991509 - Adding Tamil input method for B2G

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

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

Description

[Luke Chang [:lchang] (inactive)]

There is no input method supporting Tamil language now so let's add one for B2G.

Comment 1

[Naoki Hirata :nhirata (please use needinfo instead of cc)]

Is this one of the languages that we are going to release for?

Comment 2

[Joe Cheng [:jcheng] (please needinfo)]

1.3T+, this is one of the target language

Comment 3

[Joe Cheng [:jcheng] (please needinfo)]

Luke, do you mind updating the latest on this? when do you think you can land? Thanks

Comment 4

[Luke Chang [:lchang] (inactive)]

Before developing this input method, I've studied a lot about the Tamil keyboard layout. Every layouts, however, developed by different guys are all inconsistent so that I can't find a general one.

Since it appears that there is no standard layout of Tamil software keyboard, I'm asking Arvin offline for a layout spec which they already used in other devices and waiting for his response.

Comment 5

[helloarvin]

hi luke, please visit ftp to get the pac and tools metioned in the email,thanks.

Comment 6

[Luke Chang [:lchang] (inactive)]

Attachment: Tamil Keyboard Screenshot (WIP)

Hi Arvin,

I've made a WIP version of Tamil Keyboard but I have two questions that need your help.

1. Is it correct that put the "?", "!" and "@" mark on the second panel? (these three marks have already appeared on the default symbol panel when you click "?123" button.)

2. When using English keyboard, we can click "ABC" button on the symbol panel and let us back to the alphabet panel. In Tamil case, however, I have no idea what label the Tamil language users will expect it on this kind of button.

Comment 7

[helloarvin]

Attachment: tamil_keyboard_android_one.png

Comment 8

[helloarvin]

Attachment: tamil_keyboard_android_two.png

Comment 9

[helloarvin]

Hi Luke,

1、It seems ambiguous to place the 'Caps Lock' key in the tamil keyboard for Tamil is not a case-sensitive language as far as i know. So, the keyboard of the WIP version should be modified and the reference version of android is a fairly good example(tamil_keyboard_android_one.png). How do you think?

2、We could adopt a simple icon rather than a certain string to indicate the operation returning to alphabet panel from symbol panel. Please refer to the icon in tamil_keyboard_android_two.png.

please have a check.

Comment 10

[Luke Chang [:lchang] (inactive)]

Hi Arvin, I can explain why I use this design in WIP version first.

1. In general, the "Shift" key on the software keyboard panel means not only "uppercase" but also "use the symbol in the upper row". This behavior is the same as using "shift + 1" to input "!" with hardware keyboard. I guess people won't feel ambiguous.

2. In tamil case, I studied lots of implementations and found most of them (including iOS7) also use "shift" key to switch its panel (just like its real hardware keyboard design) [a].

3. The design in attachment 8403958 [details] uses "long press" or "choose from candidate panel" to input the characters shown in the upper row. With this implementation, we need put two symbol in one key. I guess it might be not easy for users to see each symbol clearly especially on a low-resolution screen. (e.g. I personally can't distinguish some symbols in the upper row in attachment 8403958 [details])

Maybe we can discuss offline later.

[a] the implementations of Tamil Software Keyboard with Shift key:
    http://www.branah.com/tamil
    http://www.google.com/inputtools/try/ (need to choose Tamil manually)
    http://imgur.com/ZSBQJmb (iOS 7)
    http://tamil.indiatyping.com/index.php/tamil-keyboard

Comment 11

[helloarvin]

(In reply to Luke Chang [:lchang] from comment #10)
> Hi Arvin, I can explain why I use this design in WIP version first.
> 
> 1. In general, the "Shift" key on the software keyboard panel means not only
> "uppercase" but also "use the symbol in the upper row". This behavior is the
> same as using "shift + 1" to input "!" with hardware keyboard. I guess
> people won't feel ambiguous.
> 
> 2. In tamil case, I studied lots of implementations and found most of them
> (including iOS7) also use "shift" key to switch its panel (just like its
> real hardware keyboard design) [a].
> 
> 3. The design in attachment 8403958 [details] uses "long press" or "choose
> from candidate panel" to input the characters shown in the upper row. With
> this implementation, we need put two symbol in one key. I guess it might be
> not easy for users to see each symbol clearly especially on a low-resolution
> screen. (e.g. I personally can't distinguish some symbols in the upper row
> in attachment 8403958 [details])
> 
> Maybe we can discuss offline later.
> 
> [a] the implementations of Tamil Software Keyboard with Shift key:
>     http://www.branah.com/tamil
>     http://www.google.com/inputtools/try/ (need to choose Tamil manually)
>     http://imgur.com/ZSBQJmb (iOS 7)
>     http://tamil.indiatyping.com/index.php/tamil-keyboard

Dear Luke,

Sorry to my late reply. After a discussion with our language expert and manager, the final conclusion is to maintain the layout of your WIP version. Please continue the process of development without putting multiple characters in one key.

