HeliBoard 1.0-alpha1

[Helium314]

Changes since last release as OpenBoard new 1.4.5 v18:

• rename package and app
  • please report if you think I missed some text when updating
  • new icon not yet done
  • settings restore form old version might have issues due to many internal changes / renames
    • please report these issues, they should be fixed before a release
• show toolbar keys in inline autofill mode, by @arcarum (Avoid hiding the toolbar and pinned keys during inline autofill #474, Show shortcuts when showing inline autofill #472)
• add kabyle layout, by @BoFFire (Introducing Kabyle layout. #468)
• adjust colors in setup wizard and settings, by @BlackyHawky (Add dynamic colors to settings #454, Add dynamic colors when installing Openboard #447
• Prevent debugging parameters from being visible after a restore, by @BlackyHawky (Prevent debugging parameters from being visible after a restore #358)
• make spell checker work when not using the keyboard
• use key code specified in json for popup keys (code has no effect for popup keys in JSON‐format layouts #466)
• fix wrong dictionary info shown when replacing dictionary (Information about current & new dictionary is mixed up in import dialog #456)
• better deal with languages internally: get rid of the ZZ region workaround for non-default script, e.g. sr, region ZZ is now sr, script Latn
• allow setting a background image (in advanced settings, experimental section)
• long-press ?123 key in alphabet view for numpad (not working perfectly, see Number Pad Option #257)
• use correct gesture color for night theme ("Gesture input" color option doesn't affect gesture trail? #441)
• a lot of minor adjustments and fixes
• add nouserlib version for people concerned about security implications of loading user-provides libraries
  • if this version is installed as system app, and swypelibs are available for the system, they will be used

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This discussion was created from the release HeliBoard 1.0-alpha1.

[iamgitcat]

Congratulations with big release and new naming! Thanks to You and all contributors, you guys are amazing! 🎉♥️🚀

[rogers1106]

Thanks a lot. Install and import of settings worked without problems.

[Bastigonzales]

Congratulations!! this project is awesome and we appreciate your work including the contributors 🙌

[BoFFire]

😍 Congrats!

[Adithyan007hack]

How can I backup and restore, can someone help me

[Nojuuu]

OpenBoard Settings > Advanced > Backup and restore

[Morethanevil]

Congratulations and thanks for your work ☺️

[lrq3000]

Congratulations !! Please open a donation or sponsor link, I use your keyboard everyday since almost a year and it made a big difference for me!

[Andronym]

Amazing! Thank you guys. 👍

[Offerel]

Wow really nice new version. Restoring the backup was super easy. Can you please tell us more about the nouserlib version and what this means in detail?

BTW: i really love one feature from gboard. The automatic number row. Is there any chance, that we get this here also?

[Helium314]

Can you please tell us more about the nouserlib version and what this means in detail?

The normal version allows the user to provide a library for glide typing. Running code that isn't supplied with the app is dynamic code loading, which is a security risk.
Android Studio warns about this:

Dynamically loading code from locations other than the application's library directory or the Android platform's built-in library directories is dangerous, as there is an increased risk that the code could have been tampered with. Applications should use loadLibrary when possible, which provides increased assurance that libraries are loaded from one of these safer locations. Application developers should use the features of their development environment to place application native libraries into the lib directory of their compiled APKs.

The app checks the SHA256 checksum of the library and warns the user if it doesn't match (which indicates the library was modified, but could also be because the user uses a different library than expected).

automatic number row

Can you explain what it does? Or maybe open a feature request right away...

[Offerel]

Many thx. That make's it a lot clearer for me.

Regarding the auto nu number row: if you disable "show number row", the numbers are reachable as popup , when long pressing a button from the top row. With auto number row, this is the same for standard text field's. But if you type in for example a password field, the extra number row is enabled temporary. I don't know if this is also the case on other field types, I know only for sure in password fields. I can try to research on this topic a little bit more and create a feature request.

Added as #487

[lrq3000]

I have loaded the gliding lib and using this feature since months now and it works flawlessly, that's impressive considering all the issues that can happen when dynamically loading external code.

[Helium314]

I know only for sure in password fields. I can try to research on this topic a little bit more and create a feature request.

That would be good.
If it just depends on the input field, this should be very easy to implement.

[tubbadu]

this is awesome! I drew a quick draft of a possible concept for the icon, hope you'll like it:

(I'm definitely not a graphics designer)

[Helium314]

Thanks, but a friend of mine is currently working on an icon. So atm there is no need for contributions.

[netizeni]

Congratulations! Awesome keyboard, finally a great replacement for proprietary keyboards.

[b02860de585071a2]

Congratulations! Excited for the future of this project.

[MysteriousOrb2000]

@Helium314 When is the next alpha coming out?

[Helium314]

No more alpha planned. Changing the package name and adjusting a lot of internal settings introdced much fewer issues than I feared.

[muhamed89]

We can't update through the app? Need to download here and install it?

[muhamed89]

Nice! Is the alpha stable enough for daily use? I wait for beta but it looks like it needs a lil bit time.

[iamgitcat]

It is. Using it since forever, alpha or beta mean nothing if good guys do good things it will be good. Lol.

[BlackyHawky]

You don't need to worry; it's largely stable for everyday use. 😉

[muhamed89]

Working great 👌

[Nordlicht-13]

Yes, works good.
Hope for a new version that is named beta
so it looks not unsable any more 😁

[kallekn]

Will my dictionaries and settings automatically migrate to the new version, or do I need to transfer them manually in some way?

[BoFFire]

@kallekn Sure :)