I got tired of the Samsung keyboard, Swype, Google Keyboard, and the standard AOSP keyboard (without the ability to long-press letters to get symbols).
Here's how to get the Cyanogenmod 11 keyboard, with its long-press symbol ability and with gesture typing working, onto any (maybe KitKat-only) ROM. There may be a quicker way, but this is how I did it.
Grab any recent CM11 build.
Grab the latest CM11 Google Apps package.
Copy /system/app/LatinIME.apk from the CM11 archive to /system/app on your device (with ES File Explorer via its Root Explorer option, through ADB, or whatever you prefer). Set its permissions to 0644 (owner read and write, group read, others read).
Copy /system/lib/libjni_unbundled_latinimegoogle.so from the Google Apps archive to /system/lib on your device and set its permissions to 0644.
Reboot your device.
Enable the keyboard and set it as default.
This isn't new information, but it took me a bit to figure out from scattered posts, so I thought I'd pass it on.
Related
Hello... I'm on TnT lite 5.0 and it works very well... I just have one minor issue. I cannot enable any other "keyboard" other than the ones that came with the ROM.
I tried installing several... Writepad, betther keyboard and thumb keyboard... All of them appear on Setting>Language & Keyboard but when you try to enable them, they give you the warning about privacy, you say ok and then don't enable. Any one else have this issue?
Thanks.
you will need a root explorer, it's on app market but not free.
From Root Explorer, open the /data/app/ folder and you will find the
keyboard you just installed. Then copy the apk file to /system/app, note
this is where you need the Root Explorer to change the permission for
/system folder from R/W to R/O (allowing permission to write in this folder
by user).
Do a restart once you finish copying the file. The new input method
should be enabled by default then.
Alternatively you can use "adb" tool from Android SDK to transfer the
apk file if you don't have a copy of Root Explorer.
There is a free version of Root Explorer out there. And it will get the job done.
Rev
Thanks
Thanks for your help guys... I will try that!
Is it possible to make one of the new keyboard options the default?
Once you have the keyboard on there and working, you can change the default keyboard input.
In TNT (Lite), I usually use the Search app - click and hold the text box, then click "Input Method".
Thanks!
Hey Guys, thanks a bunch for the help on getting this better keyboard working. I wanted to confirm that this method works in TNTlite v 4.4.0 as well.
I started this thread to place a known working solution to installing Alternative keyboards in an OP as the OP to the original thread has chosen not to mod their OP to document the solution there. (A choice I completely accept as it is their OP.)
If a moderator finds this excessive do what you need to!
Hopefully this will alleviate some of the noob's initial confusion with keyboards.
What is this for:
Rooted Nook Tablets 16gb in size is proven to work.
Thanks to:
yaggermr - found the keyboard debug screen
robertely for getting this started.
CelticWebSolutions for the steps that work.
The steps:
Enable keyboard Debug mode.
Install an Alternate launcher and Root explorer
Install anycut: http://goo.gl/isvc1
Open Anycut, Create a New Shortcut.
Pick "Activity"
Pick "Android Keyboard Debug" (PROTIP: the list is larger than it looks, Scroll down!)
While you are there, create another shortcut for "Accessibility", and "Debug settings."
Return to your alternate launchers home screen and open "Android Keyboard Debug"
Enable Debug mode, and click Back. (Side note, you can stop here if you only want to change themes.)
From OP of the original thread.
This is where my method differed to op.
Install swype from market or use a downloaded apk.
It won't work yet.
In ES File Explorer navigate to /data/app
Copy the keyboard apk (swype one)
Navigate to a safe place such as your sdcard
Paste the apk
Navigate to /data/app
Copy the keyboard apk (swype one) again
Navigate to /system/app
Paste the apk
Change properties of system copy to all ticks
Reboot
Once rebooted select the keyboard with any cut shortcut to accessibility settings
(it may say something about you having no accessibility installed, you can install something form market here if you wish but you don't actually need to)[*]Keyboard will keep crashing which is OK it's nothing to worry about, it's just a bit annoying for a moment
In Es File Explorer navigate to the safe place you stored a copy of the swype apk
(not the original one in /data/app or the duplicated one in /system/app)
Click install to install it from the apk
It will inform you that it's going to overwrite existing copy
Click OK
Crashes will stop
Finally delete the copy from system/app
I (SCClockDr) believe this step prevents issues on subsequent re-boots.
All should work now.
I've (CelticWebSolutions) got Go keyboard, swype and a couple of others installed this way and all work
I've (SCClockDr) got Swype, Hacker, Swiftkey and a couple of others installed this way and all work
Good luck!
