Braille application.

shinya.ta

I am thinking of an application to input text using Braille.

I'm thinking about Braille in Japanese.

Is it possible for Pythonisa?

JonB

Have you looked at the built in braile input?

https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/type-onscreen-braille-using-voiceover-iph10366cc30/ios

cvp

@shinya.ta Does the iOS standard Braille also support Japanese Braille like Wikipedia?

If not, do you want to entirely write yourself a script to allow Japanese Braille input in Pythonista? If this is the case, could you describe how you imagine that?

cvp

@shinya.ta Please, try this, with these remarks:

I really don't know nor Japonese, nor Braille, thus...
this script is obviously quick and dirty, only to show what is possible
positions of the 6 buttons could be parametrized for each user
1 4
2 5
3 6
standard keyboard could be removed or replaced by some keys (left delete...)
I only can test on iPad, sorry if not works on iPhone
the script needs Gestures of @mikael, our Ukko Ylijumala from Finland 😀
use of 3 fingers needs you disable Settings/General/Accessibilty/Zoom
it only supports a few points combinations for testing
but you can easily add other ones

	Japanese_Braille = {
		'1':'あ',
		'12':'い',
		'14':'う',
		'124':'え',
		'24':'お',
		'16':'か',
		'1246':'け'
		}

I'm ready do continue the script development, with your requests, but at my speed and availability

import ui
from objc_util import *
from Gestures import Gestures

def SetTextFieldPad(tf, pad=None, clearButtonMode=False, undo_redo_pasteBarButtons=False, textfield_did_change=None):
	if not pad:
		pad = [
		{'key':'1','x':2,'y':1},
		{'key':'2','x':2,'y':2},
		{'key':'3','x':2,'y':3},
		{'key':'4','x':5,'y':1},
		{'key':'5','x':5,'y':2},
		{'key':'6','x':5,'y':3},

		]
	Japanese_Braille = {
		'1':'あ',
		'12':'い',
		'14':'う',
		'124':'え',
		'24':'お',
		'16':'か',
		'1246':'け'
		}
	tfo = ObjCInstance(tf).textField() # UITextField is subview of ui.TextField
	
	def key_pressed(key):
			if key not in Japanese_Braille:
				return
			ch = Japanese_Braille[key]
			cursor = tfo.offsetFromPosition_toPosition_(tfo.beginningOfDocument(), tfo.selectedTextRange().start())
			tf.text = tf.text[:cursor] + ch + tf.text[cursor:]
			cursor = cursor + 1
				
			if textfield_did_change:
				textfield_did_change(tfb)
				
			# set cursor
			cursor_position = tfo.positionFromPosition_offset_(tfo.beginningOfDocument(), cursor)
			tfo.selectedTextRange = tfo.textRangeFromPosition_toPosition_(cursor_position, cursor_position)
			
	def tapped(data):
		#print('tapped',data.number_of_touches)
		#print(len(data.recognizer.touches()))
		bs = []
		for t in data.recognizer.touches():
			pt = t.locationInView_(ObjCInstance(v))
			for b in v.subviews:
				r = b.width/2
				x = b.x + r
				y = b.y + r
				if ((pt.x-x)**2+(pt.y-y)**2) <= r**2:
					# touch in circle of button
					if b.name not in bs:
						# avoid two times same button
						bs.append(b.name)
		if len(bs) != data.number_of_touches:
			# at least one touch outside buttons, no way to recognize
			return
		seq = ''
		for b in sorted(bs):
			seq = seq + b
		key_pressed(seq)

	# design your keyboard

	v = ui.View()
	v.border_color = 'red'
	v.border_width = 4
	w,h = ui.get_screen_size()
	h = h - 350
	db = w/6 
	dd = (h-3*db)/4
	y_max = 0

	for pad_elem in pad:
		b = ui.Button()
		b.name = pad_elem['key']
		b.background_color = (1,0,0,0.5)
		b.tint_color = 'red'
		b.font = ('Academy Engraved LET',36)
		b.corner_radius = db/2
		b.title = b.name
		x = (pad_elem['x']-1)*db
		y = dd + (pad_elem['y']-1)*(db+dd)
		b.frame = (x,y,db,db)
		b.TextField = tf # store tf as key attribute  needed when pressed
		b.enabled = False
		v.add_subview(b)
		y_max = max(y_max,y+db+dd)

	v.width = ui.get_screen_size()[0]
	v.height = h
	g = Gestures()
	for n in range(1,7):
		g.add_tap(v, tapped,number_of_touches_required=n)

