Develop Reference

Implement tap out from EditText

I have a request from a client which says something like this: after a user inserts his name, on tap out validate with server.
I never heard about tapping out from a field in Android yet. (tap out means when you are writing something into an EditText, then you click on other view, hide keyboard and call focus change listener).
Do you have any idea about this implemented in Android? Thanks.
Update, after marked duplicated: I already did my research for this a lot, this is why I asked here for an opinion.
The above case is just an example. My main interest is regarding tapping out from EditText (TAP on another view with NO action - e.g. a TextView with no clickable function). I hope it's clear now.

You can force Android to hide the virtual keyboard using the InputMethodManager, calling hideSoftInputFromWindow, passing in the token of the window containing your focused view.
InputMethodManager methodManager = (InputMethodManager) getSystemService(Context.INPUT_METHOD_SERVICE);
if (methodManager != null) {
methodManager.hideSoftInputFromWindow(mEditText.getWindowToken(),0);
}

How to open select input mode on keyboard's event

I have a keyboard that works and I would to implement a method into "onLongPress(..)" to open a default android dialog to change input mode.
Maybe I have to launch an activity?

Android Framework already provides this functionality. you can show inputmethodPicker dialog like this
InputMethodManager imm = (InputMethodManager)
getSystemService(Context.INPUT_METHOD_SERVICE);
imm.showInputMethodPicker();

Samsung Keyboard Suppress

With a bluetooth keyboard connected, the Note 2 forces the switch back to the Samsung keyboard. This is a problem, as the Samsung keyboard always pops up when I'm trying to type with my external, taking up screen space and defeating half the purpose. I could write an app that forces the switch back, probably, but I'd still have to hit Enter/OK everytime the keyboard connects. I disabled the Samsung keyboard altogether, but the OK button still shows up. Is there some sort of service that does this or something? Because if I can't block/disable whatever it is, it's going to mess with my workflow, seeing as I bought this K810 to switch between multiple devices.

Here's a code snippet I use in order to prevent the keyboard to popup at application start:
public void hideSoftKeyboard(View v) {
Activity activity = (Activity) v.getContext();
InputMethodManager inputMethodManager = (InputMethodManager) activity.getSystemService(Activity.INPUT_METHOD_SERVICE);
inputMethodManager.hideSoftInputFromWindow(activity.getCurrentFocus().getWindowToken(), 0);
}
I think that if you can detenct the event with:
http://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/res/Configuration.html#keyboard
There are some flags, which indicate what's the inserted keyboard.
Or just try this one, even though i didn't test it:
public boolean onEvaluateInputViewShown() {
return false;
}
Let me know then of the results.
Thanks

Using subclass of Input Method Service

I extended InputMethodService hoping to use this Service for showing a soft keyboard even though a hard keyboard is connected(based off the following post Show soft keyboard even though a hardware keyboard is connected). Is there a way to bind to this service within the app without having to declare it in the manifest? The end result is to have InputMethodService.onEvaluateInputViewShown return true so that the soft keyboard will show even though a hard keyboard is connected.
I would like to use the extended class MultiInputMethodService with the inputmethodmanager in show/hideSoftKeyboard:
public class MultiInputMethodService extends InputMethodService {
#Override
public boolean onEvaluateInputViewShown () {
Log.i("onEvaluateInputViewShow","onEvaluateInputViewShown");
return true;
}
}
my activity:
private void showSoftKeyboard() {
InputMethodManager imm = (InputMethodManager) this.getSystemService(Context.INPUT_METHOD_SERVICE);
imm.toggleSoftInput(InputMethodManager.SHOW_FORCED,InputMethodManager.HIDE_IMPLICIT_ONLY );
}
private void hideSoftKeyboard() {
InputMethodManager imm = (InputMethodManager) this.getSystemService(Context.INPUT_METHOD_SERVICE);
imm.hideSoftInputFromWindow(this.myInput.getEditText().getWindowToken(), 0);
}

The IMS framework really needs to be used as a whole. If you want to be the keyboard, the user will need to select you as the default keyboard via settings. If you were to try to bind with the service directly I'm not sure what the result would be, but my guess would be that it ends badly. By having the user set you as the default keyboard, you will automatically be used as the keyboard in all apps.
Of course, you can't just set that yourself, for security purposes. Otherwise keyboards would be fighting over the setting. The user has to set it manually.
EDIT:
I found the documentation you are referring to(under the "Security Section"):
http://developer.android.com/reference/android/view/inputmethod/InputMethodManager.html
A client application can ask that the system let the user pick a new
IME, but can not programmatically switch to one itself. This avoids
malicious applications from switching the user to their own IME, which
remains running when the user navigates away to another application.
An IME, on the other hand, is allowed to programmatically switch the
system to another IME, since it already has full control of user
input.
The user must explicitly enable a new IME in settings before they can
switch to it, to confirm with the system that they know about it and
want to make it available for use.

how do you make it so the Android keyboard doesnt open up when the user opens up my app?

can you make it so when you open up the app the on screen keyboard wont open up untill you click on one of the editText's?

In order to hide the virtual keyboard, you can use the InputMethodManager like this (you can put it in the onCreate()method of your landing activity) :
InputMethodManager imm = (InputMethodManager)getSystemService(Context.INPUT_METHOD_SERVICE);
imm.hideSoftInputFromWindow(myEditText.getWindowToken(), 0);

Add the following code in onCreate method of your activity:
getWindow().setSoftInputMode(WindowManager.LayoutParams.SOFT_INPUT_STATE_ALWAYS_HIDDEN);
It did the trick for me :)

in AndroidManifest.xml set android:configChanges="keyboardHidden"

it is up to your requirement. For suppose if you want to hide the keyboard every time the user opens your activity, then you can add
android:windowSoftInputMode="stateAlwaysHidden" in your android manifest for your activity. If you want it dynamically then you can make change whenever event to close the keyboard occurs using
InputMethodManager imm = (InputMethodManager)getSystemService(Context.INPUT_METHOD_SERVICE);
imm.hideSoftInputFromWindow(myEditText.getWindowToken(), 0);
Use this as reference whenever you want