7 Korean Input Methods

This chapter provides an overview of Korean input methods. It describes:

• Activating and deactivating Korean input methods
• Interacting with input methods via a Motif-style interface (including root window, off-the-spot, over-the-spot, and on-the-spot interaction styles)

• Customizing the input method
• Using the Hangul, Hanja, row-column code, and phrase input methods

7.1 Activating and Deactivating Korean Input Methods

7.1.1 Character-Cell Terminal Applications

For character-cell terminal applications, Korean input methods are implemented via the VT382-K Korean terminal firmware or are incorporated in the terminal emulation software, such as Hangul DECterm. Applications need not provide software to handle the input of Korean characters; the VT382-K terminal or Hangul DECterm provides the input method services.

Hangul DECterm can be regarded as a DECwindows Motif application and is activated and deactivated using the same methods as similar applications. See Section 7.1.2 for more information.

If you have a VT382-K terminal, select input mode by using the [Compose] key, which is located on the lower left side of the main keyboard. On the Korean version of the LK201 or LK401 keyboard (that is, LK201-K or LK401-K), the [Compose] key is labeled 한글. For details, see Chapter 6.

After you activate Korean input mode, the VT382-K terminal firmware or the input methods incorporated in Hangul DECterm compose Korean characters and return the input data as appropriate.

7.1.2 DECwindows Motif Applications

DECwindows Motif applications implement Korean input methods using an independent process called the input server. The Korean input server is an X client process that works on a standard X-server provided the required Korean fonts are installed. This means that the Korean input server can run on any system which can access your X display device, including the device itself.

The Korean input server provided by the Compaq Tru64 UNIX operating system is interoperable with all existing DECwindows Motif /Hangul platforms, including VMS DECwindows Motif /Hangul and UWS/Hangul. In addition, it can provide input method services to the R6 X library (Xlib) supported by the Compaq Tru64 UNIX operating system. You can write internationalized applications using the standard R6 application programming interface and communicate with this input server. For details about developing internationalized software with X11R6, see Writing Software for the International Market.

Before you can input Korean data, you must start the Korean input server on your workstation or any system that your workstation can access through the network. This release provides English and Korean interfaces to the input server. Make sure you have set up the correct session language before starting the input server. There are several ways to start the Korean input server:

• Using the Session Manager

• Starting the input server automatically

Note

Applications that are started before Hangul IM cannot connect to the input server. Therefore, Hangul IM should be the first item on the Automatic Startup list.

• Using commands

After you invoke the Korean input server, the DECwindows Motif applications that were internationalized to support Korean can communicate with the server for input method services.

7.1.3 CDE Applications

Common Desktop Environment (CDE) applications, implement Korean input methods using an input server. Before you can input Korean data, you must start the Korean input server. There are two ways to start the Korean input servers in CDE:

• Starting the input server automatically

• Using commands

After you invoke the Korean input server, the DECwindows Motif applications that were internationalized to support Korean can communicate with the server for input method services.

7.2 Selecting Input Method

You can select the Korean input mode using the key sequences shown in Table 7-1.

Table 7-1: Key Sequences for Invoking the Korean Input Method

Note

These key sequences can be customized through the Options menu provided by the input server.

7.3 DECwindows Motif Interface

You can interact with the Korean input server through a Motif-style user interface that allows an input method to provide feedback about the data being edited. This feedback helps you compose a character, list choices for selection, provide options for customizing the input server, and so on.

7.3.1 Input Areas

The X Input Method specification defines the three input areas described in Table 7-2.

Table 7-2: Window Input Areas

7.3.2 Interaction Styles

The use of the input areas depends on the interaction style (or pre-edit style) selected for the application. The Korean input server supports four interaction styles:

• Root window
• Off-the-spot
• On-the-spot
• Over-the-spot

7.3.2.1 Root Window

If you want to display the pre-edit data in a separate input window which lies outside the application window, choose the root window interaction style. The input window is scalable and movable; you can modify its size and position to meet your preferences. If you want to free up more screen space, you can iconize the input method window. You can also choose to display pre-edited data in vertical or horizontal layout. Figure 7-1 shows an example of root window interaction style.

Figure 7-1: Root Window Interaction Style

If you are an experienced user, you may not need to perform input by looking at the preedit area. In this case, you can iconize the input window to improve performance. See Figure 7-2.

