[PATCHv4 wayland-protocols] text-input: Add v3 of the text-input protocol

Silvan Jegen s.jegen at gmail.com
Thu May 3 18:47:27 UTC 2018


Hi Dorota

Some comments and typo fixes below.

On Thu, May 03, 2018 at 05:41:21PM +0200, Dorota Czaplejewicz wrote:
> This new protocol description is a simplification over v2.
> 
> - All pre-edit text styling is gone.
> - Pre-edit cursor can span characters.
> - No events regarding input panel (OSK) state nor covered rectangle.
>   Compositors are still free to handle situations where the keyboard
>   focus rectangle is covered by the input panel.
> - No set_preferred_language request for clients.
> - There is no event to send keysyms. Compositors can use wl_keyboard
>   interface instead.
> - All state is double-buffered, with specified state.
> - Use Unicode codepoints to measure strings.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Dorota Czaplejewicz <dorota.czaplejewicz at puri.sm>
> Signed-off-by: Carlos Garnacho <carlosg at gnome.org>
> ---
> This is the next update coming from Purism to perfect the text input protocol.
> 
> The following changes added on top of PATCHv3:
> 
> - Fixed whitespaces.
> - Removed enable flags - the same information can be gathered from the first requests after enter.
> - Changed offsets inside UTF-8 strings to use Unicode character counts in order to remove the possibility of communicating invalid state.
> - Specified the exact lifetime of double-buffered state, and initial values.
> - Made changes requested by the IM double-buffered.
> 
> Some questions remain open. One is: how to specify how much text to capture in set_surrounding_text, and how often to update?
> 
> A possible change that I decided against for now is to replace enable/disable events by create/destroy of a new object, which would make more state lifetimes encoded in the protocol.
> 
> After reading a blog post on fcitx [0], I got the impression that letting the compositor know some persistent ID of a text edit instance could be useful, however I'm not sure what the use cases are.
> 
> As always, I'm happy to hear feedback.
> 
> Cheers,
> Dorota Czaplejewicz
> 
> [0] https://www.csslayer.info/wordpress/fcitx-dev/gaps-between-wayland-and-fcitx-or-all-input-methods/
> 
>  Makefile.am                                    |   1 +
>  unstable/text-input/text-input-unstable-v3.xml | 362 +++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  2 files changed, 363 insertions(+)
>  create mode 100644 unstable/text-input/text-input-unstable-v3.xml
> 
> diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
> index 4b9a901..86d7ca9 100644
> --- a/Makefile.am
> +++ b/Makefile.am
> @@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ unstable_protocols =								\
>  	unstable/fullscreen-shell/fullscreen-shell-unstable-v1.xml		\
>  	unstable/linux-dmabuf/linux-dmabuf-unstable-v1.xml			\
>  	unstable/text-input/text-input-unstable-v1.xml				\
> +	unstable/text-input/text-input-unstable-v3.xml				\
>  	unstable/input-method/input-method-unstable-v1.xml			\
>  	unstable/xdg-shell/xdg-shell-unstable-v5.xml				\
>  	unstable/xdg-shell/xdg-shell-unstable-v6.xml				\
> diff --git a/unstable/text-input/text-input-unstable-v3.xml b/unstable/text-input/text-input-unstable-v3.xml
> new file mode 100644
> index 0000000..ed5204f
> --- /dev/null
> +++ b/unstable/text-input/text-input-unstable-v3.xml
> @@ -0,0 +1,362 @@
> +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
> +
> +<protocol name="text_input_unstable_v3">
> +  <copyright>
> +    Copyright © 2012, 2013 Intel Corporation
> +    Copyright © 2015, 2016 Jan Arne Petersen
> +    Copyright © 2017, 2018 Red Hat, Inc.
> +    Copyright © 2018 Purism SPC
> +
> +    Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this
> +    software and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted
> +    without fee, provided that the above copyright notice appear in
> +    all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission
> +    notice appear in supporting documentation, and that the name of
> +    the copyright holders not be used in advertising or publicity
> +    pertaining to distribution of the software without specific,
> +    written prior permission.  The copyright holders make no
> +    representations about the suitability of this software for any
> +    purpose.  It is provided "as is" without express or implied
> +    warranty.
> +
> +    THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS
> +    SOFTWARE, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND
> +    FITNESS, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY
> +    SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
> +    WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN
> +    AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION,
> +    ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF
> +    THIS SOFTWARE.
> +  </copyright>
> +
> +  <interface name="zwp_text_input_v3" version="1">
> +    <description summary="text input">
> +      The zwp_text_input_v3 interface represents text input and input methods
> +      associated with a seat. It provides enter/leave events to follow the
> +      text input focus for a seat.
> +
> +      Requests are used to enable/disable the text-input object and set
> +      state information like surrounding and selected text or the content type.
> +      The information about the entered text is sent to the text-input object
> +      via the pre-edit and commit_string events.
> +
> +      Text is valid UTF-8 encoded, indices and lengths are in code points. If a
> +      grapheme is made up of multiple code points, an index pointing to any of
> +      them should be interpreted as pointing to the first one.

