Keyboard pop-up on mobile devices

[halfamused]

Hello Everyone,

I'm trying to make a hands-free weight entering app. I have a two column table [Serial Number] [Weight] both columns are formatted for "text" to enter barcode IDs and their corresponding weight. I have the "Advance forms automatically" option enabled so when I add a new entry the barcode scanner opens automatically allowing me to scan a new item. This works perfectly and advances the cursor to the [Weight] column text input field after scanning. This is where my problems begin. The keyboard on mobile devices will not pop up automatically without tapping the text input field unless the text input field is the first entry in the form. I'm using a Bluetooth adaptor connected to scale that is sending continuous weight data, and an app (SerialMagic Keys Pro) that simulates a keyboard entering that data. The SerialMagic app requires the pop-up keyboard to be present in order to send the data to the text input field. So, my first question is this:

Is it possible to get a mobile device keyboard to pop up automatically on the second text input field of a form?

When I manually tap the weight input field the keyboard will pop up, allowing SerialMagic to input the recorded weight data. My next problem comes after this weight data has been entered into the input field. I have the "Auto save" and "Auto re-open" options enabled, so when I tap the Return key Appsheet will save my form and open a new form and the barcode scanner for the next entry. The problem is that a simulated return key does not have the same effect. I've tried simulating the Return key function coming directly from the scale with the weight data within the scale's settings and I've tried appending the Enter key (also tried the Tab key) to the weight data sent by SerialMagic in it's app settings. In both cases the cursor remains in the weight input field and does not save the form. Thus my second question:

Is there a way to make Appsheet recognize a simulated Return/Enter/Tab key? Alternatively, is there a way to automatically save data entered into a text input without tapping the Return key or the Save button, maybe a timer of some sort?

Any guidance would be appreciated, thank you.

[WillowMobileSys]

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@halfamused wrote:

The keyboard on mobile devices will not pop up automatically without tapping the text input field unless the text input field is the first entry in the form

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Is the Weight column set as "Required"?   In order for the auto advance to function the field it advances to must be set as "Required".  Otherwise, we would have things popping up when we don't want them to.

If it IS set as required and it opens the keyboard when the Weight field is first on the form, then I would say this is a bug and should be reported to AppSheet support.

I will give this a try in a test app and see if I can reproduce it.

[WillowMobileSys]

I tried in a test app.  I am not getting the keyboard to pop-up at all - whether the field is first or not.  I think this is a bug.

[halfamused]

Sorry for the late reply, I appreciate you taking the time to try and help me. Ultimately I could not figure out a way to do this within AppSheet, so I used Tasker to create a work-around.