Question

I have the following the layout file

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
        xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/com.company" 
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:background="#CCCCCC"
        android:orientation="horizontal" 
        android:id="@+id/main">

        <com.company.DrawView
            android:id="@+id/draw_view" 
            android:layout_width="900dp"
            android:layout_height="500dp"
            android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
            android:background="#CCCC00" />

        <LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_toRightOf="@id/draw_view"
            android:orientation="horizontal">
        <Button
            android:id="@+id/btn1"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:textSize="10dp"
            android:clickable="true"
            android:onClick="buttonClicked"
            android:text="button" />

        <EditText 
            android:id="@+id/text1"
            android:textSize="5dp"
            android:inputType="text"
            android:layout_width="0dp"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_weight="0.0"
            android:maxWidth="5dp"
            android:visibility="invisible"
            android:gravity="bottom"
            />
        </LinearLayout>
    </RelativeLayout>

Whenever I set the focus on the EditText, it is expanding and filling up the top half of the screen and the soft keyboard is filling up the bottom half of the screen. What should I do retain the size of the EditText and show the soft keyboard?

The intent is to capture the key strokes (on the soft keyboard) of the user and use it on another part of the application.

Edit 1:
I’m using sdk-version 15 and I am on macbook if that helps. Adding the manifest file.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.company"
    android:versionCode="1"
    android:versionName="1.0" >
    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="15" />
    <application
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name" >
        <activity
            android:name=".ChalkrText"
            android:label="@string/app_name"
            android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustNothing" >
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>
</manifest>

Answer 1

I found a work around by showing the soft keyboard on clicking a button and overriding the dispatchKeyEvent in the Activity to capture the key strokes. I didn’t need the EditText and it wasn’t required to show the soft keyboard.

This is to show the soft keyboard:

InputMethodManager imm = (InputMethodManager) getSystemService(Context.INPUT_METHOD_SERVICE);
imm.toggleSoftInput(InputMethodManager.SHOW_FORCED, InputMethodManager.HIDE_IMPLICIT_ONLY);

This is the dispatchKeyEvent:

public boolean dispatchKeyEvent(KeyEvent event) {
/**
 * ACTION_MULTIPLE is for keys with special characters like ©
 * British Pound sign etc. These keys do not generate the ACTION_DOWN
 * or ACTION_UP events.
 * 
 * Only the ACTION_DOWN is handled. ACTION_UP is ignored to avoid
 * duplication of the letters that the user wants to type.
 */
if (event.getAction() == KeyEvent.ACTION_DOWN ||
    event.getAction() == KeyEvent.ACTION_MULTIPLE) {

    DrawView dview = (DrawView) findViewById(R.id.draw_view);
        Log.v(LOG_TAG, "c = " + event.getKeyCode() + 
                    ", l = " + event.getDisplayLabel() + 
                    ", u = " + event.getUnicodeChar() +
                    ", uc = " + (char)event.getUnicodeChar() + 
                    ", chars = " + event.getCharacters()
            );
        dview.addText(event);
}
return true;
}

This is the addText method where the concerned event is handled:

public void addText(KeyEvent event) {
    int unicode = event.getUnicodeChar();
    int keycode = event.getKeyCode();
    String characters = event.getCharacters();

    if (unicode == 0) {
        switch (keycode) {
        case 0:
            if (characters != null) {
                text += characters;
            }
            break;
        case KeyEvent.KEYCODE_DEL:
            text = text.substring(0, text.length()-1);
            break;
        case KeyEvent.KEYCODE_SHIFT_LEFT:
        case KeyEvent.KEYCODE_SHIFT_RIGHT:
            // ignore, nothing to do
            break;
        }
    }
    else {
        text = text + (char)unicode;
    }

    invalidate();
}

These are the posts that set me in the right direction:
How to Capture soft keyboard input in a View?
Can I use the soft keyboard without an EditText?