That way we make sure we don't put the cursor/anchor between bytes that
belong to the same UTF-8 encoded Unicode code point which is nice. It
also means that the client has to parse all the UTF-8 encoded strings
into Unicode code points up to the desired cursor/anchor position
on each "preedit_string" event. For each "delete_surrounding_text" event
the client has to parse the UTF-8 sequences before and after the cursor
position up to the requested Unicode code point.

I feel like we are processing the UTF-8 string already in the
input-method. So I am not sure that we should parse it again on the
client side. Parsing it again would also mean that the client would need
to know about UTF-8 which would be nice to avoid.

Thoughts?


> +
> +      Focus moving throughout surfaces will result in the emission of
> +      zwp_text_input_v3.enter and zwp_text_input_v3.leave events. The focused
> +      surface must perform zwp_text_input_v3.enable and
> +      zwp_text_input_v3.disable requests as the keyboard focus moves across
> +      editable and non-editable elements of the UI. Those two requests are not
> +      expected to be paired with each other, the compositor must be able to
> +      handle consecutive series of the same request.
> +
> +      State is sent by the state requests (set_surrounding_text,
> +      set_content_type and set_cursor_rectangle) and a commit request.
> +      After an enter event or disable request all state information is
> +      invalidated and needs to be resent by the client.
> +
> +      This protocol defines requests and events necessary for regular clients
> +      to communicate with an input method. The zwp_input_method protocol
> +      defines the interfaces necessary to implement standalone input methods.
> +      If a compositor implements both interfaces, it will be the arbiter of the
> +      communication between both.
> +
> +      Warning! The protocol described in this file is experimental and
> +      backward incompatible changes may be made. Backward compatible changes
> +      may be added together with the corresponding interface version bump.
> +      Backward incompatible changes are done by bumping the version number in
> +      the protocol and interface names and resetting the interface version.
> +      Once the protocol is to be declared stable, the 'z' prefix and the
> +      version number in the protocol and interface names are removed and the
> +      interface version number is reset.
> +    </description>
> +
> +    <request name="destroy" type="destructor">
> +      <description summary="Destroy the wp_text_input">
> +       Destroy the wp_text_input object. Also disables all surfaces enabled
> +       through this wp_text_input object.
> +      </description>
> +    </request>
> +
> +    <request name="enable">
> +      <description summary="Request text input to be enabled">
> +        Requests text input. This request should be issued every time the
> +        active text input changes, including within one surface.
> +
> +        This request resets all state associated with previous enable,
> +        set_surrounding_text, set_content_type, and set_cursor_rectangle
> +        requests, as well as the state associated with preedit_string,
> +        commit_string, and delete_surrounding_text events.
> +
> +        The set_surrounding_text, set_content_type and set_cursor_rectangle
> +        requests should follow if the text input supports the necessary
> +        functionality.
> +
> +        The changes must be applied by the compositor after issuing a
> +        zwp_text_input_v3.commit request.
> +      </description>
> +    </request>
> +
> +    <request name="disable">
> +      <description summary="Disable text input on a surface">
> +        Explicitly disable text input in a surface (typically when there is no
> +        focus on any text entry inside the surface).
> +      </description>
> +    </request>
> +
> +    <request name="set_surrounding_text">
> +      <description summary="sets the surrounding text">
> +        Sets the surrounding plain text around the input position.
> +
> +        Text is UTF-8 encoded. Cursor is the Unicode code point offset within
> +        the surrounding text.
> +        Anchor is the Unicode code point offset of the selection anchor within
> +        the surrounding text. If there is no selected text, anchor is the same
> +        as cursor.
> +
> +        If the client is unaware of the text around the cursor, it should not
> +        issue this request, to signify lack of support to the compositor.
> +
> +        There is a maximum length of wayland messages so text can not be
> +        longer than 4000 bytes.
> +
> +        Values set with this request are double-buffered. They will get applied
> +        on the next zwp_text_input_v3.commit request, and stay valid until the
> +        next enable or disable request.
> +
> +        The initial state for affected fields is empty, meaning that the text
> +        input does not support sending surrounding text. If the empty values
> +        get applied, subsequent attempts to change them may have no effect.
> +      </description>
> +      <arg name="text" type="string"/>
> +      <arg name="cursor" type="int"/>
> +      <arg name="anchor" type="int"/>
> +    </request>
> +
> +    <enum name="content_hint" bitfield="true">
> +      <description summary="content hint">
