OpenKeyboard Pedro Sousa (Sketchpunk Labs)

on-screen-keyboard onscreenkeyboard osk touch-keyboard touchkeyboard virtual-keyboard virtualkeyboard

Use this command to install OpenKeyboard:

winget install --id=Sketchpunk.OpenKeyboard -e

OpenKeyboard is a virtual keyboard application designed for Windows tablet users, offering a compact and customizable on-screen input solution. It serves as an alternative to the default Windows 8 keyboard, which can be too large for some screens, while expanding into versatile functionality through user-defined layouts.

Key Features:

Customizable Layouts: Users can create or modify XML files to design their own keyboard layouts, enabling tailored configurations for specific needs.
Resizable and Adaptable Keys: The keyboard window is resizable, with keys that adjust in size accordingly. Opacity settings allow users to make the keyboard semi-transparent, ensuring it stays out of the way when not actively used.
Popup Menus for Space Efficiency: Custom popup menus can be assigned to buttons, saving space on less frequently used items while maintaining accessibility.
FontAwesome Icons Integration: Buttons can display icons using FontAwesome, enhancing visual clarity and functionality.
Portability: The application is portable, requiring no installation beyond unzipping the files and running it, making it ideal for users who prefer lightweight software solutions.

Audience & Benefit: Ideal for Windows tablet users seeking a flexible on-screen keyboard solution, OpenKeyboard is particularly beneficial for those using applications that require quick shortcuts, such as Blender3D. Its customization capabilities allow users to optimize their workflow, enhancing efficiency and ergonomics while working with touchscreens. The ability to create layouts specific to individual needs ensures that the keyboard adapts seamlessly to different tasks and environments.

Installation via winget is available for those who prefer streamlined setup processes.

screenshot

OpenKeyboard

Purpose: This keyboard app is meant for Windows tablet users. The default keyboard starting with windows 8 is pretty big which takes up quite a bit of screen space. So originally this was to create a small and useful keyboard that expanded into being able to create any sort of keyboard that can run short cuts. For example, there is a Blender3D layout that has many useful quick keys setup to perform many functions within the application. This is great if you are modeling using a Surface Pro and want to be able to quickly use the touch screen instead of the keyboard to activiate a few functions.

Feature list:

Custom Keyboard Layouts by add/editing XML files
Resizable, keys will resize along with the window.
Opacity can be set so its out of the way
Custom popup menus on any button to save space on less used items.
Uses Font-Awsome to create icons for buttons.
Portable, so just unzip and run.

Create New Layout

The easiest way is to probably take an existing layout and start tweaking it. The way the layout works is by Rows, then you add all the keys you want for each row. You are able to give weight to keys so some will appear longer then others. You can also assign a custom menu on a button if you want to avoid making your layout to big.

Another great feature is to set the border around the application. This allows you to set where its easier to touch drag the keyboard around. Depending on the layout you might want the border to be thicker on the side instead of at the top.

Here a simple example of a layout xml file.

Things that may be of help:

FontAwesome CheetSheet

OpenKeyboard Pedro Sousa (Sketchpunk Labs)

README

OpenKeyboard

Create New Layout

Links