	# view of keyboard
	retain_global(v) # see https://forum.omz-software.com/topic/4653/button-action-not-called-when-view-is-added-to-native-view
	tfo.setInputAccessoryView_(ObjCInstance(v))	# attach accessory to textview
	#print(dir(tfo))

if __name__ == '__main__':		
	import ui 
	tf = ui.TextField()
	SetTextFieldPad(tf)
	tf.text = ''
	tf.width = 200
	tf.name = 'Japanese Braille'
	tf.present('sheet')
	tf.begin_editing()
	tf.wait_modal()

cvp

Special gestures can also be added like in standard IOS Braille.
For example, here-after:

swipe from right to left to back space, delete at left
swipe from left to right to add a space
swipe from bottom to top with 3 fingers to return and dismiss the keyboard

Sorry to post two similar scripts so, next time, if any, I would post it on GitHub

import ui
from objc_util import *
from Gestures import Gestures

def SetTextFieldPad(tf, pad=None, clearButtonMode=False, undo_redo_pasteBarButtons=False, textfield_did_change=None):
	if not pad:
		pad = [
		{'key':'1','x':2,'y':1},
		{'key':'2','x':2,'y':2},
		{'key':'3','x':2,'y':3},
		{'key':'4','x':5,'y':1},
		{'key':'5','x':5,'y':2},
		{'key':'6','x':5,'y':3},

		]
	Japanese_Braille = {
		'1':'あ',
		'12':'い',
		'14':'う',
		'124':'え',
		'24':'お',
		'16':'か',
		'1246':'け'
		}
	tfo = ObjCInstance(tf).textField() # UITextField is subview of ui.TextField
	
	def key_pressed(key):
			cursor = tfo.offsetFromPosition_toPosition_(tfo.beginningOfDocument(), tfo.selectedTextRange().start())
			if key == 'back space':
				if cursor > 0:
					#if tfb.text != '':
					tf.text = tf.text[:cursor-1] + tf.text[cursor:]
					cursor = cursor - 1
			elif key == 'return':
				tf.end_editing()
				return
			elif key == ' ':
				ch = ' '
				tf.text = tf.text[:cursor] + ch + tf.text[cursor:]
				cursor = cursor + 1
			elif key not in Japanese_Braille:
				return
			else:
				ch = Japanese_Braille[key]
				tf.text = tf.text[:cursor] + ch + tf.text[cursor:]
				cursor = cursor + 1
				
			if textfield_did_change:
				textfield_did_change(tfb)
				
			# set cursor
			cursor_position = tfo.positionFromPosition_offset_(tfo.beginningOfDocument(), cursor)
			tfo.selectedTextRange = tfo.textRangeFromPosition_toPosition_(cursor_position, cursor_position)
			
	def tapped(data):
		#print('tapped',data.number_of_touches)
		#print(len(data.recognizer.touches()))
		bs = []
		for t in data.recognizer.touches():
			pt = t.locationInView_(ObjCInstance(v))
			for b in v.subviews:
				r = b.width/2
				x = b.x + r
				y = b.y + r
				if ((pt.x-x)**2+(pt.y-y)**2) <= r**2:
					# touch in circle of button
					if b.name not in bs:
						# avoid two times same button
						bs.append(b.name)
		if len(bs) != data.number_of_touches:
			# at least one touch outside buttons, no way to recognize
			return
		seq = ''
		for b in sorted(bs):
			seq = seq + b
		key_pressed(seq)

	# like IOS left swipe: delete at left		
	def left_swipe_handler(data):
		key_pressed('back space')
		
	# like IOS right swipe: space		
	def right_swipe_handler(data):
		key_pressed(' ')
		
	# like IOS up swipe with 3 fingers: return
	def up_swipe_handler(data):
		key_pressed('return')

	# design your keyboard

	v = ui.View()
	v.border_color = 'red'
	v.border_width = 4
	w,h = ui.get_screen_size()
	h = h - 350
	db = w/6 
	dd = (h-3*db)/4
	y_max = 0

	for pad_elem in pad:
		b = ui.Button()
		b.name = pad_elem['key']
		b.background_color = (1,0,0,0.5)
		b.tint_color = 'red'
		b.font = ('Academy Engraved LET',36)
		b.corner_radius = db/2
		b.title = b.name
		x = (pad_elem['x']-1)*db
		y = dd + (pad_elem['y']-1)*(db+dd)
		b.frame = (x,y,db,db)
		b.TextField = tf # store tf as key attribute  needed when pressed
		b.enabled = False
		v.add_subview(b)
		y_max = max(y_max,y+db+dd)

	v.width = ui.get_screen_size()[0]
	v.height = h
	g = Gestures()
	for n in range(1,7):
		g.add_tap(v, tapped,number_of_touches_required=n)
	g.add_swipe(v, left_swipe_handler, direction = Gestures.LEFT)
	g.add_swipe(v, right_swipe_handler, direction = Gestures.RIGHT)
	g.add_swipe(v, up_swipe_handler, direction = Gestures.UP, number_of_touches_required=3)

