How to display a text above a Soft Keyboard in Android

Question

I'm trying to develop a custom soft keyboard in android. Reading about it, I couldn't find the way to display above, in the top of the soft keyboard, a text. I mean, I try to display the number of keys pressed. Instead of see "suggestions" from my soft keyboard, I want something like "Key Pressed: X", where "X" is the number that changes when a press a new key.

For example, if a type the following sequence "qwert", in the top of my soft keyboard, should see something like "Keys pressed: 5". If then, I press "y", the text must be updated to "Keys pressed: 6".

I've already implemented the logic behind this. I mean, I'm being able to count the numbers of keys pressed, but just can't show it like I want.

Is there a way to do it?

Thanks!

EDIT: I add the xml files so you can take a look what I have at this point

keyboard.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.inputmethodservice.KeyboardView
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@+id/keyboard"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
    android:keyPreviewLayout="@layout/preview"
/>

This is loaded as the KeyboardView. Then, I have

previel.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<TextView
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:gravity="center"
    android:background="#FFFF00"
    android:textStyle="bold"
    android:textSize="25sp"
    />

the template for the keys. And finally

keyboard.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Keyboard xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:keyWidth="10%p"
    android:horizontalGap="0px"
    android:verticalGap="0px"
    android:keyHeight="60dp"
    >
    <Row>
        <Key android:codes="49" android:keyLabel="1" android:keyEdgeFlags="left"/>
        <Key android:codes="50" android:keyLabel="2"/>
        <Key android:codes="51" android:keyLabel="3"/>
        <Key android:codes="52" android:keyLabel="4"/>
        <Key android:codes="53" android:keyLabel="5"/>
        <Key android:codes="54" android:keyLabel="6"/>
        <Key android:codes="55" android:keyLabel="7"/>
        <Key android:codes="56" android:keyLabel="8"/>
        <Key android:codes="57" android:keyLabel="9"/>
        <Key android:codes="48" android:keyLabel="0" android:keyEdgeFlags="right"/>
    </Row>
    <Row>
        <Key android:codes="113" android:keyLabel="q" android:keyEdgeFlags="left"/>
        <Key android:codes="119" android:keyLabel="w"/>
        <Key android:codes="101" android:keyLabel="e"/>
        <Key android:codes="114" android:keyLabel="r"/>
        <Key android:codes="116" android:keyLabel="t"/>
        <Key android:codes="121" android:keyLabel="y"/>
        <Key android:codes="117" android:keyLabel="u"/>
        <Key android:codes="105" android:keyLabel="i"/>
        <Key android:codes="111" android:keyLabel="o"/>
        <Key android:codes="112" android:keyLabel="p" android:keyEdgeFlags="right"/>
    </Row>
    <Row>
        <Key android:codes="97" android:keyLabel="a" android:keyEdgeFlags="left"/>
        <Key android:codes="115" android:keyLabel="s"/>
        <Key android:codes="100" android:keyLabel="d"/>
        <Key android:codes="102" android:keyLabel="f"/>
        <Key android:codes="103" android:keyLabel="g"/>
        <Key android:codes="104" android:keyLabel="h"/>
        <Key android:codes="106" android:keyLabel="j"/>
        <Key android:codes="107" android:keyLabel="k"/>
        <Key android:codes="108" android:keyLabel="l"/>
        <Key android:codes="35,64" android:keyLabel="\# \@" android:keyEdgeFlags="right"/>
    </Row>
    <Row>
        <Key android:codes="-1" android:keyLabel="CAPS" android:keyEdgeFlags="left"/>
        <Key android:codes="122" android:keyLabel="z"/>
        <Key android:codes="120" android:keyLabel="x"/>
        <Key android:codes="99" android:keyLabel="c"/>
        <Key android:codes="118" android:keyLabel="v"/>
        <Key android:codes="98" android:keyLabel="b"/>
        <Key android:codes="110" android:keyLabel="n"/>
        <Key android:codes="109" android:keyLabel="m"/>
        <Key android:codes="46" android:keyLabel="."/>
        <Key android:codes="63,33,58" android:keyLabel="\? ! :" android:keyEdgeFlags="right"/>
    </Row>
    <Row android:rowEdgeFlags="bottom">
        <Key android:codes="44" android:keyLabel="," android:keyWidth="10%p"  android:keyEdgeFlags="left"/>
        <Key android:codes="47" android:keyLabel="/" android:keyWidth="10%p" />
        <Key android:codes="32" android:keyLabel="SPACE" android:keyWidth="40%p" android:isRepeatable="true"/>
        <Key android:codes="-5" android:keyLabel="DEL" android:keyWidth="20%p" android:isRepeatable="true"/>
        <Key android:codes="-4" android:keyLabel="DONE" android:keyWidth="20%p" android:keyEdgeFlags="right"/>
    </Row>
</Keyboard>

my keyboard template.

I used the example code find here

Answer 1

As L-X recommended me, I modified my keyboard.xml. I don't know if there a better solution, but this works just fine to my purpose.

This is how I implemented

keyboard.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_alignParentBottom="true">

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/keypressed"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:text=""
        android:textSize="20dp"
        android:textColor="#ffffff"
        android:background="#000000" />

    <android.inputmethodservice.KeyboardView
        android:id="@+id/keyboard2"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:keyPreviewLayout="@layout/preview" />

</LinearLayout>

Now, I see something like this.

![Keyboard_Photo ]1

Thanks!