[HOW-TO] Fix Mini Pro - SK17 - Physical Keyboard - Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini, Mini Pro, Xperia Pro, A

Hi everybody,
As a XMP user, I know how it's difficult to deal with our loved physical keyboards when we use customs roms, so I make this post to list all the known "fixs" about the physical keyboard issues.
First, you have to know that Sony was providing the "software" till ICS only, because the last OFW made by Sony is based on Android 4.0.4. So the best support you can have for HW keyboard is under ICS and GB.
GB & ICS Fix (Keyboard Layout)
A usefull guide made by DooMLoRD can be found here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1224511
JB and above fix (Keyboard Layout and "Auto-correct")
On most of JB Roms, you can change your keyboard Layout under :
Settings > Input & Language > Physical Keyboard (pm8058-keypad) > Configure Keyboard Layout
If it doesnt work, you can "mod" the keyboard layout:
- By HexaEdition
- By editing /system/usr/keylayout/qwerty.kl :
The files looks like this:
Code:
key 399 GRAVE
key 2 1
key 3 2
key 4 3
key 5 4
key 6 5
key 7 6
key 8 7
key 9 8
key 10 9
key 11 0
key 158 BACK WAKE_DROPPED
key 230 SOFT_RIGHT WAKE
key 60 SOFT_RIGHT WAKE
key 107 ENDCALL WAKE_DROPPED
key 62 ENDCALL WAKE_DROPPED
key 229 MENU WAKE_DROPPED
key 139 MENU WAKE_DROPPED
key 59 MENU WAKE_DROPPED
key 127 SEARCH WAKE_DROPPED
key 217 SEARCH WAKE_DROPPED
key 228 POUND
key 227 STAR
key 231 CALL WAKE_DROPPED
key 61 CALL WAKE_DROPPED
key 232 DPAD_CENTER WAKE_DROPPED
key 108 DPAD_DOWN WAKE_DROPPED
key 103 DPAD_UP WAKE_DROPPED
key 102 HOME WAKE
key 105 DPAD_LEFT WAKE_DROPPED
key 106 DPAD_RIGHT WAKE_DROPPED
key 115 VOLUME_UP WAKE
key 114 VOLUME_DOWN WAKE
key 116 POWER WAKE
key 212 CAMERA
key 16 Q
key 17 W
key 18 E
key 19 R
key 20 T
key 21 Y
key 22 U
key 23 I
key 24 O
key 25 P
key 26 LEFT_BRACKET
key 27 RIGHT_BRACKET
key 43 BACKSLASH
key 30 A
key 31 S
key 32 D
key 33 F
key 34 G
key 35 H
key 36 J
key 37 K
key 38 L
key 39 SEMICOLON
key 40 APOSTROPHE
key 14 DEL
key 44 Z
key 45 X
key 46 C
key 47 V
key 48 B
key 49 N
key 50 M
key 51 COMMA
key 52 PERIOD
key 53 SLASH
key 28 ENTER
key 56 ALT_LEFT
key 100 ALT_RIGHT
key 42 SHIFT_LEFT
key 54 SHIFT_RIGHT
key 15 TAB
key 57 SPACE
key 150 EXPLORER
key 155 ENVELOPE
key 12 MINUS
key 13 EQUALS
key 215 AT
# On an AT keyboard: ESC, F10
key 1 BACK WAKE_DROPPED
key 68 MENU WAKE_DROPPED
For example, if you want to invert Q to A, replace
"key 16 Q" to "key 16 A" and "key 30 A" to "key 30 Q".
About Key Codes (Numbers), here's a pic to help :
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Also, here's the layout of the default Qwerty keyboard so you can compare (image size is too big for the forums):
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81SKnyssAfL._SL1500_.jpg
About the last part, (WAKE/WAKE_DROPPED), it simply determines if the key wake the screen:
WAKE = Wake the screen
WAKE_DROPPED= Don't wake the screen
About auto-replace, auto-capitalisation and auto-punctuate, as I said, there's no official support for our HW keyboards under JB and above, BUT there are workarounds,
by using third party keyboard apps.
Those apps were reported to work:
- SwiftKey (Trial)
- Multiling (Free)
- TouchPal (Free)
- Dodol (Free)
About Backlight & Sym key :
I know you can have issue with those, and I know fixs exists, but they are often proper to a ROM, so, I will not list those fixs here. But Note some of the provided keyboard above might fix the Sym Key issue.
NOTE: If for some reasons, you want the stock keyboard apk, you can exctract it from the stock firmwares, wich can be found here:
- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=27376024&postcount=3
- http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/SE_Xperia_Mini_Pro
- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1477440
- http://talk.sonymobile.com/t5/Andro...n-ICS-Ice-Cream-Sandwich-and/m-p/154390#M3385
I hope I helped

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Yo try read my post in the general forum i think i found a keybaord that can cure our headaches