iOS needs full lower level keyboard access

Originator:wagnr.d
Number:rdar://42463231 Date Originated:21-Jul-2018 03:21 PM
Status:Open Resolved:
Product:iOS + SDK Product Version:12.0
Classification:UI/Usability Reproducible:Always
 
Summary:
For Apps like games or musical instrument apps just getting the key down using UIKeyCommands is not sufficient as the key ups and downs are needed to do proper handling and also allow the use of modifier keys as actions without regular ones.

Proposed solution:
Provide lower level api to get:
- the external keyboard layout with keycodes
- key callbacks for up and down events for those keycodes

As this should probably be separate from regular keyboard input and not used as such, I think a global all or nothing API here that would just reflect the state of the keyboard through those callbacks simultaneously to any input (that is not in secure keyboard fields or system UI of course).

Steps to Reproduce:
Try to provide e.g. GarageBand on Mac style keyboard input using external or apple iOS Keyboard.

Expected Results:
That should be doable.

Actual Results:
Not really satisfactory possible, as only the key down event arrives, and a key repeat in whatever the system decides cadence, but no lift event. (E.g. a simple addition to the key command to also fire on a second callback on lift after it fired would be a great improvement already for this)

Version:
12.0

Notes:

Comments


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