> +       Content hint is a bitmask to allow to modify the behavior of the text
> +       input.
> +      </description>
> +      <entry name="none" value="0x0" summary="no special behavior"/>
> +      <entry name="completion" value="0x1" summary="suggest word completions"/>
> +      <entry name="spellcheck" value="0x2" summary="suggest word corrections"/>
> +      <entry name="auto_capitalization" value="0x4" summary="switch to uppercase letters at the start of a sentence"/>
> +      <entry name="lowercase" value="0x8" summary="prefer lowercase letters"/>
> +      <entry name="uppercase" value="0x10" summary="prefer uppercase letters"/>
> +      <entry name="titlecase" value="0x20" summary="prefer casing for titles and headings (can be language dependent)"/>
> +      <entry name="hidden_text" value="0x40" summary="characters should be hidden"/>
> +      <entry name="sensitive_data" value="0x80" summary="typed text should not be stored"/>
> +      <entry name="latin" value="0x100" summary="just Latin characters should be entered"/>
> +      <entry name="multiline" value="0x200" summary="the text input is multiline"/>
> +    </enum>
> +
> +    <enum name="content_purpose">
> +      <description summary="content purpose">
> +       The content purpose allows to specify the primary purpose of a text
> +       input.
> +
> +       This allows an input method to show special purpose input panels with
> +       extra characters or to disallow some characters.
> +      </description>
> +      <entry name="normal" value="0" summary="default input, allowing all characters"/>
> +      <entry name="alpha" value="1" summary="allow only alphabetic characters"/>
> +      <entry name="digits" value="2" summary="allow only digits"/>
> +      <entry name="number" value="3" summary="input a number (including decimal separator and sign)"/>
> +      <entry name="phone" value="4" summary="input a phone number"/>
> +      <entry name="url" value="5" summary="input an URL"/>
> +      <entry name="email" value="6" summary="input an email address"/>
> +      <entry name="name" value="7" summary="input a name of a person"/>
> +      <entry name="password" value="8" summary="input a password (combine with sensitive_data hint)"/>
> +      <entry name="pin" value="9" summary="input is a numeric password (combine with sensitive_data hint)"/>
> +      <entry name="date" value="10" summary="input a date"/>
> +      <entry name="time" value="11" summary="input a time"/>
> +      <entry name="datetime" value="12" summary="input a date and time"/>
> +      <entry name="terminal" value="13" summary="input for a terminal"/>
> +    </enum>
> +
> +    <request name="set_content_type">
> +      <description summary="set content purpose and hint">
> +        Sets the content purpose and content hint. While the purpose is the
> +        basic purpose of an input field, the hint flags allow to modify some
> +        of the behavior.
> +
> +        Values set with this request are double-buffered. They will get applied
> +        on the first zwp_text_input_v3.commit request after an enabl request.

s/enabl/enable/


> +        Subsequent attempts to update them may have no effect. The values
> +        remain valid until the next enable or disable request.
> +
> +        The initial value for hint is none, and the initial value for purpose
> +        is normal.
> +      </description>
> +      <arg name="hint" type="uint" enum="content_hint"/>
> +      <arg name="purpose" type="uint" enum="content_purpose"/>
> +    </request>
> +
> +    <request name="set_cursor_rectangle">
> +      <description summary="set cursor position">
> +        Marks an area around the cursor as a x, y, width, height rectangle in surface
> +        local coordinates.
> +
> +        Allows the compositor to put a window with word suggestions near the
> +        cursor, without obstructing the text being input.
> +
> +        If the client is unaware of the position of edited text, it should not
> +        issue this request, to signify lack of support to the compositor.
> +
> +        Values set with this request are double-buffered. They will get applied
> +        on the next zwp_text_input_v3.commit request, and stay valid until the
> +        next enable or disable request.
> +
> +        The initial values describing a cursor rectangle are empty. That means
> +        the text input does not support describing the cursor area. If the
> +        empty values get applied, subsequent attempts to change them may have
> +        no effect.
> +      </description>
> +      <arg name="x" type="int"/>
> +      <arg name="y" type="int"/>
> +      <arg name="width" type="int"/>
> +      <arg name="height" type="int"/>
> +    </request>
> +
> +    <request name="commit">
> +      <description summary="commit state">
> +        Text input state (content purpose, content hint, surrounding text,
> +        cursor rectangle) is conceptually double-buffered within the context
> +        of a text input, i.e. between an enable request and the following
> +        enable or disable request.
> +
> +        Protocol requests modify the pending state, as opposed to the current
> +        state in use by the input method. A commit request atomically applies
> +        all pending state, replacing the current state. After commit, the new
> +        pending state is as documented for each related request.
> +
> +        The enable request performs a special role by indicating that the state