Note for noobs like me, restarting after adding and deleting files from SYSTEM/APP takes a few minutes, be patient
Edit: I deleted the copy from system/apps and started getting force closes again, going to do it again and leave the copy their.
Edit: Leaving the copy stopped the force closing.
Thanks for this - Using Thumb keyboard 4
Edit - GRRRRR restarted and force close started again!
You will find here the new Unreleased Gmail 4.2.apk - Thanks to Android Police for this news
The Gmail 4.2 APK is signed by Google, but with a different key than the one in the Play Store (we checked the signatures - they differ). One is probably the test key and the other the production key. For this reason, you can't simply install it as an update and therefore need to be rooted with the ability to mount the /system directory for writing in order to remove the existing Gmail APK.
Important: Once Google updates Gmail in the Play Store, you will want to revert this process or at the very least delete the Gmail 4.2 APK you installed here if you want to update it from the Play Store.
OK, let's get down to it. You'll probably need ADB installed on your computer (here's an easy way that doesn't require downloading the Android SDK). There is a chance that this might work without ADB by just removing the APKs mentioned below and installing the new one, but it didn't seem to work reliably for everyone. This should, though:
- Download Gmail 4.2 from the download link above.
- Rename it to Gmail2.apk.(already renamed )
- Make a Nandroid backup in case something goes wrong (this is always a good thing to do before messing with your device).
- Remount /system for writing (via your favorite root-aware file explorer).
- Delete (or move if you want to save the APKs) all other versions of Gmail.
- Update: We've seen multiple successful reports of simply uninstalling Gmail using Titanium Backup or ROM Toolbox instead of performing this and the next step. If that works for you, go directly to step 7. If not, proceed below.
- Usually there are 2 or 3 copies. One will be in /system/app (that's the original Gmail that was pre-installed on the device) and there may be a few in /data/app (these are the updates installed from the Play Store). They'll be called "Gmail.apk," or "com.google.android.gm-[number].apk," An easy way to tell is to look for the Gmail icon.
- You may need to delete the .odex files matching the APKs in step 5 too, if you have them. Neither I nor Artem had to do this, but there are many different ROMs out there, and we're trying to cover all bases. Ignore this step and only come back to it if something doesn't work later.
- Reboot. Once you do, you should have no Gmail as far as Android is concerned.
- You can try to install the Gmail 4.2 APK you downloaded at this point by tapping it in your favorite file explorer (move the APK to your device first, of course). If that doesn't work, or if you prefer ADB, fire up a command line and type adb install Gmail2.apk.
If you get an error message, you probably didn't delete all copies of Gmail. If you don't feel like playing with ADB for Step 8, I've also gotten it to work by just copying the APK to /data/app, but that's not as fool proof as "ADB install".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gmail 4.2.apk - download link - MD5 Sum: 2e5dbfccea5fca470d1e669fc0f431ba - Size: 2.77 MB (2906222 bytes)
Source [androidpolice]
Hey guys,
So after a month of obnoxiously slow typing on the Stock Google Keyboard, I FINALLY figured out a way to get the ICS keyboard running! I tried before but got stuck with the following error any time I tried to use the keyboard: "Unfortunately Android Keyboard Has Stopped". BUT something I did today finally worked!
What you need:
Android SDK and Drivers Installed
ICS Keyboard Files attached to this OP (JB backup files are also posted here in case anyone needs them)
(NB: Not sure if the dictionary makes a difference, but it's in there because it worked for me with it)
Root
Busybox (you can download a busybox installer from the playstore here
Here's what I did:
A. Remove JB Keyboard
B. Add ICS Keyboard to /system/apps
C. Fix "Unfortunately Android Keyboard Has Stopped" message
ADB Directions for A & B:
0. Plug in your Prime to your PC.
1. Unzip TFP ICS Android Keyboard.zip files to your adb folder (C:\Program Files (x86)\android\android-sdk\platform-tools or C:\Program Files\android\android-sdk\platform-tools).
2. Open a command prompt and navigate to that folder.
3. Enter the following commands to backup the Jelly Bean stock keyboard files to your ADB folder. "adb pull /system/app/LatinImeGoogle.apk LatinImeGoogleJB.apk" and "adb pull /system/app/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk LatinImeDictionaryPackJB.apk".
4. Enter the following commands to push the ICS files to your tablet. "adb push LatinImeGoogle.apk /sdcard/LatinImeGoogle.apk" "adb push LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk /sdcard/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk".
