khim - Provides key bindings for entering international characters on a keyboard that does not support
Contents
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'.
Bugs, Ideas, Feedback
This document, and the package it describes, will undoubtedly contain bugs and other problems. Please
report such in the category khim of the TklibTrackers [http://core.tcl.tk/tklib/reportlist]. Please
also report any ideas for enhancements you may have for either package and/or documentation.
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.
Keywords
character, i18n, input, international, method
tklib 1.0.3 khim(3tk)
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.
{ComposeKey}
Window title for a dialog that prompts the user to strike the key that will be used for the
"Compose" key.
{Composekey:}
Label that identifies a component showing the "Compose" key choice in the KHIM options dialog.
{Composedsequencemustbetwocharacterslong}
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.
{Inputkeysequence}
Text for a label of the entry widget that prompts the user for a two-character sequence to use
with the "Compose" key.
{InsertCharacter}
Window title of the dialog box that displays a Unicode character map and prompts the user to
select a character to insert.
{Keysequences}
Text for a label at the head of a listbox showing the composed sequences that are currently bound.
{KHIMControls}
Window title for the dialog box that prompts for KHIM settings.
{KHIMHelp}
Window title for the window that display help text for KHIM.
OK Label for the OK button on several dialogs.
Selectcodepage:
Label for a spinbox that prompts the user for a Unicode code page number.
SELECTCOMPOSEKEY
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.
{UseKHIM}
Text for a checkbutton that asks whether the user wishes to use KHIM to manage composed key
sequences.
Name
khim - Provides key bindings for entering international characters on a keyboard that does not support
them
Procedures
In addition to commands supporting the KHIM binding tag, the following commands are exported from the
package:
::khim::getOptionspath
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::setConfigversionenabledcomposemap
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::showHelppath
Displays a top-level dialog giving user-level help for KHIM; the dialog will have the path name
path.
Synopsis
package require Tcl
package require khim?1.0.3?::khim::getOptionspath::khim::getConfig::khim::setConfigversionenabledcomposemap::khim::showHelppath
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