Figure 7-2: Icon of Korean Input Window

When the input window is iconized, you can continue to input Korean characters through a Korean application window. To let you know the input status, the input state is displayed on the icon title which is updated according to the input mode and the input focus. If you want to see the pre-edit data, you can double click on the icon to display the input window.

7.3.2.2 Off-the-Spot

If you want to display the pre-edit data in a fixed location of the application window, you can choose the off-the-spot interaction style. When you choose this interaction style, the Korean input server creates the input window at the bottom of the application window. You no longer need to refer to the root window; you can iconize it to save screen area. Figure 7-3 shows an example of off-the-spot interaction style.

Figure 7-3: Off-the-Spot Interaction Style

7.3.2.3 On-the-Spot

If you want to focus your attention at the point of insertion during Korean data input, you can choose the on-the-spot interaction style. In this style, the Korean input server directs your applications to display the pre-edit data in a way which is consistent with the appearance of the existing data in the input field. For instance, an application can select the font size and typeface to display the pre-edit data and control how the data is highlighted. You can also format existing data to allow the pre-edit data to be displayed at the insertion point. Figure 7-4 shows an example of on-the-spot interaction style.

Figure 7-4: On-The-Spot Interaction Style

7.3.2.4 Over-the-Spot

Another alternative which allows you to perform Korean data input at the point of insertion is the off-the-spot interaction style. In this style, an input window is created when you invoke the Korean input mode; the window is placed over the current point of insertion. The pre-edit data entered is displayed in this window. The look and feel is similar to that of the on-the-spot style, except that applications do not control the display attributes of the pre-edit data and no formatting is performed to accommodate the pre-edit. Therefore, there is less communication overhead between the Korean input server and the applications. The performance of data entry through the over-the-spot interaction style is better. Figure 7-5 shows an example of over-the-spot interaction style.

Figure 7-5: Over-the-Spot Interaction Style

The VendorShell resource XmNPreeditType lets you specify the priority of the interaction styles of DECwindows Motif applications. By default, the resource value is "overthespot,offthespot,root,onthespot", in priority order. The first style is used if available in an input method, else the second, and so on.

To choose your preferred interaction style, you can either:

• Use the command line option -xrm to specify the resource value when you start an application. For example, the following command starts Cardfiler with the root window interaction style:

• Use the Session Manager's Options menu in XDM

After you choose your preferred interaction style, the applications you invoke start up with the new setting.

Note

Some applications, such as DECterm, may provide their own user interface to handle interaction styles. Those mechanisms may override the methods described here.

7.3.3 Operations of Input Server

When you start the Korean input server, no application is connected to it and the string "No Connection" is displayed in the title bar to indicate the state. When an internationalized application is started in a Korean locale and becomes focused, the string 영문 is displayed in the status area, indicating that the application is connected to the Korean input server and the input mode is English. If you invoke a Korean input method, the input state displayed in the status area and the title bar is updated accordingly. If you change the input focus to a noninternationalized application window, the title of the input window changes to "No Connection" again.

The input server can maintain individual states of composing for different input contexts or application windows. In addition, under the root window interaction style, each application window can be associated with its own attributes, such as font size, font style, line spacing and foreground/background colors. You can set the input focus to an application window and then compose a Korean character or customize the input window in the way that you prefer. The input server can memorize the composing state and input your window attributes. The next time this application window gets the input focus, the input server can restore the original composing state and attributes. Also, the input window rises to the top to get your attention.

7.3.4 Options Menu

The auxiliary area of the input window provides an options menu where you can customize the input server. You can click the [ ] (Options) button to view the customization pulldown menu. The menu provides the following options:

• Vertical Layout （수직 레이아웃）
• Horizontal Layout （수평 레이아웃）
• Select Phrase Input Class （구문 입력 등급 선
• User Phrase Database （사용자 구문 데이터베이스）
• System Phrase Database （시스템 구문 데이터베이스）
• Current Window （현재 창）
• Input Method Customization （입력 방법 설정）
• Help （도움말）
• Quit （중지）

7.3.4.1 Vertical Layout （수직 레이아웃）

You can choose this option only if the current layout is horizontal. When you choose this option, the input window and the layout of its contexts display in a vertical manner. The vertical input window remains at the same origin.

7.3.4.2 Horizontal Layout （수평 레이아웃）

You can choose this option only if the current layout is vertical. When you choose this option, the input window and the layout of its context display in a horizontal manner. The horizontal input window remains at the same origin.

