NeiMa Input Method

In zh_TW.EUC locale, EUC_TW NeiMa Code input method is available. in zh_TW.BIG5 locale, BIG5 NeiMa input method is available, in zh_HK.BIG5HK locale BIG5+HKSCS input method is available. NeiMa input method uses the internal code to input Chinese characters. Each Chinese character or symbol is identified by a four or eight hexadecimal digital internal code.

Typing with MeiMa Input Method

This section contains instructions on how to use the BIG5 internal codes to input Chinese characters and symbols.

1. In a new Terminal, turn Chinese input conversion on by pressing Control-spacebar.

2. Click the Input method selection button on the auxiliary window and select BIG5 NeiMa input method.

   The status area shows that BIG5 NeiMa code input mode is on.

   

3. Press the first three of the four keys that represent the character to display (in this example, b968).

   The key remains visible in the preedit area:

   

4. Type the fourth key.

   The character is automatically committed to the window.

   

English_Chinese input method

English_Chinese input method requires up to fifteen keystrokes to type each Chinese word. English_Chinese maps English word to Chinese phrase. You can use the English_Chinese input method to type Chinese phrase in both zh_TW.EUC and zh_TW.BIG5 locales.

A lookup area showing the characters that match the English_Chinese input is displayed with each keystroke. If more than one option is available, you can type a period (.) to display the next page moving forward through the lookup choices and typing a comma (,) to display the next page moving backward. You can select the character you want by typing the label letter corresponding to the character in the lookup area.

Typing English_Chinese Characters

The following figure shows how to use this input method to type the character representing the English word "hello". The word requires four keystrokes. Type them and select the text as follows:

1. Type the four keystrokes, hello

   

2. Type 4 to select the corresponding Traditional Chinese phrase.

   

   The character is automatically committed to the window.

   

CodeTable Input Method Interface

Introduction

Solaris 9 provides a codetable input method interface which allows Chinese users to add new input methods into their system.

Creating a CodeTable

1. First create a plain text file, in which contain a list Chinese words or phrases along with the key strokes.

   Codetable Format:

   The codetable file contains the following sections:

   • [Description]

   • [Comment]

   • [Key_Prompt]

   • [Function_Key]

   • [Phrase]

   • [Single]

   • [Options]

   • For section "[Description]"

     This section describes attributes of the codetable, such as encoding, name, valid characters, the maximum number of codes for one input items, and wild characters. The Description contains the following entries:

     1. "Name:" specifies the name of this codetable.

     2. Encode:" specifies the encoding of this codetable, can be UTF-8, GB, GB2312, GBK, BIG5.

     3. WildChar:" specifies the wild character for input codes.

     4. "UsedCodes:" specifies the valid characters to input.

     5. "MaxCodes:" specifies the maximum number of input codes for one item.

   • For section "[Key_Prompt]"

     This section specifies the prompt string of a input key. The prompt string will be displayed on the Preedit Area of the application software.

   • For section "[Function_Key]"

     This section specifies the key definition of some function keys, such as Page UP to scroll up the selection items, Page Down to scroll down the selection items, BackSpace to delete a input code, and ClearAll to clear all the input areas, such as preedit area, lookup area. This section contains the following entries:

     1. PageUp

     2. PageDown

     3. BackSpace

     4. ClearAll

   • For section "[Options]":

     This section specifies the options of the codetable input method. The Options section contains the following entries:

     1. HelpInfo_Mode: Value: "ON" or "OFF"

     2. KeyByKey_Mode: Value: "ON" or "OFF"

     3. KeyPrompt_Mode: Value: "ON" or "OFF"

     4. AutoSelect_Mode: Value: "ON" or "OFF"

     5. SlectKey_Mode: Value: "Number", "Lower" or "Upper"

   • For section "[Single]":

     This section specifies the input codes and its corresponding single Chinese characters. These Chinese characters must not be separated by the space key.

     The format of every line as follows: keystroke_sequence Characterlist

   • For section "[Phrase]":

     This section specifies the input codes and its corresponding phrase words. These Chinese phrase words must be separated by the space key.

     The format of every line as follows: keystroke_sequence word1 word2 word3 ...

   Example of a codetable file:

   

2. Convert the file to binary format that the codetable input method interface can recognize

   Use the utility tools "txt2bin" to convert a text codetable file to binary file, and "bin2txt" to convert binary format file to text format file as follows:

   1. bin2txt and txt2bin are under the directory: /usr/lib/im/locale/zh_TW/common/

      The command syntax is:

      # /usr/lib/im/locale/zh_TW/common/txt2bin source_codetable_file binary_codetable_file

      
      

      # /usr/lib/im/locale/zh_TW/common/bin2txt binary_codetable_file source_codetable_file

      
      

3. Save the file to the system.