How do I get permanent brail screen input?

By Oliver, 13 May, 2024

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

Hi,

I've been mucking about with an android device and one thing I really like is that I can have a brail keyboard as my default input, IE, I don't need to switch each time. It's a really solid input method, more so than BSI on IOS, possibly because it doesn't conflict with rotor actions.

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how I could get the same functionality. I've got MBraille, which is great, aside from teh fact there doesn't appear to be an enter/return/send dot combo as there is with BSI I'm talking in things like Whatsapp where you can type the message and do a three finger swipe up to send. Currently, with MBraille, I have to type, leave the keyboard and then find the send button, which somewhat defeats the point of having a constant on screen brail keyboard.

As far as I know, there is no way to set BSI as the default input on IOS in textboxes, is there? Besides, as I say, there seems to be a conflict with the rotor, or something, as I'm quite often dumped out of BSI, which isn't great.

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

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Comments

By Maldalain on Sunday, May 12, 2024 - 06:12

I believe there is a shortcut to start BSI. Might be four fingers double tap. Not sure though if it works on iOS as it does on iPadOS.

By Oliver on Sunday, May 12, 2024 - 06:12

Yeah, you can also create the shortcut, but I want it dropping directly into BSI at any edit box. I use it in the rotor actually, it's the first in the list so just do a twist.

I also know it's pedantic, but I like to avoid unneeded actions where possible. My work flow would be:
Double tap on edit field > BSI appears.

Saying that, BSI isn't great.

By Chris Chaffin on Sunday, May 12, 2024 - 06:12

When typing with BSI and it suddenly bounces you out is a bug that has not yet been fixed. That said, the first thing that will help is to go to rotor settings and move BSI to the top, so then just one turn of the rotor will put you on BSI ready to type. Here are a few gestures that might help.
Two finger swipe right, performs a return, or go to next line.
Three finger swipe up, automatically activates send button for imessages and what's app messages.
There are also gestures that will allow you to move around within an edit field, make corrections, select text, copy, cut, and paste text. there is a good post here on AppleVis about it.
Some gestures can also be found and changed in voiceover settings under commands, then Braille Screen Input.
Hope this helps.

By Oliver on Sunday, May 12, 2024 - 06:12

Thanks, yeah, BSI is already at the top of my list for the rotor... Or bottom, I can't remember, either way, it's quickly activated. It's the bounce out that is the issue here. It just feels precarious whereas MBraille feels solid.. But doesn't appear to have the send command.

By Chris Chaffin on Sunday, May 12, 2024 - 06:12

I also thought the three finger flick up would send messages in the MBraille third party keyboard, but it seems for me that it also clears the buffer just like a three finger flick down. You can reach out to the developer but I think he quit updating the third party keyboard several years ago.