NAME¶
khim - Provides key bindings for entering international characters on a keyboard
that does not support them
SYNOPSIS¶
package require
Tcl
package require
khim ?1.0?
::khim::getOptions path
::khim::getConfig
::khim::setConfig version enabled compose map
::khim::showHelp path
DESCRIPTION¶
This package provides a set of key bindings to allow a user to enter arbitrary
characters on a keyboard that does not support them. It works by designating
some seldom-used key of the keyboard as a "Compose" key (this key is
distinct from any key so labeled, and is often "Pause,"
"F12" or "L2"), and having the "Compose" key,
followed by a two-key sequence, have the effect of inserting some character in
a widget. In addition, the "Compose" key, when struck twice in
succession, brings up a dialog containing a Unicode character map, allowing
arbitrary characters to be inserted.
The vast bulk of the package's functionality is implemented in a single bindtag,
KHIM. An application can request that any text or entry widget use the
package to allow for entry of arbitrary characters by placing this binding tag
ahead of the
Text or
Entry binding tag for the widget:
text .t -width 80 -height 24
bindtags .t {.t KHIM Text . all}
Note that the
KHIM tag must precede the
Text or
Entry class
binding, or the package will not function correctly.
PROCEDURES¶
In addition to commands supporting the KHIM binding tag, the following commands
are exported from the package:
- ::khim::getOptions path
- Posts a top-level modal dialog with the path name
path that prompts the user for KHIM options. The user is allowed to
reconfigure the key sequences for the "Compose" key, change the
choice of key to use for the "Compose" function, and
enable/disable the KHIM key bindings entirely.
- ::khim::getConfig
- Returns a Tcl script that restores the current
configuration of KHIM: the enabled/disabled state, the choice of
"Compose" key, and the key sequences that may be composed. This
script is designed to be saved to a configuration file for use in a
subsequent invocation of the same application:
# Save KHIM configuration
set f [open ~/.khimrc w]
puts $f [::khim::getConfig]
close $f
# Restore KHIM configuration
source ~/.khimrc
- ::khim::setConfig version enabled
compose map
- Restores an earlier saved configuration. Few, if any,
applications will call this command in any other way than to evaluate it
as returned from ::khim::getConfig.
- ::khim::showHelp path
- Displays a top-level dialog giving user-level help for
KHIM; the dialog will have the path name path.
LOCALISATION¶
Programmers who wish to make KHIM available in a non-English-speaking locale may
do so by providing a
.msg file with the appropriate localised text. The
catalog requires the following messages:
- Apply
- Text that will appear on the "Apply" button in
the dialog that sets KHIM options.
- Cancel
- Text that will appear on the "Cancel" button in
several dialogs.
- Change
- Text that will appear on the "Change" button,
which alters the binding of a pair of composed characters (creating or
replacing as appropriate).
- Character
- Text that will appear on the label of the entry widget that
accepts a character resulting from a composed sequence.
- {Compose Key}
- Window title for a dialog that prompts the user to strike
the key that will be used for the "Compose" key.
- {Compose key:}
- Label that identifies a component showing the
"Compose" key choice in the KHIM options dialog.
- {Composed sequence must be two characters long}
- Error message that is displayed if the user attempts to
define a "Compose" sequence that is shorter or longer than two
characters.
- Delete
- Text for a button that deletes a "Compose"
sequence.
- Help...
- Text for a button that displays the KHIM user help
dialog.
- HELPTEXT
- Complete text for the user-level help for KHIM. Refer to
" en.msg" for the English-language version of the
help.
- {Input key sequence}
- Text for a label of the entry widget that prompts the user
for a two-character sequence to use with the "Compose" key.
- {Insert Character}
- Window title of the dialog box that displays a Unicode
character map and prompts the user to select a character to insert.
- {Key sequences}
- Text for a label at the head of a listbox showing the
composed sequences that are currently bound.
- {KHIM Controls}
- Window title for the dialog box that prompts for KHIM
settings.
- {KHIM Help}
- Window title for the window that display help text for
KHIM.
- OK
- Label for the OK button on several dialogs.
- Select code page:
- Label for a spinbox that prompts the user for a Unicode
code page number.
- SELECT COMPOSE KEY
- A message, which should be composed in short lines,
prompting the user to press the key that will become the
"Compose" key in KHIM.
- Unicode...
- Text for a button that brings up the character map to
select the character to which a composed sequence binds.
- {Use KHIM}
- Text for a checkbutton that asks whether the user wishes to
use KHIM to manage composed key sequences.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS¶
KHIM was originally inspired by the key bindings that Brent Welch developed for
the 'sedit' editor used in the 'exmh' mail user agent. The code for KHIM is
entirely separate from that for 'sedit'.
KEYWORDS¶
character, i18n, input, international, method