General FAQs

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To compose a word using ShapeWriter, use your finger to trace from letter to letter. For example, for the word 'this', trace from the t key to the h key to the i key to the s key. ShapeWriter will recognize the word and display it on the screen. Then, continue on to the next word. Each stroke gesture will produce a new word. Spaces are automatically inserted between words. Ignore repeated letters -- so for the word "look", simply trace 'l-o-k'. Punctuation, numbers and various other symbols can be typed using the secondary key panel.

If the traced word is not what you intended, you may select a different word from the alternatives list above the keyboard. These alternatives are words that closely match your most recent stroke gesture. You can also correct previous words by repositioning the caret anywhere within the boundaries of the word that you are interested in. The original list of alternative words will appear and you can select any one of them to replace the word on the screen. Capitalization is automatic, but you may change it using the 'Case' key. The 'Case' key cycles through various cases of the word or character preceding the caret. ShapeWriter recognizes over 50,000 words but if the word you want is not recognized, you can type it once and you will be prompted to add it to ShapeWriter's lexicon. Then you can shape write it the next time. You can also shape write application commands by starting your stroke gesture at the command key. For example, to replay your last stroke gesture, trace the word "replay" starting at the command key.

Shape writing a word
Simply slide your finger through the letters that make up the word, in sequence. For instance, to write the word fun, slide your finger from f to u then to n on the soft keyboard. When you lift your finger, ShapeWriter puts the most likely word in the Writing Pad. If it is not the word you meant, you may find your intended word in the alternative word above the keyboard. You do not need to add space. Spacing and capitalization is automatic.

Changing capitalization
AFTER you entered a word or tapped a letter, pressing the "case" key on the soft keyboard cycles through all cases, such as iPhone > IPHONE > iphone > Iphone > iPhone. There are two case for changing capitalization.

1. If you want to change the capitalization of one whole word, you just need to put the caret behind the word and click the "case" key. It will go through all the cases as mentioned above.
2. If you want to change the capitalization of one character, you only need to put the caret behind the character and click the "case" key. It will change the character to "Upper" or "Lower" case.

Writing words that contain double letters
Ignore repeated letters. For instance to write look just trace l-o-k. In cases like to or too, ShapeWriter will display the more common word. The other word can be selected in the alternative list.

Changing the keyboard layout
Click on the menu key you will find alternative keyboard layouts. In particular ATOMIK is an optimized layout for shorter finger motion and better word shapes. It requires some learning but once you get used to it you will be even faster at shape writing.

CMD key
Depending on the version and device platform, ShapeWriter can handle different commands. At the minimum, you should be able to draw CMD-r-e (or CMD-r-e-p, or CMD-r-e-p-l-a-y) for "Replay". It will replay the last shape writing trace you made.



iPhone FAQs

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You can use ShapeWriter to store notes and send emails instead of using the standard iPhone keyboard. When you first launch WritingPad, you will see a list of all the notes stored on your iPhone. If it's your first time using WritingPad, you will see several notes already stored on your iPhone to help you get started. To create a new note, tap the plus button on the top-right of the screen. A blank note will appear for you to enter text. You will also see the ShapeWriter keyboard at the bottom half of the screen.

To compose a word using ShapeWriter, use your finger to trace from letter to letter. For example, for the word 'this', trace from the t key to the h key to the i key to the s key. ShapeWriter will recognize the word and display it on the screen. Then, continue on to the next word. Each stroke gesture will produce a new word. Spaces are automatically inserted between words. Ignore repeated letters — so for the word "look", simply trace 'l-o-k'. Punctuation, numbers and various other symbols can be typed using the secondary key panel.

If the traced word is not what you intended, you may select a different word from the alternatives list above the keyboard. These alternatives are words that closely match your most recent stroke gesture. You can also correct previous words by repositioning the caret anywhere within the boundaries of the word that you are interested in. The original list of alternative words will appear and you can select any one of them to replace the word on the screen. Capitalization is automatic, but you may change it using the 'Case' key. The 'Case' key cycles through various cases of the word or character preceding the caret. ShapeWriter recognizes over 50,000 words but if the word you want is not recognized, you can type it once and you will be prompted to add it to ShapeWriter's lexicon. Then you can shape write it the next time. You can also shape write application commands by starting your stroke gesture at the command key. For example, to replay your last stroke gesture, trace the word "replay" starting at the command key.

