up} - In key tables, navigates to the previous row. In Braille, inserts a segment with both dots.
Backspace {swipe up > right} - In 'Key entry', submits Backspace to the SpeakOn control in focus. In 'Word entry', submits Backspace to the Word control.
Left {swipe left} - In key tables, navigates to the previous column. In Braille, inserts a segment with a left dot.
Select {swipe up > down} - In key tables, submits the key in focus to the SpeakOn control in focus. In Braille, action depends on the number of segments entered already.
Right {swipe right} - In key tables, navigates to the next column. In Braille, inserts a segment with a right dot.
Modifier {swipe down > left} - Cycles between available modifiers.
Down {swipe down} - In key tables, navigates to the next row. In Braille, inserts a segment with no dots.
Space {swipe down > right} - In 'Key Entry', submits a space to the SpeakOn control in focus. In 'Word entry', submits the text in the Word control followed by a space to the SpeakOn control in focus.
Function Reset' {swipe left > up} - Resets the Function to the Edit key table.
'Entry Type' {swipe up > left > down} - Toggles between 'Key entry' and 'Word entry'.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing up, drawn from right to left.
Content {swipe up > right > down} - Announces the content of the control in focus.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing up, drawn from left to right.
Home {swipe left > down > right} - Moves to the first character in the Edit control.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing left, drawn from top to bottom.
AutoComplete {swipe left > up > right} - Switches to AutoComplete mode.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing left, drawn from bottom to top.
'Add word to dictionary' {swipe down > up} - In 'Word entry', adds text in the Word control to the personal dictionary. In 'Key entry', key unused.
End {swipe right > down > left} - Moves to the first character in the Edit control.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing right, drawn from top to bottom.
SpellCheck {swipe right > up > left} - Switches to SpellCheck mode.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing right, drawn from bottom to top.
'Help / Modifier lock' {swipe left > down} - If the Modifier is set to none, toggles between Help input and Help list modes, otherwise lock / unlock the Modifier set.
'Braille help' {swipe down > left > up} - When a function is set to key table, the Braille sign for the key in focus is announced (only available when Braille is enabled).
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing down, drawn from right to left.
'Where am I?' {swipe down > right > up} - Announces the current Mode, Entry type and Function set.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing down, drawn from left to right.
Cancel {swipe right > left} - Cancels key table and Braille operations, sets modifier to None and cancels speech.
Escape {swipe left > right} - Switches back from Alphanumeric input mode to Default input mode, resets Braille.
Back {swipe right > up} - The same as Escape.
'Shutdown SpeakOn' {swipe right > down} - Shuts down SpeakOn MediaSuite.
Function {swipe up > left} - Cycles between available dictionaries.
Up {swipe up} - Scrolls up the suggested words.
Select {swipe up > down} - Replaces the text in the Word control with the suggested word. Switches back to 'Alphanumeric input' mode.
Down {swipe down} - Scrolls down the suggested words.
Space {swipe down > right} - Replaces the text in the Word control with the suggested word. Submits this word followed by a space to the SpeakOn control in focus. Switches back to the 'Alphanumeric input' mode.
Content {swipe up > right > down} - Announces and spells (if not longer than 20 characters) the content of the suggested word in focus.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing up, drawn from left to right.
Home {swipe left > down > right} - Scrolls to the first suggested word in the list.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing left, drawn from top to bottom.
End {swipe right > down > left} - Scrolls to the last suggested word in the list.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing right, drawn from top to bottom.
Help {swipe left > down} - Toggles between Help input and Help list modes.
'Where am I?' {swipe down > right > up} - Announces the current Mode, Entry type, Function set and suggested word in list.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing down, drawn from left to right.
Cancel {swipe right > left} - Cancels speech.
Escape {swipe left > right} - Switches back from SpellCheck mode to Alphanumeric input mode, resets Braille.
Back {swipe right > up} - The same as Escape.
