In Xcode 6, how do I use the hardware keyboard but display the software keyboard in the iOS simulator

Question

In Xcode 6, the iOS simulator seems to either show no keyboard, meaning you can type but can't see the positioning and effect of the software keyboard, or it shows the software keyboard, meaning you can see it on the screen, but can't type on it - and typing on the soft keyboard with the mouse is really slow!

How do I get the old behaviour back, where you can see the software keyboard, but type on the hardware one?

Osteotome

Answer 1

1. Go to the simulator's Hardware menu.
2. Make sure Connect Hardware Keyboard is checked.
3. Choose Toggle software keyboard

By default the hardware keyboard is connected, but the software keyboard is not toggled on. I'm pretty sure this is new behaviour.

Osteotome

When physical keyboards are attached, the software keyboard is on by default in the iOS Simulator and off by default on real devices. – Straddle

That doesn't match the behaviour I've seen - unless I did something mysterious when first running the simulator from Xcode 6, I never had a software keyboard, and when I turned it on, I could only type by clicking with the mouse. – Osteotome

That IS the software keyboard. – Straddle

In previous versions, I always had the software keyboard visible, but could type on the Mac's keyboard. Getting that behaviour back is what this question is about. – Osteotome

If that is what you want, you need to have the hardware keyboard connected (that is on by default). The Mac's keyboard now behaves like a bluetooth keyboard attached (or not, if the toggle is off) to the device. – Straddle

Answer 2

Or you can just use hotkey: command + K

Improvisator

Answer 3

With the iOS Simulator.app shipped in Xcode 6, the mac's keyboard now interacts with the simulated runtime the same way a bluetooth keyboard interacts with a real device. You can attach and detach the hardware keyboard from the simulator app's Hardware->Keyboard menu.

If the hardware keyboard is not connected, you can only interact via touch. If the hardware keyboard is connected, you can show/hide the software keyboard with the cmd-k shortcut key (just like how you can double tap eject on a bluetooth keyboard on a real device)

Straddle