GameMaker Studio Virtual Keyboard

*For use in GameMaker Studio 1.4.x (Legacy)*

For a long time I have been trying to find a solution for mobile inputs without the built in "get_string()" function in GameMaker because I hate the popup box. I have found probably two virtual keyboard plugins in my time of searching and one of them doesn't work at all, and the other is too expensive. My solution was to just program my own simplistic Android themed virtual keyboard. It's not a perfect solution... Using GM's weird touch controls (which are basically just mouse click functions with multi-device checks), you will have to program your own touch exceptions to prevent clicking on things THROUGH the keyboard, but I have included a "virtual_keyboard_isopen()" check script so you can prevent any sorts of inputs while the keyboard is open :)

This keyboard features a functional shift button, and two pages of keys including the alphabetic and numeric keyboard. It's quite basic, but it's pretty much all you need for most applications. If you happen to need more functionality, it's so simple in fact that you can most likely add anything you'd like!

Setup:

• Place "o_virtual_globals" in the very first room in your project.

That's it! Now you can open the keyboard from any object, any event, and any room!

• virtual_keyboard_open() - Opens the keyboard
• get_virtual_input() - Captures the input. 

/// Any updating event (Step, Draw, Draw GUI, etc.)
var input = get_virtual_input();
draw_text(0, 0, input);

• set_virtual_input(string) - Sets the default string (use this if you are using some sort of textbox that saves text even when you're not typing in it)
• virtual_keyboard_close() - Closes keyboard
• virtual_keyboard_isopen() - Checks if the keyboard is currently open (use this for things like insuring you can't tap something else while the keyboard is open, or so a player can't walk while the keyboard is open)