src/tech/input/validate-keymaps.md

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# Validate Keymaps Tool #

The Android framework has a small tool called `validatekeymaps` to validate the
syntax of input device configuration files, key layout files, key character
maps files and virtual key definition files.

## Compilation ##

To compile `validatekeymaps`, set up the development environment, download
the Android source tree, compile it, then run:

    $ mmm frameworks/base/tools/validatekeymaps

This command should compile a host tool called validatekeymaps into the
`out/host/&lt;os&gt;/bin` directory.

## Usage ##

If you ran `envsetup.sh` to set up your development environment, then the
`validatekeymaps` tool should already be on your path.  You can verify
this by running `validatekeymaps`.

    $ validatekeymaps

    Keymap Validation Tool

    Usage:
     validatekeymaps [*.kl] [*.kcm] [*.idc] [virtualkeys.*] [...]
       Validates the specified key layouts, key character maps, 
       input device configurations, or virtual key definitions.

Then all you need to do is run `validatekeymaps` an give it the path of
one or more files to validate.

    $ validatekeymaps frameworks/base/data/keyboards/Generic.kl

    Validating file 'frameworks/base/data/keyboards/Generic.kl'...
    No errors.

    Success.

And if there is an error...

    $ validatekeymaps Bad.kl

    Validating file 'Bad.kl'...
    E/KeyLayoutMap(87688): Bad.kl:24: Expected keyword, got 'ke'.
    Error -22 parsing key layout file.

    Failed!

## Automation ##

It is a *very* good idea to run `validatekeymaps` on all configuration files
before installing them on a device.

The process can easily be automated as part of the build system by using a
script or a makefile.

The following sample makefile is based on the contents of
`frameworks/base/data/keyboards/Android.mk`.

    # This makefile performs build time validation of framework keymap files.

    LOCAL_PATH := $(call my-dir)

    # Validate all key maps.
    include $(CLEAR_VARS)

    validatekeymaps := $(HOST_OUT_EXECUTABLES)/validatekeymaps$(HOST_EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX)
    files := MyKeyboard.kl MyKeyboard.kcm MyTouchScreen.idc

    LOCAL_MODULE := validate_framework_keymaps
    LOCAL_MODULE_TAGS := optional
    LOCAL_REQUIRED_MODULES := validatekeymaps

    validate_framework_keymaps: $(files)
        $(hide) $(validatekeymaps) $(files)

    include $(BUILD_PHONY_PACKAGE)