How to Use the screen keyboard in Linux

How to Use the screen keyboard in Linux

The Screen Keyboard can be used as an alternative to the physical keyboard input. In some cases, the screen keyboard is quite necessary. For example, your keyboard is broken. You have too many computers and do not have enough keyboards. Your computer does not have any extra interface to connect to the keyboard. You are a disabled person and have difficulty typing; or you are building a touch screen-based information service station.

The Screen Keyboard can also be used as a protection method to prevent the entity keyboard recorder. The keyboard recorder quietly records keys to obtain sensitive information such as passwords. Some online banking pages actually force you to use the screen keyboard to enhance transaction security.

There are several available open source Keyboard software in Linux, such as GOK (Gnome screen keyboard), kvkbd, onboard, and Florence.

In this tutorial, I will focus on Florence and show you how to set up a screen keyboard with Florence. Florence features flexible layout, diverse input methods, and automatic hiding. As part of the tutorial, I will also demonstrate how to operate the Ubuntu Desktop with just the mouse.

Install the Florence screen keyboard in Linux

Fortunately, Florence exists in the basic repository of most Linux distributions.

In Debian, Ubuntu, or Linux Mint:

1. $ Sudo apt-get install florence

In Fedora, CentOS, or RHEL (CentOS/RHEL requires EPEL repository:

1. $ Sudo yum install florence

In Mandriva or Mageia:

1. $ Sudo urpmi florence

For Archlinux users, Florence exists in AUR.

Configure and load the Screen Keyboard

After you install Florence, you only need to enter the following command to load the screen keyboard:

1. $ Florence

By default, the screen keyboard is always at the top of other windows, allowing you to enter any activity window.

Click the tool button on the left side of the keyboard to change the default configuration of Florence.

In Florence's "style" menu, you can customize the keyboard style to enable/cancel sound effects.

In the window menu, you can adjust the keyboard background transparency, key opacity, and control the keyboard proportion, toolbar, size, and always stick. If your desktop resolution is not very high, transparency adjustment is very useful, because the Screen Keyboard will block other windows. In this example, I switched to the transparent keyboard and set the opacity to 50%.

In the behaviour menu, you can change the input method. Florence supports several different input methods: mouse, touch screen, timer, and ramble ). Mouse input is the default input method. You do not need to press the mouse button for the last two input methods. The timer input triggers the button by holding the pointer on the button for a certain period of time. The principle of walking input is similar to that of the timer input, but it can be faster than the timer input after training and skillful use.

In the layout menu, you can change the keyboard layout. For example, you can extend the keyboard layout to add navigation keys, numeric keys, and function keys.

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