Maybe "plays a special role" sounds more natural than "performs a special
role"?


> +        should be reset and updated with new values on the nearest commit.
> +
> +        The current or pending state are not modified unless noted otherwise.
> +      </description>
> +    </request>
> +
> +    <event name="enter">
> +      <description summary="enter event">
> +       Notification that this seat's text-input focus is on a certain surface.
> +
> +       When the seat has the keyboard capability the text-input focus follows
> +       the keyboard focus.
> +      </description>
> +      <arg name="surface" type="object" interface="wl_surface"/>
> +    </event>
> +
> +    <event name="leave">
> +      <description summary="leave event">
> +       Notification that this seat's text-input focus is no longer on
> +       a certain surface. The client should reset any preedit string previously
> +       set.
> +
> +       The leave notification is sent before the enter notification
> +       for the new focus.
> +
> +       When the seat has the keyboard capability the text-input focus follows
> +       the keyboard focus.
> +      </description>
> +      <arg name="surface" type="object" interface="wl_surface"/>
> +    </event>
> +
> +    <event name="preedit_string">
> +      <description summary="pre-edit">
> +        Notify when a new composing text (pre-edit) should be set around the
> +        current cursor position. Any previously set composing text should
> +        be removed.
> +
> +        Values set with this event are double-buffered. They must be applied on
> +        the next zwp_text_input_v3.done event, and stay valid until the
> +        next enable or disable request.
> +
> +        The parameters cursor_begin and cursor_end are counted in Unicode
> +        code points relative to the beginning of the submitted string. Cursor
> +        should be hidden when both are equal to -1.
> +
> +        They could be represented by the cient as a line if both values are the
> +        same, or as a text highligt otherwise.

s/highligt/highlight/


> +
> +        The initial value of text is an empty string, and cursor_begin and
> +        cursor_end are both 0.
> +      </description>
> +      <arg name="text" type="string" allow-null="true"/>
> +      <arg name="cursor_begin" type="int"/>
> +      <arg name="cursor_end" type="int"/>
> +    </event>
> +
> +    <event name="commit_string">
> +      <description summary="text commit">
> +        Notify when text should be inserted into the editor widget. The text to
> +        commit could be either just a single character after a key press or the
> +        result of some composing (pre-edit).
> +
> +        Values set with this event are double-buffered. They must be applied
> +        and reset to initial on the next zwp_text_input_v3.done event.
> +
> +        The initial value of text is an empty string.
> +      </description>
> +      <arg name="text" type="string" allow-null="true"/>
> +    </event>
> +
> +    <event name="delete_surrounding_text">
> +      <description summary="delete surrounding text">
> +        Notify when the text around the current cursor position should be
> +        deleted. Before_length and after_length are the number of Unicode
> +        code points before and after the current cursor position (excluding the
> +        selection) to delete.
> +
> +        Values set with this event are double-buffered. They must be applied
> +        and reset to initial on the next zwp_text_input_v3.done event.
> +
> +        The initial values of both before_length and after_length are 0.
> +      </description>
> +      <arg name="before_length" type="uint" summary="length of text before current cursor position"/>
> +      <arg name="after_length" type="uint" summary="length of text after current cursor position"/>
> +    </event>
> +
> +    <event name="done">
> +      <description summary="apply changes">
> +        Instruct the application to apply changes to state requested by the
> +        preedit_string, commit_string and delete_surrounding_string events. The

s/delete_surrounding_string/delete_surrounding_text/

Thanks for all the work!


Cheers,

Silvan


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