# Keyboard Select or Auto-Clear Text in Field

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/keyboard-select-or-auto-clear-text-in-field/83003>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Tags:** ignition81, vision\
**Created:** [December 11, 2023, 9:10pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/keyboard-select-or-auto-clear-text-in-field/83003 "2023-12-11T21:10:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 4

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**Author:** ![paul-griffith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/paul-griffith/32/37249_2.png) [@paul-griffith](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/paul-griffith)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2023, 4:15pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/keyboard-select-or-auto-clear-text-in-field/83003/4 "2023-12-12T16:15:13Z")

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> [@FNNewGuy](#):
>
> My question is if there is a way to either clear the text in the field once the keyboard is brought up, or have it selected so that new entries will clear it automatically and enter the new text?

The short answer is no.

I'm assuming you're on 8.1.28 or higher, with the new customizable touchscreen keyboard detailed here: [New in 8.1.28: Custom Touchscreen Keyboard Support](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/new-in-8-1-28-custom-touchscreen-keyboard-support/72772)

> [@FNNewGuy](#):
>
> (that almost everyone mistakes for a button that closes the keyboard).

_Almost everyone_?

For some technical context, the new keyboard is a total rewrite of the old one, but still subject to the same implementation limitations. What that basically means is there's no (practical) scripting "workarounds" for this, for instance - it's something we'd have to change first party. And you're the first person who's complained about it, to be honest, so we're not going to change it first party any time soon. Mild operator retraining is probably the easiest option.

If you want the old keyboard, exactly as it was, you can still invoke it [manually via scripting](https://files.inductiveautomation.com/sdk/javadoc/ignition81/8.1.36-rc1/com/inductiveautomation/factorypmi/application/components/touchscreen/AlphaNumericKeypadDialog.html#showAlphaNumericDialog(java.awt.Component,java.lang.String,int,boolean)), but there's no way to switch components to use it automatically across your project.

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