Character Sets
The Traditional Chinese Solaris operating environment conforms to the
CNS 11643 standard, updated in late 1992, and the Big5 character sets.
Big5 was defined by five major Taiwanese computer vendors (including
the Institute of Information Industry) in May, 1984. Although Big5 is not
the national standard, it is more widely used than the CNS 11634-1992
The total number of characters defined in Big5 is 13,461. It is part
of CNS 11643-1992.
Traditional Chinese Solaris software provides code conversion between
Chinese code conventions at three levels of support:
User commands support file transfers for existing files in
different codes.
Library functions support application development for existing
codes.
STREAMS modules support existing TTY devices using different
codes.
Input Window Areas
Three separate areas of an application subwindow are involved in entering
characters. These areas are typically displayed, named, and used as follows:
Preedit area Highlighted (reverse video or underlined) entry
display area
Status area indicating the current input/conversion mode
Auxiliary Windows-- Utilities for input method management
Lookup choice area displaying multiple character choices
Preedit Area
The highlighted (reverse video or underlined) preedit area displays
characters as they are typed or converted. It holds formations of text before
it is converted to an ideogram or symbol and put in the text block being assembled
for the application.
Status Area
The status area shows which input conversion mode is in effect. In the
above example, it is located in the lower left corner of the window margin.
Lookup Choice Area
The lookup choice area displays multiple Chinese or special character
choices available for conversion of the character(s) or radical(s) in the
preedit area. In the above example, it is a pop-up menu.
Auxiliary Windows
The auxiliary windows provide tools and utilities to manage input methods
or to make the input simpler.
Usage of Traditional Chinese Input Methods
Base Operating
 Switching Between English Mode and Chinese Mode Windows
Type "CTRL+SPACE", An auxiliary window appears, as below.
Select an Input Method
In Chinese status window, type Function key "F2" or "CTRL + Esc" to
switch to the firs input method, and F3 to switch to the second and so on. Or click the input method selection button on the auxiliary window.
The input method selection menu appears as below:
 Select the input method you want to use.
Switching Between Half_width Character Mode and Full_width Character
Mode
Use the Chinese status window.
Type "SHIFT+SPACE" to switch between Half_width Character Mode and Full_width
Character Mode. Or click the Half_width/Full_width button of auxiliary window.
The input method system is in Full_width Character
Mode when the button appears as below:
The input method system is in Half_width Character
Mode when the button appears as below:
When in Full_width mode, the Full_width character of the input key will
be committed to system. For example: inputing 'a' when in Full_width mode,
commits the fullwidth character of 'a' to the application as shown below:
Switching Between Chinese Punctuation Mode and English Punctuation
Mode
Use the Chinese Status window.
Type "CTRL+." to switch between Chinese Punctuation Mode and English
Punctuation Mode. Or click the Chinese/English Punctuation Button of auxiliary window
to switch modes.
indicates the input method system is in Chinese Punctuation Mode.
 indicates the input method system is in English Punctuation Mode.
When you type a function key in Chinese Punctuation mode, the corresponding
Chinese punctuation character is committed to the application. For example:
when you type "$" in Chinese Punctuation mode, the Traditional Chinese currency
symbol character "NT$" is committed to the application as shown below:
 The punctuation key includes these characters: , . / > :;'"\$!^_-
The map between English and Chinese punctuation appears as follows:
 Toggling between Input methods
Use the Chinese Status window.
Type "CTRL+ESC" to toggle to another input method.
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