5. Open a shell on your Prime via adb. "adb shell" "su"
6. Move the ICS keyboard files from your sdcard to the system folder. "cp /sdcard/LatinImeGoogle.apk /system/app/LatinImeGoogle.apk" "cp /sdcard/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk /system/app/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk"
7. Change/fix permissions. "chmod 644 /system/app/LatinImeGoogle.apk" "chmod 644 /system/app/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk"
8. Reboot.
NB: If you try to use the keyboard at this point, you will get the error message I described above.
File Explorer Directions for A & B:
0. Plug in your Prime to your PC.
1. Download Root Explorer or ES File Manager or any other program that can access system files.
(I use ES File Explorer because it's free. Download it, go to settings, Root Settings, and check all the boxes, granting Root Permissions as necessary.)
2. Navigate to /system/app and copy LatinImeGoogle.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk.
3. Paste them to /sdcard and rename them LatinImeGoogleJB.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPackJB.apk. Copy these to your PC for safe keeping if you want.
4. Unzip the TFP ICS Android Keyboard.zip files to your computer and copy them to the SD Card of your Prime.
5. Copy LatinImeGoogle.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk from your /sdcard.
6. Paste them to /system/app.
7. Change/fix permissions for both to rw-r--r--.
8. Reboot.
Directions for C
NB: I tried a few things to get this working, so I can update this as necessary to remove unnecessary steps.
9. Once rebooted, go to System --> Language & Input, and ensure that you see Android Keyboard at the top of the list of Keyboards.
10. (THIS STEP MAY NOT BE NECESSARY). Navigate to the LatinImeGoogle.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk files in your sdcard and click them. A box will pop up asking you if you want to replace a system app. Hit yes for both.
11. Go to System --> Apps --> All --> Android Keyboard
12. Clear Data for Android Keyboard.
13. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for "Dictionary Provider".
14. Go to System --> Language & input --> Default and choose English (US) Android Keyboard (should be the 2nd option).
15. Open a text field (ie the body of a blank message in Gmail is what I used) and click to start typing.
16. That should do it!
To restore the JB Stock Keyboard via ADB
0. Go to System --> Apps --> All and uninstall updates to "Android Keyboard" and "Dictionary Pack".
1. Plug in your Prime to your PC.
2. Unzip the TFP JB Android Keyboard.zip files to your adb folder if you do not already have them there (C:\Program Files (x86)\android\android-sdk\platform-tools or C:\Program Files\android\android-sdk\platform-tools).
3. If you do have the stock files still there, rename them to LatinImeGoogle.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk.
4. Open a command prompt and navigate to that folder.
5. Enter the following commands to push the JB files to your tablet. "adb push LatinImeGoogle.apk /sdcard/LatinImeGoogle.apk" "adb push LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk /sdcard/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk".
6. Open a shell on your Prime via adb. "adb shell" "su"
7. Move the ICS keyboard files from your sdcard to the system folder. "cp /sdcard/LatinImeGoogle.apk /system/app/LatinImeGoogle.apk" "cp /sdcard/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk /system/app/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk"
8. Change/fix permissions. "chmod 644 /system/app/LatinImeGoogle.apk" "chmod 644 /system/app/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk"
9. Reboot.
10. Go to System --> Language & input --> Default and choose English (US) Android Keyboard (should be the 2nd option).
11. Open a text field (ie the body of a blank message in Gmail is what I used) and click to start typing.
12. That should do it!
To restore the JB Stock Keyboard via a File Explorer
0. Go to System --> Apps --> All and uninstall updates to "Android Keyboard" and "Dictionary Pack".
1. Plug in your Prime to your PC.
2. Unzip TFP JB Android Keyboard.zip files to your computer and copy them to the SD Card of your Prime.
3. If you still have your backup files, you can use them. Make sure they are on your SD Card.
4. Copy LatinImeGoogle.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk from your SD card.
5. Paste them to /system/app.
6. Change/fix permissions for both to rw-r--r--.
7. Reboot.
8. Go to System --> Language & input --> Default and choose English (US) Android Keyboard (should be the 2nd option).
9. Open a text field (ie the body of a blank message in Gmail is what I used) and click to start typing.
10. That should do it!
Hope this helps others that can't stand the unbearably slow typing on the Jelly Bean Stock Android Keyboard. Hit thanks if it worked for you! (If not, post here and I'll do my best to help figure out the issue.)
EDIT: Simpler method is to basically just sideload the apk for the ICS keyboard and install it like you would any other apk. It will reset after a reboot, but 'reinstalling' it again seems to fix it (again).
Thank you!
Thank you so much! I had flashed the 4.1 -> 4.2 keyboard package to my phone, and the keyboard wouldnt work, so I did it with the JB keyboard and now it's perfect! Kudos!
Lol no problem. Glad I could help!