7.3.4.3 Select Phrase Input Class （구문 입력 등급 선 택）

This option is provided for customizing the phrase input mode. In this release, DECwindows Motif shares the same phrase databases created and managed by the Compaq Tru64 UNIX operating system Phrase Utility. Once you have created a phrase database and defined your phrase definitions, both character-cell terminal applications and DECwindows Motif applications can use the data for phrase input. To use the phrase databases, the LANG environment variable must be set to reflect the required codeset, that is, ko_KR.deckorean. For details about the Phrase Utility and phrase definition file, see WrIting Software for the International Market.

The Select Phrase Input Class option allows you to focus on a particular class of phrases during phrase input. When you choose this option, a dialog box pops up and you can choose the phrase class that you want to use.

If you want to choose all classes, enter the "*" option. If you do this, the phrase input method searches all classes of phrase definitions for the phrase code that you have entered. When there are multiple phrases that match the phrase definition, a list box pops up. You can choose the right phrase definition by double clicking on the item in the list box.

7.3.4.4 User Phrase Database （사용자 구문 데이터베 이스）

The Phrase Input method allows you to access two phrase definition databases: the system phrase database and the user phrase database. You create and maintain your own private phrase database for storing your frequently used phrases. This is called the user phrase database.

For details about creating phrase database, see Writing Software for the International Market.

If you choose the user phrase database option, your private user phrase database is used.

7.3.4.5 System Phrase Database （시스템 구문 데이터 베이스）

The system phrase database is for public access by all users using your system. It should be created and modified by your system administrator. If you choose the system phrase database option, the system phrase database is used.

Note

The databases that you can access are the ones available on the system on which you start your Korean input server.

7.3.4.6 Current Window （현재 창）

You can associate an application window with a set of input window attributes. This option allows you to customize the attributes of a specific application window.

Note

This option is available only if you have selected root window as your interaction style and you have focused to an internationalized application input area. Otherwise, this option dims out. If you choose to use the off-the-spot, over-the-spot, or on-the-spot interaction style, the application determines these attributes.

• Font Size

• Font Typeface

• Line Spacing

• Foreground and Background Colors

7.3.4.7 Input Method Customization （입력 방법 설 정）

There are several customizable attributes which globally apply to all input windows. In the Korean input server, they are:

• Bell Volume

• Invocation Key Sequences

The bottom part of the dialog box provides an interface that you can use to customize a key sequence. It allows you to select a trigger key and to toggle the on/off state of the Ctrl, Alt and Shift modifiers. The trigger keys that you can choose include NoSymbol, [F1] - [F20], [Space], [Return], [Compose] and [A] through [Z]. If you choose NoSymbol, no invocation sequence is provided for the selected action.

For each modifier key, you can select the on/off state with the toggle buttons identified in Table 7-3.

Table 7-3: Modifier State Customization

The tilde (~) sign means that you should not press that modifier key when invoking the action. In addition to the on/off state, you can deselect both of the states for a modifier key, that is, neither state is selected. To do this, click the toggle button that is currently set on. If you deselected a modifier, the invocation key with or without holding the modifier key can be accepted by the input server.

When one of the invocation key sequences is selected, for example the 한글 입력 종료 (End Input Method) key sequence, the state of the toggle switches and the trigger key displayed at the bottom of the dialog box is updated to reflect the current value. The label at the bottom left-hand side of the window is changed to 한글 입력 종료. Figure 7-6 shows an example of customized invocation key sequences.

Figure 7-6: Customization of Invocation Key Sequences

If you want to change the End Input Method key sequence to [Ctrl/Space], select the Ctrl, ~Alt, and ~Shift buttons.

7.3.4.8 Help （도움말）

This option provides online information about the Korean input server.

7.3.4.9 Quit （중지）

You can use this option to terminate the input server. If you choose this option, a dialog box pops up to confirm that you really want to exit.

7.3.5 Saving Your New Settings

All attributes which can be customized with 현재 창 (Current Window) and 입력 방법 설정 (Input Method Customization) can be saved into a resource file. You can choose to save the current settings into a private resource file in your login directory. To reset or save the current settings, you can choose the options shown in Table 7-4 inside each customization window.

Table 7-4: Saving Customized Attributes

7.4 Hangul Input Method

Hangul characters are the most commonly used characters in Korea today. Each Hangul character represents one syllable. It is made up of a number of phonetic symbols called "Jamo". There are altogether 22 Jamos for composing Hangul characters and they can be entered through the keys on the main keyboard, as illustrated in Chapter 6.

