Handwriting Recognition APIs

[Nilay Khandelwal]

I am developing an application for touch screen devices (MOTOMING A1200, MOTOMING A1600).

Are there any core/optional Java ME APIs which will allow me to use the handwriting recognition feature of the device? How do I add handwriting recognition support for the device? Are these APIs open for developers?

Thank you.

[Tim Holloway]

Normally the handwriting recognition is handled external to the JRE as a OS infrastructure service as part of the general text input function. So to the app, there's no discernible difference between using the keyboard and using the stylus. Although I'm not sure how keyup/keydown events are defined.

[Nilay Khandelwal]

So is there a way to invoke the handwriting recognition method of input for the application just like the keyboard input method can be called?

[Tim Holloway]

You don't "call" the keyboard input methods. Keyboard input creates events and you can attach listeners to those events so that when they fire, you can execute your keyhandling code.

For the more general case, such as when you're just looking for text input, you don't even do that. The input controls never notice that you're not actually using a keyboard.

The devices I've got support multiple types of character input, including onscreen "touch-type" keyboard, physical keyboard, block character (Grafitti-style) and writing (Newton-style) input. Which method you select is an OS-level preference set using a toolbar menu and the apps have no idea which one you're using, nor do they care - you can even switch input methods in the middle of text entry and they won't notice. All they see is the text data.

[Nilay Khandelwal]

Okay.. So what I've got from your last post is that I can change the input method of the device during runtime and the app won't see any difference in the data it reads.
So there basically does not exist a method by which the application can 'explicitely' choose its input type from the device?

[Tim Holloway]

Nilay Khandelwal wrote:
So there basically does not exist a method by which the application can 'explicitely' choose its input type from the device?

I wouldn't want it to do so anyway. I happen to prefer Grafitti-style input. Some people prefer the keyboard. In certain usages I'll switch, especially if I'm trying to get some arcane character in that I don't know how to stroke (or conversely, isn't on the keyboard).

[Nilay Khandelwal]

Thanks Tim. Your posts have been very helpful in my understanding of the problem.

Also, I would like to apologize to all for cross-posting the same question on other forums.

http://forums.sun.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5375408&tstart=0
http://community.developer.motorola.com/mtrl/board/message?board.id=JavaME_General&thread.id=3

I was unaware of the JavaRanch rules http://faq.javaranch.com/java/BeForthrightWhenCrossPostingToOtherSites

I assure you that I never wanted to waste any time of the really helpful developers at these forums.