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Dear Abdel and Iwami-san,
I've exchanged several emails with Iwami-san. Before we start the
discussion, let me explain a few basic facts about Japanese, as it
will clarify the structure of the input method used. After that we'll
follow the line you suggest and explain what will happen when we type
something.
There are three types of characters; hiragana (48 letters), katakana
(48 letters), and Chinese characters (around 2000 often used ones).
Hiragana and Katakana are phonetic but Chinese characters are not.
Katakana is typically used to denote foreign words. So in a typical
sentence mainly hiragana and Chinese characters are used. Chinese
characters are useful as it can help readers distinguish words which
have the same sound but mean different things. They also help make
some things stand out in a sentence.
Usually hiragana is typed in either directly using a Japanese keyboard
or using roman alphabets. When a Japanese "sentence" is typed in by
one of these methods in hiragana (the end of the "sentence" is marked
by pressing the space-bar), it is held as a "preedited string" and the
employed input method will do its best to guess how the sequence of
hiraganas should be translated into the Chinese characters and
katakana, retaining hiragana when appropriate using its own dictionary
and the prediction rules. ("sentence" is in quotation, because it
does not have to be a literal sentence. It can be a letter, a word,
or many words.) But since it may of course fail to guess everything
correctly, it does not commit just yet after the first attempt. After
the first attempt, a word is selected from the "sentence" in reverse
video, and highlighted to indicate that it is under translation.
Sometimes "a word" may not be guessed correctly. In this case one
needs to use "shift-right/left arrow-keys" to extend/shrink the
reverse-video part. When there are more than one possibilities of
translation, the list of candidates appear. One is expected to move
around the list by using either the space-key or the up-down arrow
keys to choose the right one. After choosing the right one, one moves
the cursor out of the list using left-right arrow keys. When the
cursor is moved, the reverse video part automatically moves to the
next word in the "sentence". When it reaches the last word within the
"sentence", and hit return, the sentence is commit. Until the
commitment is made by hitting the return-key, the dirty-flag is not
affected.
Note that the input procedure is defined by the three elements: the
"preedited string", the position of the cursor, and the part under
translation at the moment within the "preedited string" which is
marked by the reverse video. Iwami-san told me he uses the dotted
underline to denote the "preedited string". He also wanted me to
stress the importance of making these three elements stand out.
Here are answers to your specific questions:
OK, let's get started then. We'll take a simple use case: I type a
letter, what should happen?
If you just type in a letter, most likely the "preedited line" part
and the reverse video part will coincide.
How many of the preceding letters should change their shapes?
If the previous letters are commit, then none should change its shape.
If a letter
is typed in before committing, then still none should change its shape until
the space-bar is pressed to indicate the end of the preedited line.
In which case should the dashed underline appear?
As soon as one start to type in hiragana.
In which case should the preceding text should have reverse video?
If that part is under translation. As discussed above, one can move
the part under translation by using right/left arrow-keys.
Are there case where the following text should be affected as well?
No.
Hide
2007/3/6, Abdelrazak Younes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
Hidehiko Ichimura wrote:
> Dear Abdel,
>
> I'm in contact with Iwami-san now. I'll learn from him what I need to
> explain and will get back to you.
Excellent!
OK, let's get started then. We'll take a simple use case: I type a
letter, what should happen?
How many of the preceding letters should change their shapes?
In which case should the dashed underline appear?
In which case should the preceding text should have reverse video?
Are there case where the following text should be affected as well?
Iwami, maybe you could compile a version of your patched LyX and send
that to Hide in order for him to follow the discussion?
Abdel.
--
Hidehiko Ichimura
Graduate School of Public Policy and
Graduate School of Economics
Phone: 03-5841-5517 (country code 81)
Please ignore the first 0 when dialing from abroad.
Mailing address:
Graduate School of Economics
University of Tokyo
Hongo 7-3-1
Tokyo 113-0033
Japan
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