The input sequence of Jamos should follow that of the pronounced syllables. The first Jamo input should always be a consonant. To enter a Hangul character, invoke the Hangul input method by pressing the respective key sequence and then enter the phonemes of the desired Hangul character.

For example, the string 한글 can be input using the Hangul method as follows:

To enter these characters, invoke the Hangul input method and then press [G] to enter the element ㅎfor 한.

$ ㅎ

한 글

When you press [K] to enter the element ㅏ, the element is composed with ㅎ to form 하.

$ 하

한 글

When you press [S] to enter the element ㄴ, the element is composed with 하 to form 한.

$ 한

한 글

To enter 글, press the elements [R], [M], [F].

$ 한글

한 글

7.5 Hanja Input Method

The word "Hanja" is equivalent to "Chinese Character". To enter Hanja, you should first enter the corresponding Hangul characters which represent their pronunciation and then convert them to Hanja.

To enter a Hanja, invoke the Hangul input method and enter the Hangul character that represents its pronunciation. Before sending the character to the application, press the respective key sequence to invoke the Hanja input method. A list of Hanja corresponding to the pronunciation is displayed in the pre-edit area for selection. To select the desired character, press the numeric key associated with the character on the main keyboard.

For example, the string 韓國 can be input using the Hanja input method as follows:

To enter the Hanja 韓, invoke the Hangul input method and enter the corresponding Hangul 한 by pressing [G], [K], [S].

$ 한

한 글

Then, invoke the Hanja mode:

$ 한

번호 선택 1.寒 2.恨 3.悍 4.旱 5.汗 6.漢 7.澣 8.瀚 9.罕 →

The right arrow sign (→) indicates that more candidates are available for selection. To view the candidates on the next row, press [Space] or the right arrow key.

$ 한

번호 선택 1.翰 2.閑 3.閒 4.限 5.韓

To move backward, press [Shift/Space] or the left arrow key (¬).

To select the character you want, press the numeric key associated with the character. In this example, while displaying the second group of candidates, press [5].

$ 韓

한 글

Similarly, you can press [R], [N], [R] to compose 국 and then invoke the Hanja input method to convert 국 to 國.

After you complete the input of a character, the Hanja input mode exits and returns to the original input mode.

7.6 Row-Column Input Method

As described in Chapter 1, each character in the KSC5601-1992 character set is assigned a position in the character plane and can be uniquely identified by this position. You can enter Korean characters by specifying the row number and the column number of the desired character.

When the row-column mode is invoked, the following message is displayed on the pre-edit area.

행렬코드 입력 : _

When you enter the row-column code, the input data is echoed in the pre-edit area. Only the numeric keys are valid for the row-column input method.

행렬코드 입력 : 0264_

The data can be in the following formats where XX is the row number and YY is the column number:

The Korean character is sent to the application after you enter a valid four-digit or five-digit code and press [Return] or [Enter].

For example, the row-column code of 한 is 3949. To enter this character using the row-column input method, invoke the input method, then press [3] [9] [4] [9] and [Return].

$

핸련 코드 입력:

Alternatively, if you enter a two-digit row number and then press [Enter] or [Return], a list of characters assigned to that row is displayed. You can choose the character that you want from the list of candidates.

7.7 Phrase Input Method

The phrase input method is designed to facilitate the input of frequently used phrases. You can prepare your own database of frequently used phrases, with each phrase being identified by a phrase code. To input a phrase, enter its phrase code and then convert it to the respective phrase.

The Compaq Tru64 UNIX operating system provides a Phrase Utility that you use to create phrase databases. The Korean input server can directly access the phrase databases. In addition, you can choose the phrase database being used.

When you invoke the Phrase input method, the string "PHRASE:" is displayed in the status area. Then you can enter the phrase by specifying the phrase code, for example:

$ PHRASE:KOREA

If the phrase code has corresponding data in the phrase definition database, the data is sent to the application as shown below:

$ 韓國

PHRASE:

To correct the phrase code while pre-editing, press the [Delete] key and re-enter the correct code.

The phrase code can consist of at most 8 English alphanumeric characters. The first character must be an English alphabet character. The remainder can be alphanumeric. If it has less than 8 characters, press [Return] or [Space] to signal the end of input. If it has exactly 8 characters, the respective phrase is automatically sent. You do not have to press [Return] after entering the last character.

For more information on creating phrase databases, see Writing Software for the International Market and the phrase(1) reference page.