	# view of keyboard
	retain_global(v) # see https://forum.omz-software.com/topic/4653/button-action-not-called-when-view-is-added-to-native-view
	tfo.setInputAccessoryView_(ObjCInstance(v))	# attach accessory to textview
	#print(dir(tfo))

if __name__ == '__main__':		
	import ui 
	tf = ui.TextField()
	SetTextFieldPad(tf)
	tf.text = ''
	tf.width = 200
	tf.name = 'Japanese Braille'
	tf.present('sheet')
	tf.begin_editing()
	tf.wait_modal()

cvp

Version without standard keyboard is Braille_Input.py

Don't forget to swipe with 3 fingers from bottom to top to dismiss the (Braille) keyboard

shinya.ta

@JonB

My wife is having trouble using the rotor function, so I've been thinking about a special application.

shinya.ta

@cvp

Dear.cvp

I tried on my iPhone, but the third line of the ModuleNotFoundError comes out.

cvp

@shinya.ta It uses a module that you have to import and copy in your site-packages folder: Gestures

cvp

@shinya.ta Other version here

version without Gestures module (see here-after for the reason)
while at least one finger stays on screen, another one may "arrive"
move of fingers allowed, not only a tap
character only added when all fingers leave the screen
speech of added character could be programmed but does not work actually
special sound could be played when a finger arrives or leave a circle
position of circles could be changed and stored per device and orientation
... waiting for your requests

cvp

@shinya.ta The GitHub BrailleInput2.py now supports

put 6 fingers on the screen and move them to position the circles where you want.
- you may move until all fingers leave the screen
the positions will be automatically saved in keychain memory of your device, for the current orientation, either portrait, either landscape.
the saved positions will be reused at next run

That will say that, actually, the character using the 6 dots is not supported. In a close future, I'll try to distinguish between this operation and the 6 dots character.

I'm still waiting for some feedback from you, even very negative if I didn't understand how your wife could use it.

cvp

@shinya.ta Six dots character (め) also supported now.
Setting of the circles positions needs to put six fingers on the screen, where you want, during at least 3 seconds.
The six dots character needs 6 fingers in the circles, during less than 3 seconds.

Of course, if this way to process is unusable, let me know how to do.

shinya.ta

@cvp

Dear.cvp

I tried a new version.
Another problem has come up.
The application cannot be shut down.

That's why you can't open any other Pythonisa apps.

What should I do?

cvp

@shinya.ta As I said previously, you have to swipe 3 fingers up to close the keyboard.
And after, the x button is available to close the script.

But, first, use of 3 fingers needs you disable Settings/General/Accessibilty/Zoom.

Edit: if you prefer another gesture, let me know, but this is the standard IOS Braille gesture to simulate a return key, thus dismiss the keyboard.

shinya.ta

@cvp

My wife is used to closing buttons.

cvp

@shinya.ta Yes, but in the Braille keyboard with only 6 circles, where do you want to put a close button, and you want that this button dismisses the keyboard, please confirm!

And, please, don't forget that this script is only a starting point to show what could be done.
You have to do your job also 😀, that will say explain your requests.
My little script creates a code for any TextField. I don't know how or where you want to use this kind of Braille keyboard.

cvp

@shinya.ta Just added a "close keyboard button" in the GitHub version BrailleInput2.py

Don't hesitate to ask any change but don't hope a quick answer today.
Easter Monday is a bank holiday in Belgium and all my children and grandchildren come for the lunch 🍾

shinya.ta

@cvp

Dear.cvp

I'll ask my wife to use it on the weekend.

cvp

@shinya.ta new version:

rename module into BrailleKeyboardForTextField.py
rename some functions and classes
define all characters in Japanese Braille dictionnary with comment showing dots, like:

		'156':'さ',		# ⠱
		'1256':'し',		# ⠳
		'1456':'す',		# ⠹
		'12456':'せ',	# ⠻
		'2456':'そ',		# ⠺

displaying tapped dots, dots symbol and character outside TextField name

cvp

@shinya.ta No news, good news?