Help Swipe input not working when locked

[rogerl50]

I use SwiftKey on my new Turbo (and used it on my S3 before that). Apparently you cannot use the swipe input on the locked screen. I asked Textra (which I use for texting) about it and they said it was "a firmware issue on some phones". Is that correct, and is there any workaround? This is very inconvenient. Thanks.

 

[Thom]

Welcome to Android Forums.

I may be confused as to what you mean by "swipe input".

If I specify Swipe for screen lock it works if I swipe up on the screen. I tried it for you in the default launcher and Nova Launcher Prime.

I never saw the utility in Swipe and have always used None. I also use Tasker to darken by screen unless I am making a call in which case it is left on.

... Thom

 

[rogerl50]

Sorry, terminology problem, or perhaps I don't understand what you said in your response. Perhaps I should have written "Swype input". When unlocked, the Turbo allows swype input (input text without lifting finger), but apparently does not when locked.

 

[Thom]

Closer.

What are you trying to do when the screen is locked? I assumed you just wanted to use the Swipe to unlock feature.

If your point is that you can not :swipe: between the digits of a PIN ... that is correct.

If what you are trying to do is swipe between the digits of a PIN ... why don't you just use a pattern lock?

... Thom

 

[rogerl50]

When I receive a text and swipe up from the initial screen to read it, I still have a PIN lock on my screen. I have the phone set up so I can both read and respond to texts from that PIN-locked screen. It is there that I want to be able to use the swype-to-text feature - to respond to a text. Sorry I've been unclear; hope that's clearer.

 

[Thom]

What SMS app are you using?

How are instructing "it" to allow you to read and write SMS messages on the lock screen?

... Thom

 

[rogerl50]

I'm using Textra. There is a setting in Textra that allows "Quick Compose - send messages from Notification Drawer" that indeed allows writing of text messages from the PIN entry screen. I wrote Textra about this issue and they told me that there was a firmware issue that prevented the use of Swype text entry when the screen was locked. (Sorry I've been so unclear. I didn't think through all the variables before posting. Hope this is clear now.)

 

[Thom]

If you have a notification and click on it twice it will ask for a pin (I would use pattern instead) and when you give it it looks like it goes to the standard Textra composition area. Do the normal thing and send the message.

I am obviously missing some need (since I don't normally use a pin or a pattern).

You have to unlock before you can send ... right?

What's missing? Where is it missing?

Maybe someone who uses Textra with a pin code security can step in here.

... Thom

 

[doogald]

Just for clarity's sake, swiftkey's swipe to type option is called "flow".

Sorry I don't have an answer. I would send a support question into swiftkey, which has been responsive to me in the past, and see if they have an answer.

For Thom's sake, the issue is that swiftkey has a feature called flow that allows you to trace through letters on the keyboard without lifting your finger to input words, rather than tapping on each key. Google's stock keyboard supports this as well, which they call "gesture typing". And rogerl50 wants to be able to use a feature that tetra supports to reply to messages without unlocking his phone.

Again - I'd try contacting swiftkey and see if they can provide an answer, or perhaps an update that fixes the bug you're having.

 

[rogerl50]

Just for clarity's sake, swiftkey's swipe to type option is called "flow".

Sorry I don't have an answer. I would send a support question into swiftkey, which has been responsive to me in the past, and see if they have an answer.

For Thom's sake, the issue is that swiftkey has a feature called flow that allows you to trace through letters on the keyboard without lifting your finger to input words, rather than tapping on each key. Google's stock keyboard supports this as well, which they call "gesture typing". And rogerl50 wants to be able to use a feature that tetra supports to reply to messages without unlocking his phone.

Again - I'd try contacting swiftkey and see if they can provide an answer, or perhaps an update that fixes the bug you're having.

Thanks. I tried talking to Textra, but you are correct, SwiftKey was the right vendor. They have a FAQ on their site that says that they disabled flow from the lockscreen due to a Lollipop issue that caused flickering in that situation. They claim to be working on it. Thanks for the pointer.

 

[Thom]

Thanks for the help doogald. It has been interesting.

On the Turbo with Textra and Swiftkey and FLOW and QICKCOMPOSE on with PIN lock enabled and screen locked.

When a message arrives two notifications are shown ... the notification at the top of the screen for Quick Compose and the one in the center of the screen for notifications. (Assuming you authorized the second one when setting up PIN lock.)

I can click on the one at the top and compose and send a response without entering the PIN. Flow is disabled. (I am still trying to think that one through ... send a message identified as from me using my phone while it is locked? Is this a (bad) joke?).

How about ... someone is having a disagreement with you ... sends you a message to your locked phone ... picks up your locked phone and sends a response identified as coming from you? Wow.

I can double click on the one in the center of the screen, enter the pin code, enter a response in the normal manner and send it. Flow works normally.

So ... the question is ... how to do away with the extra click and enter the pin code?

Extra click ... always be there ... how about a pattern instead of a pin removing the need to tap in numbers?

No click no PIN code no pattern ... set security lock to None.

... Thom

 

[rogerl50]

Yes, it does seem unusual to allow sending a response without entering the PIN, but for me the usefulness outweighs anything else.

The idea here is not to get rid of the extra click, but to allow flow on the PIN screen. (BTW, this worked fine on 4.4 on my Galaxy S3).

Also BTW, I don't use the standard lockscreen pin entry, but rather Delayed Lock, which gives me the security benefits of a PIN lock and allows it to be disabled when I'm in a trusted domain (like at home, connected to my WiFi, or in my car on my Bluetooth.) Great app.

 

[Thom]

Well you get to choose now ... which is more important ... flow or respond without entering PIN.

You say the respond without entering a PIN is "unusual" I would characterize it as "absurd".

I use Tasker a lot. When playing with this for you I noticed that when the screen was locked and a message came in, Tasker would read the message to me before it showed up on the lock screen it two places.

... Thom