The tab key does not work on some external keyboards.
This is a known issue and there is no current plans to fix it since it is a non-trivial problem on mobile devices. The device operating system handles all the key presses and for some reason it does not seem to work as expected in some cases.
The workaround is to use the [space] key to move between logging fields.
It does work on some keyboards and not others. Please respond to this post reporting if it works or not on your specific keyboard and device.
I will try to document some of the issues I have been having with an external BT keyboard. My observations suggest that the keyboard is sending a valid TAB as SOME tab orders work. Meanwhile the observations also suggest some tab orders are just broken or never initiated.
My specific use case is for running POTA activations. This weekend I was working with a second operator and we found it annoying that I would always need to to TAP the next box which effectively blocked the view of the main operator to recall the callsign. Having an effective and efficient tab order would have helped us work more seamlessly as a team.
Tablet:
Product Name: Galaxy Tab S6 Lite
Model Name: SM-P610
Keyboard:
Description: iClever Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard, BK08 Portable Folding Keyboard with Touchpad (Sync Up to 3 Devices), Pocket-Sized Tri-fold Wireless Travel Keyboard for iPad Mac iPhone Android Windows iOS, Silver
Link: Amazon.ca
Issues:
When I am already in the app with an operation open and THEN turn on the external keyboard it appears that Polo restarts to the splash screen then presents the list of operations which then i have to chose the current operation again.
When using the external keyboard and entering a new call sign (eg VE3FCQ) each keystroke would re-write previous characters (ie. VVEVE3VE3FVE3FCVE3FCQ. I finally found the solution was to turn off Auto Predict. However I can’t now remember if I did this at the Tablet or Application level. I should have documented it.
The Tab Key works on some of the Operations Field such as the following Tab orders:
Time: Space gets you into sub menu, however time and date sub fields fail to follow
Freq: Space to get into sub fileds > Band > Freq > mode
Power: Space gets you into sub-fields > Tab returns you to the start of the button fields (ie. Time)
P2P: Space gets you into sub-field > Tab returns you to the start of the button field (ie. Time)
Notes: Space gets you into sub-field > Tab returns you to the start of the button field (ie. Time)
The tab key fails for the following tab orders
Time > Time > Date: Space does not get you into the sub-fileds. Tab does not move you to the next field or to take you out of sub-field.
More: Space Brings me to the MORE screen, but tab order does not seem to exist here. I would expect TIME field to be highlighted, and tab order move sequentially left to right. I tested all fields on this screen, NONE responded to a tab key press.
Self-Spotting: Space gets you into the sub-field, however if the freq is not set then no cursor appears, however a message stationg “First set a frequency to spot” appears. Interestingly, in addition to NO cursor appearing in the Comments sub-field, the cursor moves to THEIR CALL field, and not the FREQ Field with Band, Freq, mode Sub fields.
Tab order always seems to start at TIME, even if another Filed is deselected and highlighted (eg P2P). I would expect a tab to bring me to NOTES, instead tab brings me back to TIME. Interestingly if I select and highlight TIME and press tab nothing happens. I have to select ANY other field then hit Tab. Annoying.
More Controls: Space gets you into sub window. However you can’t select any of the presented tabs to add or remove.
Suggestions:
Existing Tab Orders:
When I am done in the last sub-filed (eg. Mode), I would expect a tab to bring me to the next filed grouping (ie. POwer), and not the first grouping, Time.
IF the current operating record DOES NOT include a frequency, ensure that the tab order from SELF-SPOTTING sends operator to FREQ field and sub-fields.
Broken Tab Orders
Perhaps hitting ESC can get you out of the sub-fields and back to the THEIR CALL field.
Go to THEIR CALL field during the main Tab Order sequence, in this case after highlighting the DELETE/BACKSPACE/CLEAR icon.
Highly recommend adding tab orders to the MORE CONTROLS sub-selection.
QSO Tab Order
I’d love to see a functioning tab order to cycle through the following tab order:
THEIR CALL > SENT > RCVD > STATE > ENTER/ADD
The tab order SHOULD start again with THEIR CALL, as this would be the typical flow when managing a pile up as an activator.
To cycle through the other Fields (eg Time, Freq, Power, etc) perhaps we could start with a CTRL+Tab or ALT+Tab sequenece to get into those fileds and a simple tab to cycle through them.
At the end of cycling through fields, the tab order should return to THEIR CALL.
I hope I sufficiently documented the current state and one perspective on an ideal end state. I would be happy to clarify further as required.
I just learned about and tried using SPACE to TAB through the QSO record fields. I even learned that if you press SPACE at the end of the final field it will return to the first field, but at the end of the text when you can enter a comma searated list of additional operators, this could prove very handy.
