[SCIM] Custom Keyboard Layout Editor/Interpreter for SCIM

[Zhe Su]

Hi,
  Sounds interesting. I'll investigate it. But it seems that it's a
not so easy to be implemented. Maybe I should implement a plugin API
into SCIM for such purpose, so that some one can implement it
indenpendently.

Regards
James Su


On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 15:32:54 +0900, Yukiko Bando <ybando at k6.dion.ne.jp> wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> With M17N, SCIM can support more than thirty languages, but there is not an
> easy way to type Western/Eastern European languages on a Japanese/Chinese or
> US standard keyboards.  Users have to change the whole keyboard layout to
> another language (this is what KDE offers) or use Multi keys to input
> non-English characters unless they use customized xmodmaps.  The first option
> is confusing because it often causes mismatch between the glyph printed on a
> key and what users actually get.  The second one is not for everyone either,
> IMHO.  Multi keys are not as easy to use as dead keys...
> 
> So I think it would be nice if there is a tool which allows users to easily
> modify just couple of or several keys, not the *whole* keyboard layout, to
> input *some* non-English characters.  Few people would need all the characters
> in all European languages every day.  Since SCIM supports dead keys, what
> about adding such a tool to SCIM?  It will make SCIM even more
> multilingual. :)
> 
> Here's what I have in my mind...
> 
> ------
> The first thing to do is prepare a list of all characters and dead keys which
> are needed to support:
> 
>    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8859-1 and
>    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8859-2
> 
> The information will be kept in a text file like this:
> 
>    (name/glyph/languages which use it)
>    dead_acute/´/fr,es,pt,...
>    aacute/á/fr,es,pt,...
>    Aacute/Á/fr,es,pt,...
>    <snip>
>    dead_doubleacute/˝/hu
>    odoubleacute/ő/hu
>    Odoubleacute/Ő/hu
>    <snip>
>    ntilde/ñ/es
>    Ntilde/Ñ/es
>    aring/å/no
>    Aring/Å/no
>    oslash/ø/no
>    Ooblique/Ø/no
>    etc. etc.
> 
> -----------------------------------
> How to create a new layout
> -----------------------------------
> 1. Users are asked to choose (a) language(s) for which they want to modify
> their keyboard layout.  Then SCIM will refer to the above-mentioned file and
> show a list of characters/dead keys that are commonly used in the selected
> languages.  If users choose 'All', they can see the complete list.
> 
> 2. Users can map each character to a key or a combination of keys just like
> editing keyboard shortcuts.  Definitions will be saved like this:
> 
>    (example for Hungarian)
>    slash = dead_acute
>    semicolon = dead_diaeresis
>    backslash = dead_doubleacute
> 
>    (example for Spanish)
>    slash  = dead_acute
>    backslash = ntilde
>    Shift backslash = Ntilde
>    Alt q = questiondown
> 
> It is possible to make a layout which supports multiple languages if you like.
> 
> Users will be warned when they try to reuse a key or a combination of keys
> that is already defined.
> 
> 3. The files are saved in ~/.scim/custom or something like that in a plain
> text with a user defined name. Users may edit them directly in a text editor
> if they like.
> 
> ----------------
> How to use it
> ----------------
> 1. Users choose one from the SCIM's input methods menu:
> 
>     Custom Keyboards > MyHungarian
>     Custom Keyboards > MySpanish
> 
> 2. When it is activated, SCIM interprets inputted characters according to the
> corresponding file in ~/.scim/custom.
> 
>   (MyHungarian)
>    /+e becomes é
>    /+(Shift+e) becomes É
>    ;+o becomes ö
>    ;+(Shift+o) becomes Ö
>    \+u becomes ű   < if you see a square, please copy&paste it to gedit
>    \+(Shift+u) becomes Ű
>    etc. etc.
> 
>   (MySpanish)
>    /+a becomes á
>    /+(Shift+a) becomes Á
>    \ becomes ñ
>    Shift+\ becomes Ñ
>    Alt+q becomes ¿
>    etc. etc.
> 
> 3. How to type / \ ; then?
> Users can easily go back to their original keyboard layout with Ctrl+Space, so
> I don't think it's a big problem.  And they may use other keys that are used
> much less often, though such keys tend to be localted on the outside edges.
> 
> -----
> I think it might be useful for some people like students who learn European
> languages other than English in Asia.  It's not for native writers, of
> course, but It will also make possible to type Norwegian on a French keyboard
> without losing the AWERTY layout.
> 
> What do you think?  Is it feasible?
> 
> Regards,
> Yukiko
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