Scratchpad function for VR

Charts Desktop
1

The feature is a step forward.

However, I have two criticisms:

a) When I try to write a character in VR using the keyboard, the input on the notepad always starts a little later than when I enter the strokes with the mouse. This is irritating.

b) Why isn’t a keyboard displayed in VR when the keyboard input is selected?

2

a) Keyboard input appears slightly delayed compared to mouse strokes

This usually happens because VR controllers and physical keyboards are handled through different input pipelines.

Common reasons:

  • VR focus delay: When you click a text field in VR, the application must pass focus from the VR UI to the text input system. Sometimes the first keystroke happens before the focus is fully registered.
  • SteamVR / OpenXR input translation: Physical keyboard input often passes through the desktop environment before reaching the VR app, while mouse/controller input is captured directly.
  • Debounce or filtering in the UI: Some UI frameworks wait for stable focus before accepting text input to prevent accidental keystrokes.

Typical workaround

  • Click the field once with the controller/mouse.
  • Wait a fraction of a second before typing.

For b) VR Keyboard, please see Virtual Keyboard for VR

Cheers
Ian

3

When using the VR panel of navigraph charts in MSFS, when using the notepad feature of the scratchpad, how do I bring up the virtual keyboard to type on the notepad? The keyboard pops up automatically in other circumstances, e.g. when entering a flight plan…

Another question: again in the VR panel version of navigraph charts, how do I bring up the active vatsim stations? When I click on the corresponding icon (the airplane circumflying the globe), nothing happens…

4

Hi Ian,

thank you for the detailed explanation of the input delay.

However, I don’t understand your response to b).
The keyboard doesn’t appear in the Scratchpad when I press the “Aa” button.

The virtual keyboard only appears when, for example, I want to change the flight plan in the top row.

Therefore, it would be great if VR users were always kept in mind when developing new features.
It would also be great if you could make the virtual keyboard function available for the Scratchpad as well.

With kind regards
Kurt