Steam Controller Onscreen Keyboard Focus Issue Linux

[FLiPpY]

Hi,

I am unable to use the Onscreen Keyboard of the Steam Controller on the Linux desktop.
The problem is that the window the keyboard is opened in is focused. Thus my input is not passed to the window where I want to type something. When I click the window I want to type in, the focus is changed and I can input something. However, I don't see the keyboard anymore because it is in the background, and I have to use the mouse for the click because the input of the controller is remapped by the keyboard.
I guess the problem is only related to the Linux version of the onscreen keyboard. I use Ubuntu 14.04.
Do you have an idea how to fix this? I think there must be a way because it should work on SteamOS, right?

Thanks for your help

[dtsviper]

The Steam Controller is designed to work in Big Picture Mode, not desktop mode. There may be some workarounds for that, but I am not aware of any.

[FLiPpY]

I did not use the desktop mode of steam. I used Big Picture Mode minimized but want to controll my Linux desktop. This works fine except for the onscreen keyboard.

[WindyBlod]

Just bind the window switching of your choice (i.e Alt-Tab) to mouse button 6 or 7 in your window manager. These are bound to the paddles underneath the Steam controller by default. Then you can switch effortlessly between focusing the text input and the onscreen keyboard.

This works for me in Compiz (0.8) using the scale plugin.

[WindyBlod]

I've been playing with this a bit more and it seems Steam/controller thinks mouse buttons 6 and 7 are buttons 4 and 5. Odd. Could just be my setup of course.

[FLiPpY]

Thanks for your help. I have two problems with your suggestion because switching the window with something like alt-tab would bring the keyboard behind the other window so I dont see it anymore. Also I am not sure if pressing the paddles works for me because they are already bound by the keyboard to switch to capital letters or symbols.

However your hint with compiz helped me. I set up the Focus stealing prevention, so the window I want to enter something in keeps being focused. But now the Keyboard starts in the back. Now I am searching for a way to keep the Keyboard always on top automatically.

[FLiPpY]

Now it works as I want it to.

I had to install the Window Rules plugin for compiz (in Ubuntu 'sudo apt-get install compiz-plugins'). Then I could create rules for 'Steam Keyboard' to be always above and not focused. For the focus, I also had to change the strength of the Focus stealing prevention under common settings/focus&raise behavior to normal.
I like it. Maybe I add some more rules to make the keyboard half-transparent and fix the placement on the screen.

Thanks for your help pretty noose

[WindyBlod]

You're welcome, glad you found a solution :)

[dtsviper]

Originally posted by FLiPpY:

I did not use the desktop mode of steam. I used Big Picture Mode minimized but want to controll my Linux desktop. This works fine except for the onscreen keyboard.

Ah, I missed that in your OP.

[Biggybi Gybbigy]

Same issue with Ubuntu 15.04 / 15.10 / 16.04, using Gnome 3.18.
Can't tip in any text on my desktop with the controller and Steam keyboard.
The windows seem to lose the focus when the keyboard is summoned.
It used to work well...
Still OK on Windows, though. Wich is worst.

[FLiPpY]

I solved the issue as described earlier. Nevertheless Valve should solve that for all people.

[Biggybi Gybbigy]

Originally posted by FLiPpY:

I solved the issue as described earlier. Nevertheless Valve should solve that for all people.

Yes, thank you for the tip !
Problem is I'm not using Compiz but Gnome Shell, a different window manager (for Gnome, obviously).
I'm trying to figure out a similar workaround using dconf-editor (the equivalent tool in Gnome for Compiz customization).
Not sure I'll be able to do it though, but in case I do I'll let know here.

[Beru]

Hey guys, I'm putting this here in case someone else found this post while googling: You can get the steam controller's on screen keyboard working in Gnome by installing Devilspie and adding the following config to your ~/.devilspie directory:

(if
(is (window_name) "Steam Keyboard")
(begin
(undecorate)
(wintype "dock")
)
)

I'm on Arch and this is how I've got it setup, works fine.

[Biggybi Gybbigy]

Originally posted by Beru nope, nada, no thanks:

Hey guys, I'm putting this here in case someone else found this post while googling: You can get the steam controller's on screen keyboard working in Gnome by installing Devilspie and adding the following config to your ~/.devilspie directory:

(if
(is (window_name) "Steam Keyboard")
(begin
(undecorate)
(wintype "dock")
)
)

I'm on Arch and this is how I've got it setup, works fine.

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude !
You're awesome !
This works like a charm.
Big Picture must be running minimized, though (I think this is the way Valve wants it to be).

Been looking around to find a fix without success for hours.
Thank you so much !

Note for myself and others :
I set up devilspie to launch at startup (there's an app for that).
The code droped by Beru you must be in a .ds file, e.g. steam_keyboard.ds.
The .devilspie directory is not created automatically. You need to create it by your own.

So ok, here's a script.
$ sudo apt-get install devilspie # install devilspie
$ mkdir ~/.devilspie # create devilspie folder
$ echo -e "(if\n(is (window_name) \"Steam Keyboard\")\n(begin\n(undecorate)\n(wintype \"dock\")\n))" > ~/.devilspie/steam_keyboard.ds # create the .ds file

One-line version
$ sudo apt-get install devilspie && mkdir ~/.devilspie && echo -e "(if\n(is (window_name) \"Steam Keyboard\")\n(begin\n(undecorate)\n(wintype \"dock\")\n))" > ~/.devilspie/steam_keyboard.ds

[ScrewAttackThis]

Originally posted by Beru oha, ohal oldu:

Hey guys, I'm putting this here in case someone else found this post while googling: You can get the steam controller's on screen keyboard working in Gnome by installing Devilspie and adding the following config to your ~/.devilspie directory:

(if
(is (window_name) "Steam Keyboard")
(begin
(undecorate)
(wintype "dock")
)
)

I'm on Arch and this is how I've got it setup, works fine.

Thank you. This is great. Devilspie isn't maintained anymore so I'm gonna try making a rule using Devilspie2 (they're not compatible).

[RustyButter]

This information is very valuable to me. Being new to Linux having a hell of a time learning everything though! Will try the Compiz method tonight. Is it just a setting to change focus rules?