keyboard_virtual_show

This function can be used to show the virtual keyboard on the device running the game. When you call this function you need to provide one of the following constants for each of the first three arguments:

• Keyboard type: This constant is used to set which keyset will be available on the virtual keyboard. The available keyboard types are:

• Return type: This constant is used to set what is shown on the return/action key of the virtual keyboard. The available return types are:

• Autocapitalization type: This constant is used to determine how the words typed via the virtual keyboard should be autocapitalized. The available autocapitalization types are:

The last argument is to enable/disable predictive text, and this would be set to true to permit it, and false otherwise, but note that just because it is permitted doesn't mean that it will be used as that will depend on the preferences of the user on the device. When in predictive text mode, the virtual keyboard will not generate normal GameMaker keypress events. Instead, it will only update the last character pressed and keyboard string variables. This is due to the inability to detect whether a change in the internal text field used for detecting key presses came from an actual virtual keyboard key, or a text suggestion. In these cases you would want to read the keyboard_string input as opposed to reading any kind of raw key input.

It is important to note too that the user will get different keyboards with different capabilities depending on the platform OS, with the following caveats for use per target:

• Android: On Android, the keyboard type kbv_type_phone_name is not supported and will display an ASCII keyboard instead, and the return key type can only be kbv_returnkey_go, kbv_returnkey_search, kbv_returnkey_next, kbv_returnkey_send or kbv_returnkey_done. If other return key types are used on that platform, the system will default to the replacement return keys listed below:

• AndroidTV / FireTV: Custom return key types are not supported on ASCII keyboards - the default return key will always be displayed.


• tvOS: Predictive text and auto-capitalization are not supported on tvOS, and the height of the keyboard returned by system events and the function keyboard_virtual_height() will default to the screen height due to it spanning the entire screen and due to keyboard rect dimension functions being disabled on tvOS. Also note that physical (bluetooth) keyboard events will not be broadcast unless the virtual keyboard has been opened.
• Xbox GDK: See this Helpdesk article

Calling this function will generate a System Asynchronous Event, in which the async_load DS map will be populated with the following key/value pairs:

• "event_type" - this will be "virtual keyboard status" when triggered by virtual keyboard functions.


• "screen_height" - the height of the virtual keyboard (in pixels). This will be 0 if the keyboard is invisible.


• "keyboard_status" - the current status of the keyboard, returned as one of the following strings:
  • "hiding"
  • "hidden"
  • "showing"
  • "visible"

Syntax

keyboard_virtual_show(keyboard_type, return_key_type, autocapitalization_type, predictive_text_enabled);

Returns:

N/A

Example:

if (input == false)
{
    input = true;
    keyboard_virtual_show(kbv_type_numbers, kbv_returnkey_default, kbv_autocapitalize_none, false);
}

The above code will bring up the OS virtual keyboard if the given variable is not set to true.