[howto] Create an Ipk File for Any Keyboard Layout

[Jason Robitaille]

Reposted from here, as I figured a dedicated thread would probably be more handy.


Here's the basic template so anyone can make an ipk file for any keyboard layout:

1. Download the attached ipk template zip and extract it anywhere you want.
2. Download your desired theme layout from this thread.
3. Extract the layout's .json file and put it into your template's extracted "keypatch" folder.
4. Open the "postinst" file in any text editor you want. Edit the last line to replace "qwertyarrows.json" with whatever your layout json's filename is.
5. Download and run Ipk Packager
6. Click the "..." button next to Folder textbox. Then navigate to and select the "keypatch" folder.
7. Put this in the "Destination on device" textbox:
   

   usr/palm/applications/ca.canucksoftware.keyboard-layout-mod

8. Now all you need to do is click the "Create IPK File" button and you'll have your ipk, which you can install with WOSQI (with the same details/restrictions as I stated in my earlier release post of the qwerty layout ipk)

Installation may take approx 10minutes to complete. Go relax, watch some tv or read a book. Don't worry that it takes a while to install. Just please don't force-kill WOSQI because you're impatient; that will do more harm than good.

As this stops/starts and edits LunaSysMgr during installation/uninstallation, I recommend that you install/uninstall the .ipk with WOSQI, not Internalz Pro or Preware (as webOS apps get killed when LunaSysMgr stops).

Lastly, you must also uninstall the keyboard mod before any OTA webOS update.

[Tomween1]

I am doing some modding through android and would like to pull the stock keyboard and convert to apk, can you help? I'm thinking I mainly need the keyboard file and I should be able to convert it with a tool within android.

Thank you

[geekpeter]

er then u wanna go ask the android guru's on the android forum tbh

[Tomween1]

Originally Posted by geekpeter

er then u wanna go ask the android guru's on the android forum tbh

Well really all I need is the keyboard IPK file

[leslie7622]

Originally Posted by Tomween1

Well really all I need is the keyboard IPK file

just download the keypatch.zip, unzip into keypatch folder on touchpad (make a folder first), go to novaterm or tools/linux commandline on the webosquickinstall jar., type

cd /media/internal/keypatch

then

sh patch.sh generate


worked for me.

* i know its late but someone might still be searching for a way so...

[leslie7622]

not updated for 3.0.5. I've attached a new template which I made from the previous template.


NOTE: i used this for my own mod so the json's filename is different. Other than that, just follow the instructions from before.

Originally Posted by Jason Robitaille

Reposted from here, as I figured a dedicated thread would probably be more handy.


Here's the basic template so anyone can make an ipk file for any keyboard layout:

1. Download the attached ipk template zip and extract it anywhere you want.
2. Download your desired theme layout from this thread.
3. Extract the layout's .json file and put it into your template's extracted "keypatch" folder.
4. Open the "postinst" file in any text editor you want. Edit the last line to replace "qwertyarrows.json" with whatever your layout json's filename is.
5. Download and run Ipk Packager
6. Click the "..." button next to Folder textbox. Then navigate to and select the "keypatch" folder.
7. Put this in the "Destination on device" textbox:
   

   usr/palm/applications/ca.canucksoftware.keyboard-layout-mod

8. Now all you need to do is click the "Create IPK File" button and you'll have your ipk, which you can install with WOSQI (with the same details/restrictions as I stated in my earlier release post of the qwerty layout ipk)

Installation may take approx 10minutes to complete. Go relax, watch some tv or read a book. Don't worry that it takes a while to install. Just please don't force-kill WOSQI because you're impatient; that will do more harm than good.

As this stops/starts and edits LunaSysMgr during installation/uninstallation, I recommend that you install/uninstall the .ipk with WOSQI, not Internalz Pro or Preware (as webOS apps get killed when LunaSysMgr stops).

Lastly, you must also uninstall the keyboard mod before any OTA webOS update.