Sending and replying to email
Notes created in WritingPad can be emailed using the iPhone's built-in email program. When you're finished with a note, press the email button and a new message will appear containing the text of your note. You may also reply to email by leaving the Mail program with your reply message open and then using the email button in WritingPad.

Selecting email account if I have multiple accounts
Tap the "From" field after entering the email interface. You can also change the default account in iPhone "Settings".

Adding new words and names
Although ShapeWriter has a lexicon consisting of almost 60,000 words and names, obscure or unusual words and names may be missing. To add a word to the lexicon, tap the word letter by letter then tap the space key, ShapeWriter will prompt you to add that word to its lexicon. You can then shape write the word the next time.

Deleting a note
To delete a note, simply cross it off the note list by swiping your finger across its title. You can also delete a note after it's been opened by tapping the delete button (it's the trash can icon on the bottom left of the screen).

Note on upgrade
A small percentage of our users have reporting losing their notes after an upgrade. We are actively making efforts to identify and resolve this issue. Meanwhile, we have also noted that many other developers have also reported similar problem with application upgrade, i.e. program crashing.  As a precaution, please backup your data using iTunes before installing the upgrade.



Google Android FAQs

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Coming Soon



Windows Mobile FAQs

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Coming Soon



Windows Vista and Windows XP

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How does text flow out to an application?
You must select an application to receive text from ShapeWriter by clicking on the application’s window to make it the focus window. As you enter text, it flows from the left end of the edit buffer to the application you selected. If you want to send text to the application before the edit buffer is full, you can do so by clicking on the Enter or Send key.

Automatically snap parts of a word together
ShapeWriter snaps together words and common suffixes. For instance, to write coding you can write code and ing and ShapeWriter will automatically combine them into coding. Similarly, you can write Jim and 's and ShapeWriter will automatically combine the parts into Jim’s . To undo the snapped word, click the word and choose Split... from the pull-down menu. The snapped word will be split into its original parts.

Choosing a target application
When you start ShapeWriter you need to select a target application to accept text. A "No active window" prompt will display until a target window is selected. Click on the window that you want to receive text output from ShapeWriter. Whichever window has focus will receive Shapewriter text.

Edit buffer
By default words recognized by ShapeWriter go to the edit buffer above the keys. Words automatically flow from the edit buffer into the target window. Or you can press Enter or Send at any time. Stroking the stylus across the left edge of the edit buffer toggles the edit buffer on or off. When the edit buffer is off, text is entered directly into the target window but without editing or automatic capitalization. With the edit buffer off, you may select whether you want automatic space on or off. Autospace off is convenient when entering urls and email addresses.

Enabling or disabling the phantom cursor
To see the keyboard more easily, you can turn on a phantom cursor so that your hand and stylus do not obscure the keyboard. The phantom cursor can be enabled or disabled through the Menu key. When enabled use a stylus on the gray drawing area to control the cursor, which will appear in the keyboard area.

Adding new words and names to the lexicon
Although ShapeWriter has a lexicon consisting of almost 60,000 words and names, obscure or unusual words and names may be missing. When ShapeWriter doesn't recognize a word you are trying to enter, and it doesn't appear in the alternative list, then it needs to be added to the lexicon. To add a word to the lexicon, tap the word using the keyboard. It will be outlined with a dashed rectangle. Click the word and select "Add to lexicon". You can then ShapeWrite the word the next time. Words added to the lexicon are kept in a separate file named data/cache/userlex.xml in the res directory where ShapeWriter was installed. This allows you to edit the words and carry your personalized lexicon with you to a future release of ShapeWriter.

Deleting a word
To delete an individual word draw a stroke through the word in the edit buffer from bottom to top or left to right. You can delete multiple words in sequence by drawing a continuous stroke through them all.

Repositioning the insertion point in the buffer
You can change the insertion point to a different place by drawing a stroke from top to bottom within the edit buffer. You can place the insertion point within a tapped word but you cannot place the insertion point within a shape written word. Editing ShapeWritten words is primarily done by using the alternative list.

Sending a command
You can issue commands, such as Copy and Paste, to the target window using "command strokes" in ShapeWriter. To issue the command Copy, position the pen on the Ctrl key; slide the pen to the c-o-p-y keys and release.

When a command is sent it is displayed on top of the keyboard. The letters in yellow show the least number of letters needed. For example Ctrl-p-a-s will also issue the command Paste.