1037872 - [v2.1] Feature Proposal: Text Assist like functionality (webOS)

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 1028737

(Firefox OS Graveyard :: Gaia::Keyboard, enhancement)

Description

[Mozilla_BEC]

In webOS v2.x and above, there was an app/service called Text Assist. This was an app that could be invoked by the user to accomplish a few tasks in relation to the auto-correct and word list engine in webOS.

One of the great features was a page where you could add/remove "Learned Words" to the auto-correct & suggestion engine. Addition could be done when typing, but removal could not, hence the panel to manage it.

Another great feature was the Shortcuts page where you could map character combinations to be whatever you wished. For instance, you could make your own shorthand dictionary using this tool, or you can do something as simple as making a macro to change 'BEC to Brett Edmond Carlock after input.

Another feature of Text Assist that made it very pleasant in use is how it preferred to Suggest rather than auto-correct, behaving more like the Language engines in desktop word processors (Notifying user, underlining targeted word, and providing a list of suggested corrections as well as the ability to add the target to the dictionary from a tap menu).

Common mistakes were included by default in the Shortcut menus, so they'd always be auto-corrected (i to I, im to I'm, etc) whereas other mistakes defaulted to suggestion, making entering search strings less frustrating when the word list didn't recognize the word you wanted. (Try to search for webGL in FFXOS with auto-correct on, and you'll get wangle when you press enter to search)

Furthermore, Text Assist accessed the Contacts app to make sure that it wouldn't bother you about First/Last names of your contacts, and would even help you auto-correct to their name if you were close.

I think adopting the power and flexibility of the Text Assist model would bring FFXOS' keyboard to a new level of power, fluidity, and ease of use.

Comment 1

[mac]

Similar Bug 1028737

Comment 2

[Stephany Wilkes]

Thank you for the suggestion. Going to resolve this as a duplicate of the existing bug, and flag DJF (out of the office until next week) on the detailed suggestions.

Comment 3

[Mozilla_BEC]

I hope you guys really consider the suggestions. Text Assist was a brilliant tool, and I hope my summary of how it performed things helped get that across.

Comment 4

[David Flanagan [:djf]]

Copied Brett's suggestions into 1028737

Comment 5

[Mozilla_BEC]

Thanks David :)

I really hope this can happen, it was absolutely stellar under webOS and I think it'd really help to set FFXOS apart compared to the other platforms' autocorrect engines.