Text input

For text input, there are three alternatives: Full screen editor (TextBox), TextField on Form, and TextEditor (Nokia UI API) on Canvas. When opening a view, the text field is in "browse" mode with hidden keypad (e.g. Form). Remember to define correct keyboard layout; input method can be numbers, characters, or symbols.

Different keypad types are available: ITU-T, QWERTY and (if available in phone variant) language-specific input modes like Chinese handwriting. The type shown depends on the user setting selected for the writing language in use. The layout of the virtual keypad may be adapted to fit frequently used characters or strings in each context, for example @ for e-mail and .com for web addresses. See Input constraints below for more information.

Pressing Back while keypad is open closes the keypad. Backstepping functionality is available when user has closed the keypad; at that point selecting back should not make keyboard reappear, but should return to previous state.

TextField

  • Used for text entry.
  • Tapping on the text entry field activates the keypad.
  • User can input texts by tapping on the virtual keypad.
  • Keypad is closed:
    • By tapping outside the keypad.
    • By draggin the keypad down.
    • By pressing Back key.
  • Portrait:
    • Inline editing.
    • The field moves right above the keypad if otherwise hidden under it.
    • Other form fields are still visible above the keypad and can be scrolled.
    • Edits are accepted once the keypad is dragged down or some other field is selected.
  • Landscape:
    • Full screen editing.
  • It is possible to define the size of TextField in characters.

TextBox

  • Optimised for editing longer text phrases (i.e., more than one or two words or a password).
  • Fills the entire view.
  • Both orientations are optimised for different use cases.
  • Portrait:
    • Displayable title is shown.
    • Context is visible.
    • Ticker is supported.
  • Landscape:
    • More comfortable to type in and interact with than in portrait orientation.
    • No context shown.
  • It is possible to define the size of TextBox in characters.

Canvas TextEditor

  • Landscape layout and functionality is identical to full screen view text edit layout.
  • In portrait layout, the content remains scrollable.
  • Behaviour like 'Text field' in Form.
  • You can define colours for both background and font.

Input constraints

You should always define what kind of input you expect from the user; email address, numeric input, or a phone number, for example. That way it is easier for the user; they can just start typing because the correct mode is already chosen for the keypad. The restrictive constraint settings are as follows:
  • ANY
  • EMAILADDR
  • NUMERIC
  • PHONENUMBER
  • URL
  • DECIMAL
In addition, you can define modifier flags for the text entry. For example, when asking for a password, you should use the PASSWORD flag. Other modifier flags are:
  • UNEDITABLE
  • SENSITIVE
  • NON_PREDICTIVE
  • INITIAL_CAPS_WORD
  • INITIAL_CAPS_SENTENCE

Related concepts

Related information

© Nokia 2013.