Weird behavior of the Symbian keyboard for QLineEdit

[MatuX]

Hey guys,

I'm adding a QLineEdit using this code:

    QLineEdit *lineEdit = new QLineEdit(parent);
    QSizePolicy sizePolicy(QSizePolicy::Maximum, QSizePolicy::Maximum);
    sizePolicy.setHorizontalStretch(0);
    sizePolicy.setVerticalStretch(0);
    sizePolicy.setHeightForWidth(lineEdit->sizePolicy().hasHeightForWidth());
    lineEdit->setSizePolicy(sizePolicy);
    lineEdit->setMinimumSize(QSize(311, 73));
    lineEdit->setObjectName(QString().sprintf("FormLineEdit%p", lineEdit));
    lineEdit->setTextMargins(10, 0, 20, 0);
    lineEdit->setStyleSheet(QString("QLineEdit#%1 { color: rgb(255,255,255); font: 75 19px \"AvantGardeMdITCTT\"; background-image: url(:/images/res/formulario_base.png); }").arg(lineEdit->objectName()));
    formLayout->addWidget(lineEdit);

Everything shows up correctly, I can type in any information, everything is alright but... Nokia's keyboard has a standard behavior were if you tap a button and you keep it pressed, instead of a letter, the number associated with that button will show up.
But after the first number shows up, it stops working. I tap the button keep it pressed and it starts vibrating like crazy, like not allowing the number to show up. I need to change the keyboard to numeric keypad and only then I can write numbers.

On *every* QLineEdit I've created (in two projects already) I've found the same behavior. It always happens after the first time you try it out and the number shows up.

Has anybody experienced this kind of erratic behavior?

Best,
Matias

[danhicksbyron]

All of the Qt text/numeric input widgets are mucked up on Symbian, one way or the other. In a number of cases you can't enter data at all, without deleting stuff first. On our project we had to develop a new input widget to have halfway reasonable input capability.

[MatuX]

I can't believe this... The project is practically done, actually, this is one of the last issues I need to get rid off.

This can't be possible, Nokia publicizes Qt as a product ready for developing commercial applications for Symbian. We're talking about numeric input, this is as basic as buttons, I'm sure there is a solution to this and I must be doing something wrong.

[danhicksbyron]

Here's what we developed. Not much good for pure alpha, but ok for numeric, date/time, spin box, etc.

[MatuX]

Yep... But the issue here is that when it comes to standard way of doing things, users need to be faced with the UIs they already know and feel comfortable with...

I hope there is some kind of solution for this, its not that big of an issue, but it may confuse some users.

[danhicksbyron]

There is a fundamental problem in that Qt tries to be all things to all people, yet you can't use the same data entry widgets for non-touch, touch only, and desktop apps. They need to be different.

Qt attempts to finesse this on the phones by using the native phone facilities, but unfortunately the execution is poor in too many cases. (It doesn't help that many of the Symbian interfaces are poorly documented, and in some cases the code decides what to do based on who called it.)

[MatuX]

I totally agree with you. But take Apple for example and the kind of job they did to transport their Cocoa framework to Cocoa Touch.

Something like this should be done by Nokia now that they have a stable version of this framework running on Symbian.

--
Edit:

Well, I guess Qt Quick would be the answer. I just wonder why they didn't take advantage of the millions spent in Qt and extended it with new classes and methods instead of proposing us a whole new language, methodology and paradigm altogether?

[mkfnx]

Qt is a great framework but its widget set was designed for desktop platforms. So the mobile port of the widgets feels poor sometimes, as danhicksbyron says, but it covers many other cases pretty well

Maybe Nokia was in a hurry of getting a more attractive developer platform than Symbian C++ so they launched without full support, but better tools are being developed, take a look to some posts in the Qt Labs like http://labs.qt.nokia.com/2010/09/10/...ck-components/ or http://labs.qt.nokia.com/2010/10/05/...tures-and-qml/ maybe this will be ready for the launch of Meego

And maybe some help with your issue in the Qt Developer Network. This site counts with the participation of some of the developers that makes Qt so its posible that they can suggest you a workaround. They also have a forum dedicated to Mobile and Embedded Qt Programming.

[MatuX]

Yes, but Qt isn't far away of being a good mobile fw... I created a Mobile application with videos, audio voices, music, images, networking and location services, and it runs and looks great. I created it in less than 2 months and this is the first time I grabbed Qt in my life.

Couldn't have done without bothering everybody here with amateur questions, of course

So yes, I can say I like Qt, very cryptic, but once you understand it, it's not hard... So, then... Why instead of creating a WHOLE new paradigm and programming language, they just extended Qt with mobile-oriented UIs ?!

[mkfnx]

Just as I say in you post about the list, the intention was to lower the barrier for developers. Qt Quick is easier than Qt/C++

Anyway it seems that something similar to what you say is being developed for MeeGo, with the option to include it in the "default" Qt. It's called MeeGo Touch Framework http://apidocs.meego.com/mtf/tutorial.html but as far as I know it's not available for symbian now...

Sorry for just posting posibilities and not providing real help :P Hopefully someday I could do it

[danhicksbyron]

Something like this should be done by Nokia now that they have a stable version of this framework running on Symbian.

And which version would that be? They seem to break it faster than they fix it.