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rPi Matchbox virtual keyboard

[last updated: 2025-02-28]
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      On This Page:
  • Installation and execution:
  • Editing:
  • Links:


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  • Matchbox is a program written in xml that displays a virtual keyboard on the screen on a raspberry Pi.
    I use it for my 7" touch screen.

  • Installed with program manager:
      $ sudo apt update
      $ sudo apt upgrade
      $ sudo apt install Matchbox-keyboard

  • Execute by going to start icon (usu. upper left of screen) -
    Accessories --> Keyboard
    This selection will execute a file named keyboard.xml,
    located in the /usr/share/Matchbox-keyboard folder.
      Or in terminal:
      $ matchbox-keyboard

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  • Editing:
    • The default configuration that was installed from the repository is very rudimentary,
      and did not begin to satisfy my needs, so I edited the xml file to customize it to my taste.


      In order to keep track of changes, I first:

        $ cd /usr/share/Matchbox-keyboard
        $ sudo cp keyboard.xml keyboard.xml.orig
        $ sudo cp keyboard.xml.orig keyboard.xml.edited

      Then I made edits to the keyboard.xml.edited file,
      and when I wanted to test/install my edited version,

        $ sudo cp keyboard.xml.edited keyboard.xml

      Then when you go to Accessories --> Keyboard,
      your edited version will be loaded.

        (Be sure to completely close - 'x' in upper right corner - your keyboard
        after viewing your edits, and before making new ones,
        else you'll end up with multiple different copies loaded,
        and things will get very confused - DAMHIK.)

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  • Snippets/Addendum
    • stuff here commented out for containing lt and gt chars...

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  • Links:

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