Skip to main content

Virtual Keyboard

DOS games often need keyboard input — to type your name into a high-score table, to use cheat console commands (like DOOM's IDDQD), or to control the game with full key set. The Virtual Keyboard is a full QWERTY overlay you can summon when needed.

TODO: Virtual Keyboard overlay on DOS game

Showing and hiding the keyboard​

In the DOS Player:

  • Tap the keyboard icon in the toolbar (or use a configured button) to slide the keyboard up.
  • Tap outside the keyboard area to dismiss it.

Customizing appearance​

Open Edit Keyboard from the Game Detail page. The editor exposes:

SettingEffect
Text colorColor of letters / numbers on keys
Background colorColor of the keyboard surround
Button backgroundColor of each individual key
Red button backgroundColor for special keys (Esc, Enter, Ctrl, etc.)
HeightTotal keyboard height as a percentage of screen
Font sizeLetter size on keys
Font weightLight / regular / bold

All settings are saved per game so you can tune the keyboard for the specific contrast of a game's color palette.

Layouts per console type​

Different system contexts can have different keyboard layouts:

  • DOS — standard PC QWERTY (alphanumeric + function keys + arrows)
  • DOSBOX — same as DOS, with additional core hotkeys (F11, F12 for emulator menus)
  • Arcade — minimal layout: insert coin, start, P1/P2 select, and a row of action keys

Pick the layout from the Edit Keyboard screen.

Macro keys​

For DOS / DOSBox you can define macro keys — buttons that send a sequence of keystrokes when tapped. Examples:

  • A "Save & Quit" macro that types save<enter>quit<enter> in a DOS adventure game
  • A "godmode" macro that sends iddqd<enter> in DOOM

Add macros in the Edit Keyboard screen → Add Macro Key, then type the sequence.

DOS Specific Settings​

A dedicated DOS Specific Settings section in Input Controls lets you also map the Android back button:

  • Back → Save state — back button saves and resumes (useful for hardcore DOS games without quicksave)
  • Back → Right-click — back button sends RMB (common for adventure games that use RMB for menus)

Show only what you need​

You don't need to leave the keyboard up all the time. The typical flow:

  1. Game asks for input (or you press the keyboard icon).
  2. Slide keyboard up, type.
  3. Dismiss with a tap outside.