11.2.0/Keyboard Testing

11.2.0 Keyboard Testing

As part of the 11.2.0 release process, the Keyboard layouts used by XO laptops have been added to the reference set maintained at www.freedesktop.org. This allows us to include their reference set of keyboard layouts without having to modify them to include XO-specific settings.

However the freedesktop.org team also has made a number of suggestions to improve the way XO keyboards are defined. It is therefore necessary to test these changes in order to make sure that every XO keyboard design used in the field works properly.

Testing Requirements

• You need an XO 1 or 1.5 that is unlocked (either by default or via a developer key) in order to install the current 11.2.0 test builds. Laptops secured to only accept signed builds cannot be used. Please note you will lose all data stored on the XO while upgrading.
• Ideally, you should also have an XO with a non-English keyboard.
• If possible, you should also have a non-XO keyboard for another computer which is designed for the same language for comparison purposes.

Testing Procedure

1. Install the latest 11.2.0 test build, following the instructions shown on the page. Note that the XO-1 reflash procedure has changed from previous builds, and the Sugar UI will look different and still have bugs.
2. Verify that all the special keys in the first row work properly:
   • The Search key should take you to the Journal page.
   • The Frame key should toggle the display of Sugar's menu frame.
   • The Brightness (Small & Large Suns) and Volume Controls should control the screen brightness and audio output volume of the XO respectively.
   • The various view selection keys should work:
     • takes you to the Neighborhood View
     • takes you to the Friends View (which may be empty except for the center XO icon)
     • takes you to Sugar's Home View
     • takes you to whatever activity was last used, or the Journal if no activities are open
3. Start an activity such as Write (the exact name may be translated) which allows keyboard input to be used.
4. When typing in the activity, verify that all the basic keys symbols (those shown on the keyboard as typed without pressing any modifying key) work properly. The <erase> and <Enter> keys, also should work.
5. The arrow keys along with their <Shift> reachable Page Up/Down and Home/End accelerators should work, provided there is text for them to move the cursor to.
6. Verify that pressing <Shift>, <Mayus>, or your languages' equivalent allows you to type all Shift-accessible characters (typically uppercase letters), and that the proper character for Shift-selectable items (typically shown immediately above the main character)
7. If your keyboard supports typing accented characters, verify that you can type accented letters like "á" using the appropriate key or key combination for all possible accent types. Characters which are directly printable by using the <Alt Gr> key to reach them should be tested as well.
8. If there are uppercase or alternative characters reachable by pressing both <Shift> and <Alt Gr>, please test those as well.
9. If your XO keyboard supports toggling between languages, please test the swapping key as well as the alternate language.
10. If your XO keyboard supports character composition from multiple strokes, please test that as well.
11. If I missed something above you are aware of, please test it (and update this procedure).
12. If time permits, please test the above with more than one activity.

Definite Bugs

Please file a bug report at dev.laptop.org and/or leave a comment below if:

• A character absolutely necessary for entering your language is missing from the keyboard, or cannot be typed properly.
• If any modifier key works improperly. Be sure to test both modification keys for items such as <Shift> which may be found on both sides of the keyboard.
• If the XO keyboard unexpectedly behaves differently than another keyboard with the same layout. (For US International keyboard users: The fact that the Right <Alt> is replaced by <Alt Gr> for internationalization purposes is expected.)
• If the order for "dead keys" you expect to type accented characters is reversed from other keyboards of the same type used to type your language. That is to say if you normally type the accent followed by a vowel, and instead have to type the vowel followed by an accent, that is a bug. (US International keyboards do reverse this order as compared to proper keyboards for langauges such as Spanish.)
• If you cannot reverse text direction for typing languages like Arabic.
• If a multi-stroke character in a language such as Chinese cannot be composed.
• If your XO keyboard natively supports more than one language layout, and you cannot reach one or more alternative layout(s) by using the "keyboard switching key" typically found below the <Enter> button.

Known Issues

• The Sugar "Keyboard" Control Panel introduced by 11.2.0 does not yet work on XO laptops. However it is not necessary to use it for the test procedure shown above.