Open multiple instances of On-Screen Keyboard

[ziggy981]

Hi,

I NEED a way to open multiple instances of the Windows On-Screen Keyboard at once. Right now, if i try to open it a second time, it opens the first one (doesnt create a new instance).

i have been to many forums on the internet and still cant find a clear solution. I considered getting a third party control for this, but even they are opening only once.

Please help!

Thanks,
ZiggY.

 

[logicearth]

Why do you need more then one instance?

 

[Darician]

I tried a few things but couldn't really get anything to work. I am curious though as well, what do you need this function for? (I ask mainly because then there may be some recommendations that can be made that can work)

Additionally, have you tried a third party on-screen keyboard while simultaneously running the Microsoft built-in on-screen keyboard?

 

[ziggy981]

Hi guys,

i need this for a client who just bought a multi-touch (Surface style) computer. He wants to be able to have multiple on screen keyboards open at the same time, and have each keyboard associated with a program.

Darician, yes i tried some 3rd party keyboards. Many didnt open multiple instances, but finally found one that did. But the problem is obviously with the focus. When typing, if someone on the other end focuses on a certain program, the focus of that keyboard changes. So right now im looking for some open source on screen keyboards to see how i can manipulate this.

Do you guys have any suggestions or ideas?

ZiggY.

 

[logicearth]

A keyboard virtual or not is only ever associated with an application that has focus. Only a single application can have focus at one time. What you are trying to achieve is impossible. To even get close to what you want, you will need custom built applications with there own virtual keyboard built in.

 

[ziggy981]

I found one or two open source on-screen keyboards. I havent gone into the code in depth yet, but what if i can find the code that sends the keyboard input and redirect it to specific windows instead of the window with focus? Do you think that would work (maybe using hwnd's or something)? just guessing... what do you think?

 

[logicearth]

I found one or two open source on-screen keyboards. I havent gone into the code in depth yet, but what if i can find the code that sends the keyboard input and redirect it to specific windows instead of the window with focus? Do you think that would work (maybe using hwnd's or something)? just guessing... what do you think?

There is no such API to send keyboard input to a specific window. Furthermore more the application in question would need to have an API to accept non-keyboard input from an outside application.

 

[ziggy981]

hmmm... just brainstorming here. Another suggestion:
How about if we open programs in different threads, would the keyboards stream the input across threads? Or would they stick only to windows in the same thread?

 

[logicearth]

Eh? Threads are a precessing model not a means isolation.

 

[ziggy981]

ok my bad...

Just curious, programmatically, how is the input sent from an on screen keyboard to another window? Somewhere in the code there must be a function that returns the window that currently has focus right? With an open source component, shouldnt there be a way to intercept this and redirect the input to another window instead? Is it using hwnd's or something like that?

Sorry for all the questions, but i really need to find a solution for this. You know how customers dont take "no" for an answer