Bluetooth Keyboard

Introduction

Atom can work as a Bluetooth keyboard, and type messages on your phone. Please note that we have not yet collected all the information to support you - this is still an UNSUPPORTED FEATURE.

To turn ON the Bluetooth keyboard support, go to our MagiScript Editor and connect Atom. You should see an Atom Commands area at the bottom right part of the page. Type /Ht in the input and press Enter (only three characters, no spaces, and the letter case is important). Atom will restart, and when you connect again to your system should offer to pair Atom.

If you would like to turn OFF Bluetooth keyboard support, go to the same input field and enter /Hf - Atom will restart and keyboard support will be turned off.

CAVEATS

Turning ON and OFF the support changes Atom's Bluetooth footmark. The system you previously connected Atom with might remember the previous footmark and fail to connect. Try these steps if this is the case: unpair Atom in Bluetooth settings (forget device), turn Bluetooth ON/OFF, restart the browser, or restart the machine.

You might also need to do this when you update the firmware.

Pairing Atom

When Atom works as a Bluetooth keyboard, operating systems will need to pair it. It is a Bluetooth term to set up safe communication between two devices. For example, this dialog will appear on Mac. Expect to see similar dialogs on Windows, iOS, and Android as well.

All these operating systems will automatically connect to Atom once you are turning it on. As far as we know, you cannot turn this behavior off.

CAVEATS

On iOS, once you connect a Bluetooth keyboard, the onscreen virtual keyboard will be disabled. As far as we know, you cannot turn this behavior off. We will add a MagiScript command you can run on an Atom keyboard press to show the keyboard.

If you pair Atom with an operating system (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android), the pairing with another operating system may fail. You will have to "forgot this device" and pair it again to connect.

A Basic Mini App to Try Keyboard Support

The MagiScript commands available related to the Bluetooth Keyboard support are documented: MagiScript Bluetooth Keyboard. Please note these can change as we improve the firmware before the Bluetooth Keyboard support release.

Here's a basic mini-app for numeric input:

function main() {
}

let mapping = [
    '1', '2', '3',
    '4', '5', '6',
    '7', '8', '9',
    MEDIA_SHOW_KEYBOARD, '0', KBD_BACKSPACE
];

function onAtomButtonClick(keyCode) {
    let key = mapping[keyCode];
    if (typeof key === 'string') {
        keyboard.type(key);
    } else
    if (typeof key === 'number') {
        keyboard.tap(key);
    } else {
        media.tap(key);
    }
}

function onEvent(e) {
    if (e.source === 'atom:button' && e.type === 'click') {
        onAtomButtonClick(parseInt(e.value));
    }
}

Or you can try a different mapping for up/down/left/right that works with Inject:

function main() {
}

let mapping = [
    KBD_LEFT, KBD_UP,   KBD_RIGHT,
    KBD_LEFT, KBD_DOWN, KBD_RIGHT,
    '',       '',       '',
    MEDIA_SHOW_KEYBOARD, '', KBD_BACKSPACE
];

function onAtomButtonClick(keyCode) {
    let key = mapping[keyCode];
    if (typeof key === 'string') {
        keyboard.type(key);
    } else
    if (typeof key === 'number') {
        keyboard.tap(key);
    } else {
        media.tap(key);
    }
}

function onEvent(e) {
    if (e.source === 'atom:button' && e.type === 'click') {
        onAtomButtonClick(parseInt(e.value));
    }
}

Only the contents of lines 4 - 9 have been replaced.

International Keyboard Support

Bluetooth keyboards are sending keyboard positions, not the exact character associated with that key. For example, on a German or Hungarian "QWERTZ" keyboard (if that's your OS setting), when the keyboard sends "0", an "ö" character will be typed. On a French "AZERTY" keyboard when the keyboard sends "a", then the "q" character will be typed. The selected keyboard layout defines which characters Atom will be able to send.

Operating systems are handling the situation differently. You are likely to use an iOS or Android phone with Atom, and perhaps a Windows or Mac for development. You will know the settings of the device you are working with, but you can also connect Atom to a spectator's phone. This allows you to perform a lock screen effect or to type a prediction on their phone, however, their keyboard settings will be unknown.

It has not yet been researched and decided how we will support international keyboards.