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Arrow keys missing - big flaw

Richard8655

Richard8655

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 11, 2009
2,027
1,497
Chicago suburbs
I know this has been discussed before. But lack of arrow keys to me is a big issue and flaw with the product. Many websites present a dialog or input entry box that is impossible to scroll and navigate in, without arrow keys. This even includes this website where once you enter your comments and attempt to go back to edit, you can't scroll within the data entry window.

Am I missing some new functionality with iPad that provides cursor navigation, or is everyone experiencing the same problem?
 
I may have completely misunderstood your post. But you can move the cursor by holding your finger down on the screen inside a text box.
 
Hold your finger in the input box so the magnifying glass appears and drag off the box to the left or right of the box and the text should scroll.
 
You can scroll inside of those boxes by using two fingers close together and sliding them up or down inside of the box.

It's a little inconvenient, and if you do a lot of editing, you'll sometimes find that there is an App available to make editing much easier. There are apps for Wordpress, and MediaWiki, and other popular types of sites.

(full disclosure: one of the wiki editing apps is mine.)
 
Yes, thanks guys, that does work (magnifying glass and 2 fingers screen control). Not well known and I didn't see these techniques described in the iPad user guide. Both a bit kludgy, but these are certainly better than nothing. Thanks again.
 
Two finger scroll sucks though, doesn't work right half the time.

You can also use a physical keyboard, USB (with adapter) or BT but I realize that's not really a 'solution'.
 
flopticalcube said:
On a similar note, I would like to see a small number row on the top of the alpha keyboard. It's pain to keep switching.
Click to expand...

Same here with this issue... much needed improvement. Looks like an external keyboard (per pooryou) or Apps (per Don) are the only available practical solutions for now.
 
Richard8655 said:
I know this has been discussed before. But lack of arrow keys to me is a big issue and flaw with the product. Many websites present a dialog or input entry box that is impossible to scroll and navigate in, without arrow keys. This even includes this website where once you enter your comments and attempt to go back to edit, you can't scroll within the data entry window.

Am I missing some new functionality with iPad that provides cursor navigation, or is everyone experiencing the same problem?
Click to expand...

Scroll in areas, such as a forum post box, with two fingers in the box at a time.
 
Yes, also agree the hold a finger down and magnifying glass idea is an unnecessary complication when just 1 press on a keyboard arrow would do the job 20x faster
 
I use iTap RDP Client and the keyboard it uses is perfect. It has another page with function keys, arrows, etc.

The stock keyboard needs another page with a numpad and some arrows. There is even room for a button for it. Switch to the number keyboard and there is an empty place where the ? key is.

I can't scroll sideways using the two finger method (for instance, in Safari's address bar) but can scroll vertically using this method. Do others share this experience or am I holding it wrong?

Does anybody know how to turn the keyboard black? I have seem some shots but can't find it in the interface.
 
I was hoping that the "more keyboard" types in the OS4.2 keynote speach meant we were going to see a five row keyboard (numbers on the top row), and dedicated cursor and DEL key.

Since no beat testers have reported this, I guess we will have to live without a fully functional keyboard awhile longer. Rats.

It is ironic that theipad keyboard doc has arrow keys. So someone at Apple must have felt they were needed.

I miss a good keyboard more then I miss flash.

Which isn't hard, since the only place I miss flash is at the vanguard website, and they do have an app for that (although not an HD one).
 
tmarks11 said:
Since no beat testers have reported this, I guess we will have to live without a fully functional keyboard awhile longer. Rats.
Click to expand...

On the flip side, I haven't heard from anyone about any of the new keyboards, and it was announced that there would be many new layouts coming (but no specifics, so I hope one of them is UK English Dvorak).
 
phyrexia said:
Does anybody know how to turn the keyboard black? I have seem some shots but can't find it in the interface.
Click to expand...

The black keyboard turns up with a long passcode lock. Not sure if it works now as I do not have a Passlock on but does in iOS4.
 
Even with two finger scrolling, it scrolls the text that I've written, but leaves the cursor where it was - in the physical position - in the box, such that the cursor ends up several lines down the text to where I wanted it. I flind moving the cursor in small news website text boxes to be incredibly frustrating.

I'm typing this on a bluetooth keyboard not a very good one mind you - the freedom pro. I did use the Apple BT keybaord for a while and it's a great keyboard but it's not very portable in a small ipad bag.
 
Have to agree

the single most frustrating thing on my iPad. It often takes longer to make small edits on an article than it does to type it.
 
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