Comment 12

[Luke Chang [:lchang] (inactive)]

Attachment: Pull Request 18221

Hi Rudy,

This patch is base on the screenshot in attachment 8403859 [details]. Could you please help to review it. Thank you?

Comment 13

[Rudy Lu [:rudyl] (inactive after 2015/7/3)]

Comment on attachment 8405311 [details] [review]
Pull Request 18221

r+, except for one comment on the size of the key to switch back to basic layout, i.e. this key:
https://github.com/mozilla-b2g/gaia/pull/18221/files#diff-e662478bb984014cfa0fbd02c685badeR6
It seems a little bit too small.

Luke,

Thanks for adding Tamil support.

Comment 14

[Luke Chang [:lchang] (inactive)]

Attachment: Tamil Screenshot

Screenshots of the final version base on Noto Sans font.

Comment 15

[Luke Chang [:lchang] (inactive)]

Comment on attachment 8406615 [details]
Tamil Screenshot

Hi Arvin, could you help to review this layout? Thanks.

Comment 16

[helloarvin]

review OK.

And I really appreciate the effort you all made for this issue.

Comment 17

[Luke Chang [:lchang] (inactive)]

Attachment: Tamil Screenshot

Thanks for Wilfred's feedback. I changed the label of the toggle button in the symbol panel.

Comment 18

[Luke Chang [:lchang] (inactive)]

travis passed:
https://travis-ci.org/mozilla-b2g/gaia/builds/23101238

merged in gaia master:
https://github.com/mozilla-b2g/gaia/commit/631c2bb6c02c52af04459366839460b5f2d2b827

Comment 19

[Michael Henretty [:mikehenrty][:mhenretty]]

Copied from bug 987496 comment 33:

"I'm afraid we are going to need a 1.3t specific fix for this. In bug 920431, we landed some changes to keyboard customizations that this patch relies on. Unfortunately, I don't know enough about keyboard layouts to fix this myself. ni?'ing patch author and Rudy Lu to figure out best way forward.

Guys, do we need to uplift bug 920431 in order to land this, or land a customized fix for 1.3t that doesn't need these changes?"

Comment 20

[Rudy Lu [:rudyl] (inactive after 2015/7/3)]

Luke,

As our discussion, please send another patch by directly modifying
shared/resources/keyboard_layouts.json

Thanks.

Comment 21

[Luke Chang [:lchang] (inactive)]

Attachment: Pull Request 18405 for v1.3t

Rudy, another patch needs your help. Thanks.

Note that this patch depends on the imEngine "india" in bug 987496

Comment 22

[Rudy Lu [:rudyl] (inactive after 2015/7/3)]

Comment on attachment 8408017 [details] [review]
Pull Request 18405 for v1.3t

r=me as well.
Thanks.

Comment 23

[Luke Chang [:lchang] (inactive)]

travis passed:
https://travis-ci.org/mozilla-b2g/gaia/builds/23182373

merged in gaia v1.3t branch:
https://github.com/mozilla-b2g/gaia/commit/f0872318d46781bb59d0a13a2e1fffb115b8ca2b

Rudy, Thanks.

Comment 24

[அருண் குமார்-Arun Kumar]

Hi,

Thanks for enabling/developing the Tamil Keyboard layout for Firefox OS.

But, How come this bug was not brought to Mozilla Tamil Team attention ?

We are here to help.

Mozilla-Tamil Team: https://wiki.mozilla.org/L10n:Teams:ta

Thanks
Arun

Comment 25

[Luke Chang [:lchang] (inactive)]

Many thanks. We'll definitely need your help if there are any further questions about the Tamil input method. This bug was filed due to partner's request so we looked for partner's feedback first at that time.

Comment 27

[Luke Chang [:lchang] (inactive)]

Comment on attachment 8405311 [details] [review]
Pull Request 18221

NOTE: Please see https://wiki.mozilla.org/Release_Management/B2G_Landing to better understand the B2G approval process and landings.

[Approval Request Comment]
[Bug caused by] (feature/regressing bug #): Feature request (see bug 987496 comment 42)
[User impact] if declined: There would be no Tamil input support on Dolphin
[Testing completed]: Travis Passed
[Risk to taking this patch] (and alternatives if risky): not at all, since Tamil input method is optional at build time
[String changes made]: none

Comment 28

[Luke Chang [:lchang] (inactive)]

Uplifted to v1.4 branch.
https://github.com/mozilla-b2g/gaia/commit/a81d9e355e1ffeb438d2c80bf06a07d847cde255