Activating the enter or return on an older Braille display?

By liz bowden, 11 November, 2015

Forum
Braille on Apple Products

Hello,
I recently downloaded the IOS 9.1 update. After the download was complete, I found that when creating an email or text message the command I use to make a new line now sends the message. I am using a BrailleNote, and Braille pen 12, to make a new line, (space with e on the Braille pen, and right side thumb keys on the BrailleNote) would not create a return. Does anyone know of a fix for this. I believe these displays don't have the keys 7 and 8 option. For now, I just use the return which is part of the touch screen on the phone. I have already started a note to Apple technical Support, but want to make sure that this problem hasn't been fixed.

Thanks in advance!

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Comments

By Scott Davert on Sunday, November 22, 2015 - 00:47

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

Hi Liz.
Your work around is the only one I've found for inserting line breaks in to texts, but I don't do this often, so it hasn't impacted me much. This only happens for me on the messages app though, not in Mail.

By Piotr Machacz on Sunday, November 22, 2015 - 00:47

I suspect the technical reason for this change is that pressing E-chord simulates pressing enter on a connected physical keyboard, and apple has made changes to the messages app so that doing this now sends messages. It's interesting how you find this problematic, as personally I wish more apps, IE what's app or Facebook messenger, also did this. and I never see a reason to insert line breaks into programs designed for sending instant messages

Anyway, here is something you can try. Go to an app where you can insert new lines like mail or notes, and make one. Then, select it (I don't remember the commands to do this on a braille display) and copy it into the clipboard. Then any time you want to insert a new line into a message, paste the clipboard contents in (I think that's done with a v-chord). HTH

By Scott Davert on Sunday, November 22, 2015 - 00:47

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

I do agree with Piotr regarding the use of the command, but that aside....
Go to settings/general/text replacement, and then create a substitution with a combination of letters that would make up something you do not use every day. Like qw1, for example. Then, enter a line break in the field for the substitution, and then you should be able to press the combination of letters you set aside for this to generate a line break. Good luck!

Thanks Scott for the idea. I was going to try something like that next. Now that it's been examined, I see that you wouldn't really need that, except I am still thinking of lines and a page when texting, and thought they's look cleaner. Old habbits die hard

By Lielle ben simon on Sunday, November 22, 2015 - 00:47

hi! i am usis in Varioultra, and wen i pressing on the last dot 8 i able to put a new line wen i writeing text messages or e-mail. try this and tell if you success. hop that's help.

By Dominique Stansberry on Sunday, November 22, 2015 - 00:47

In reply to by liz bowden

I use the Braille Pen 12 as well. Your best bet is just to use space with dot’s 8, witch is the enter key. Dot 7 is back space.
You probably could also try space with E.
It works as the return key as well.

By René Jaun on Sunday, May 22, 2016 - 00:47

Hello all,
I just tried the Text Replacement Thingy. Unfortunately, this does not work, as no NewLine-characters seem to be allowed in the replacing text.
I am using a HumanWare Brailliant BI 40 and would still be very interesting in a solution that really does work.