I realized last week you just need to sideload the apk for ICS and all the other steps are useless. go figure...
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app
Life-saver.
Confirmed working on latest official update (.18). I had tried other apks but they didn't install correctly, this one does the trick.
I'm a little confused on the instructions. I can't seem to get this to work right on NRG's ROM. Is there an ICS apk that works?
rorytmeadows said:
I'm a little confused on the instructions. I can't seem to get this to work right on NRG's ROM. Is there an ICS apk that works?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I should probably just delete the whole OP. All you need is the ics apk for the keyboard from the zip above. Then just side load and install it like you would any other application. You may need to reinstall it after each boot.
Alternatively you can try to replace the apk in system/apps with the one above, set permissions and see if that works. It doesn't work in stock but is a superior method if it works on nrgs rom.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app
nhshah7 said:
Sorry I should probably just delete the whole OP. All you need is the ics apk for the keyboard from the zip above. Then just side load and install it like you would any other application. You may need to reinstall it after each boot.
Alternatively you can try to replace the apk in system/apps with the one above, set permissions and see if that works. It doesn't work in stock but is a superior method if it works on nrgs rom.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What keyboard apk?
rorytmeadows said:
What keyboard apk?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
download the TFP ICS keyboard zip from the OP and unzip it. Inside that, you'll find the keyboard apk (you don't need the dictionary)
there are a way faster to put ICS keyboard on JB ?
xfeedbacker said:
there are a way faster to put ICS keyboard on JB ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha yeah, found it recently. You have to do steps A as above. Then Install the apk like you would any other apk from a file explorer like astro or ES or the built in file explorer. After that, open up titanium backup, find the keyboard, long press and click move to system apps.
Voila!
Only issue is that google now wants to update it every time you reboot the device or update apps. The way I got around this is to put a tibu widget on your home screen that you can click and will detach from the marketplace. Do this once after every reboot and you'll be very happy
nhshah7 said:
haha yeah, found it recently. You have to do steps A as above. Then Install the apk like you would any other apk from a file explorer like astro or ES or the built in file explorer. After that, open up titanium backup, find the keyboard, long press and click move to system apps.
Voila!
Only issue is that google now wants to update it every time you reboot the device or update apps. The way I got around this is to put a tibu widget on your home screen that you can click and will detach from the marketplace. Do this once after every reboot and you'll be very happy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
man, i'm too dumb :/ hahaha
So what i need is do this steps:
File Explorer Directions for A & B:
0. Plug in your Prime to your PC.
1. Download Root Explorer or ES File Manager or any other program that can access system files.
2. Navigate to /system/app and copy LatinImeGoogle.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk.
3. Paste them to /sdcard and rename them LatinImeGoogleJB.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPackJB.apk. Copy these to your PC for safe keeping if you want.
4. Unzip the TFP ICS Android Keyboard.zip files to your computer and copy them to the SD Card of your Prime.
5. Copy LatinImeGoogle.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk from your /sdcard.
6. Paste them to /system/app.
7. Change/fix permissions for both to rw-r--r--.
8. Reboot.
Install te apk of the ICS keyboard
Open titanium backup and install the app to system apps (but i don't have nothing because i use Go Backup)
I told you that i was not inteligent haha
You're intelligent enough to read and ask questions download titanium backup for this, free version may also perform this function
Sent from my HTC One XL using Tapatalk 4
This is all of the usable system apk files i could find that come on android but were left out of the kd2,kfhd7,kfhd9. All file's were pulled from my optimus v running on thekravens cold as ice android4.0.4.
i gave all apks a quick run down, they all work but beyond that...
here's the files and what they are/do
*Trebuchet android system launcher- don't look so good on kfhd but it works
*HoloSpiralWallpaper- for built in wallpapers
*GalleryGoogle- can replace the built in and i believe relatively useless kfhd picture viewer, it also can apply any picture as a wallpaper just like on reg android, can be used to watch videos
*Android system Browser-good browser if your looking to replace silk or maybe a standby. Once installed reboot kfhd or will have connection error
*LiveWallpapersPicker- Install Live Wallpapers from the Google Market, or Sideload them
how to install
I used jrummys root browser lite to unzip, move n give proper permissions to all files.
1) download kfhd android apks.zip from below. (I download mine directly)
2) unzip the packaged files
3) Make sure you have root access.
4) Install a application to manage files with root access
5) Go into your system/App folder, and move the all the apk's you decide you'd like to use, to this folder.
6) Change permissions to all apks you decided to place in system/app folder to rw-r-r.
7) N reboot and all should be fuctional
***be sure to watch your step inside of the system folder, you could do some damage***