'Shutdown SpeakOn' {swipe right > down} - Shuts down SpeakOn MediaSuite.
Function {swipe up > left} - Cycles between available dictionaries.
Up {swipe up} - Scrolls up the suggested words.
Left {swipe left} - Reduces the maximum suggested word length.
Select {swipe up > down} - Replaces the text in the Word control with the suggested word. Switches back to Alphanumeric input mode.
Right {swipe right} - Increases the maximum suggested word length.
Down {swipe down} - Scrolls down the suggested words.
Space {swipe down > right} - Replaces the text in the Word control with the suggested word. Submits this word followed by a space to the SpeakOn control in focus. Switches back to the 'Alphanumeric input' mode.
Content {swipe up > right > down} - Announces and spells (if not longer than 20 characters) the content of the suggested word in focus.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing up, drawn from left to right.
Home {swipe left > down > right} - Scrolls to the first suggested word in the list.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing left, drawn from top to bottom.
End {swipe right > down > left} - Scrolls to the last suggested word in the list.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing right, drawn from top to bottom.
Help {swipe left > down} - Toggles between Help input and Help list modes.
'Where am I?' {swipe down > right up} - Announces the current Mode, Entry type, Function set and suggested word in the list.
Tip - gesture traces the shape of a blunt arrow pointing down, drawn from left to right.
Cancel {swipe right > left} - Cancels speech.
Escape {swipe left > right} - Switches back from SpellCheck mode to 'Alphanumeric input' mode, resets Braille.
Back {swipe right > up} - The same as Escape.
'Shutdown SpeakOn' {swipe right > down} - Shuts down SpeakOn MediaSuite.
Up {swipe up} - Scrolls up the list of available gestures and their actions.
Select {swipe up > down} - Performs the action in focus. Switches back to the previous mode.
Down {swipe down} - Scrolls down the list of available gestures and their actions.
Help {swipe left > down} - Toggles between Help input and Help list modes.
Escape {swipe left > right} - Switches back to previous mode.
Back {swipe right > up} - The same as Escape.
'Shutdown SpeakOn' {swipe right > down} - Shuts down SpeakOn MediaSuite.
Perform any Key swipe gesture, its action is announced.
But for the three gestures listed below, perform any Key swipe gesture, its action is announced.
Help {swipe left > down} - Toggles between Help input and Help list modes.
Escape {swipe left > right} - Action is announced. Switches back to previous mode.
Back {swipe right > up} - The same as Escape.
'Shutdown SpeakOn' {swipe right > down} - Shuts down SpeakOn MediaSuite.
Most Key and Action swipe gestures are the same or similar in both the 'Alphanumeric input' and 'Default input' modes. The following are the major differences:
In 'Alphanumeric input' the {swipe down > right} is the Space Key swipe gesture. In 'Default input' it is the Focus Key swipe gesture.
In 'Alphanumeric input' the {swipe up > right} is the Backspace Key swipe gesture. In 'Default input' it is the Menu Key swipe gesture.
In 'Alphanumeric input' the {swipe down > left > up} is the 'Braille help' Action swipe gesture. In 'Default input' this gesture switches to the 'Alphanumeric input' mode.
In 'Alphanumeric input' the {swipe down > up} is the 'Add word to dictionary' Action swipe gesture. In 'Default input' this is the Timer Action swipe gesture.
In 'Alphanumeric input' switching back to a previous mode is performed using the Escape {swipe left > right} or the Back {swipe right > up} Action swipe gestures. In 'Default mode' a task is ended either from the Menu or using the Escape Action swipe gesture.
'Alphanumeric input' includes a number of gestures not available in 'Default input' as follows:
'Entry Type' {swipe up > left > down} - Toggles between 'Key entry' and 'Word entry'.
AutoComplete {swipe left > up > right} - Switches to AutoComplete mode.
SpellCheck {swipe right > up > left} - Switches to SpellCheck mode.
Back {swipe right > up} - The same as Escape.
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