Matchbox-keyboard is an on screen ‘virtual’ or ‘software’ keyboard which works well for small touchscreen TFTs connected to a Raspberry Pi.
Matchbox-keyboard also uses XML files to specify the layout of the keys, which makes it highly customizable.
The touchscreen used in the above video is a PiScreen.
1. Install prerequisite development files
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get install libfakekey-dev libpng-dev libxft-dev autoconf libtool -y
2. Install and compile matchbox-keyboard
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ git clone https://github.com/mwilliams03/matchbox-keyboard.git
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ cd matchbox-keyboard
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ ./autogen.sh
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ make
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo make install
Installation of the shared matchbox libraries needs to be done after the installation of matchbox-keyboard.
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get install libmatchbox1 -y
3. Create toggle script to start or stop matchbox-keyboard
We will now create a script to toggle the keyboard on and off. And then add a menu item to access the script as well as add an icon to the task bar for easy access.
Create a new file;
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo nano /usr/bin/toggle-matchbox-keyboard.sh
And copy in the text below;
#!/bin/bash
#This script toggle the virtual keyboard
PID=`pidof matchbox-keyboard`
if [ ! -e $PID ]; then
killall matchbox-keyboard
else
matchbox-keyboard&
fi
Now make it executable;
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/toggle-matchbox-keyboard.sh
We will now add an item to the start menu.
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo nano /usr/local/share/applications/toggle-matchbox-keyboard.desktop
Copy in this text;
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Toggle Matchbox Keyboard
Comment=Toggle Matchbox Keyboard
Exec=toggle-matchbox-keyboard.sh
Type=Application
Icon=matchbox-keyboard.png
Categories=Panel;Utility;MB
X-MB-INPUT-MECHANSIM=True
To create an icon on the task bar, open up the LXDE panel config;
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ nano ~/.config/lxpanel/LXDE/panels/panel
Find this section of config (it is near the bottom);
Plugin {
type = launchbar
Config {
Button {
id=lxde-screenlock.desktop
}
Button {
id=lxde-logout.desktop
}
}
and change it to;
Plugin {
type = launchbar
Config {
Button {
id=toggle-matchbox-keyboard.desktop
}
Button {
id=lxde-screenlock.desktop
}
Button {
id=lxde-logout.desktop
}
}
More Information
Matchbox-keyboard can be started from the command line with the below statement. This needs to be run from a command prompt within X which is running on the touch screen;
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ matchbox-keyboard
Alternately, if you have SSH’d in from another PC, use;
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ DISPLAY=:0.0 matchbox-keyboard
This will load the default keyboard layout, seen here;
Matchbox-keyboard can also resize the window with the -s integer argument. Integer is a value between 30%-100% of the screen width.
Here is the defualt keyboard layout loaded at 50% of screen width;
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ matchbox-keyboard -s 50
Matchbox-keyboard also supports custom keyboards, and there are a few loaded with the install into /usr/local/share/matchbox-keyboard/. It is very easy to build your own.
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ matchbox-keyboard -s 50 extended
