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[m17n/m17n-db.git] / FORMATS / IM-tut.txt

/* Copyright (C) 2007
     National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
     Registration Number H15PRO112
   See the end for copying conditions.  */

/***

@page mdbTutorialIM Tutorial of input method

@section im-struct Structure of an input method file

An input method is defined in a *.mim file with this format.

@verbatim
(input-method LANG NAME)

(description (_ "DESCRIPTION"))

(title "TITLE-STRING")

(map
  (MAP-NAME
    (KEYSEQ MAP-ACTION MAP-ACTION ...)        <- rule
    (KEYSEQ MAP-ACTION MAP-ACTION ...)        <- rule
    ...)
  (MAP-NAME
    (KEYSEQ MAP-ACTION MAP-ACTION ...)        <- rule
    (KEYSEQ MAP-ACTION MAP-ACTION ...)        <- rule
    ...)
  ...)

(state
  (STATE-NAME
    (MAP-NAME BRANCH-ACTION BRANCH-ACTION ...)   <- branch
    ...)
  (STATE-NAME
    (MAP-NAME BRANCH-ACTION BRANCH-ACTION ...)   <- branch
    ...)
  ...)
@endverbatim
Lowercase letters and parentheses are literals, so they must be
written as they are.  Uppercase letters represent arbitrary strings.

KEYSEQ specifies a sequence of keys in this format:
@verbatim
  (SYMBOLIC-KEY SYMBOLIC-KEY ...)
@endverbatim
where SYMBOLIC-KEY is the keysym value returned by the xev command.
For instance
@verbatim
  (n i)
@endverbatim
represents a key sequence of \<n\> and \<i\>.
If all SYMBOLIC-KEYs are ASCII characters, you can use the short form
@verbatim
  "ni"
@endverbatim
instead.  Consult @ref mdbIM for Non-ASCII characters.

Both MAP-ACTION and BRANCH-ACTION are a sequence of actions of this format:
@verbatim
  (ACTION ARG ARG ...)
@endverbatim
The most common action is <tt>insert</tt>, which is written as this:
@verbatim
  (insert "TEXT")
@endverbatim
But as it is very frequently used, you can use the short form
@verbatim
  "TEXT"
@endverbatim
If <TT>"TEXT"</TT> contains only one character "C", you can write it as
@verbatim
  (insert ?C)
@endverbatim
or even shorter as
@verbatim
  ?C
@endverbatim
So the shortest notation for an action of inserting "a" is
@verbatim
  ?a
@endverbatim

@section im-upcase Simple example of capslock

Here is a simple example of an input method that works as CapsLock.

@verbatim
(input-method en capslock)
(description (_ "Upcase all lowercase letters"))
(title "a->A")
(map
  (toupper ("a" "A") ("b" "B") ("c" "C") ("d" "D") ("e" "E")
           ("f" "F") ("g" "G") ("h" "H") ("i" "I") ("j" "J")
           ("k" "K") ("l" "L") ("m" "M") ("n" "N") ("o" "O")
           ("p" "P") ("q" "Q") ("r" "R") ("s" "S") ("t" "T")
           ("u" "U") ("v" "V") ("w" "W") ("x" "X") ("y" "Y")
           ("z" "Z")))
(state
  (init (toupper)))
@endverbatim

When this input method is activated, it is in the initial condition of
the first state (in this case, the only state <tt>init</tt>).  In the
initial condition, no key is being processed and no action is
suspended.  When the input method receives a key event \<a\>, it
searches branches in the current state for a rule that matches \<a\>
and finds one in the map <tt>toupper</tt>.  Then it executes MAP-ACTIONs
(in this case, just inserting "A" in the preedit buffer).  After all
MAP-ACTIONs have been executed, the input method shifts to the initial
condition of the current state.

The shift to <em>the initial condition of the first state</em> has a special
meaning; it commits all characters in the preedit buffer then clears
the preedit buffer.

As a result, "A" is given to the application program.

When a key event does not match with any rule in the current state,
that event is unhandled and given back to the application program.

Turkish users may want to extend the above example for "İ" (U+0130:
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER I WITH DOT ABOVE).  It seems that assigning the
key sequence \<i\> \<i\> for that character is convenient.  So, he
will add this rule in <tt>toupper</tt>.

@verbatim
    ("ii" "İ")
@endverbatim

However, we already have the following rule:

@verbatim
    ("i" "I")
@endverbatim

What will happen when a key event \<i\> is sent to the input method?

No problem.  When the input method receives \<i\>, it inserts "I" in the
preedit buffer.  It knows that there is another rule that may
match the additional key event \<i\>.  So, after inserting "I", it
suspends the normal behavior of shifting to the initial condition, and
waits for another key.  Thus, the user sees "I" with underline, which
indicates it is not yet committed.

When the input method receives the next \<i\>, it cancels the effects
done by the rule for the previous "i" (in this case, the preedit buffer is
cleared), and executes MAP-ACTIONs of the rule for "ii".  So, "İ" is
inserted in the preedit buffer.  This time, as there are no other rules
that match with an additional key, it shifts to the initial condition
of the current state, which leads to commit "İ".

Then, what will happen when the next key event is \<a\> instead of \<i\>?

No problem, either.

The input method knows that there are no rules that match the \<i\> \<a\> key
sequence.  So, when it receives the next \<a\>, it executes the
suspended behavior (i.e. shifting to the initial condition), which
leads to commit "I".  Then the input method tries to handle \<a\> in
the current state, which leads to commit "A".

So far, we have explained MAP-ACTION, but not
BRANCH-ACTION.  The format of BRANCH-ACTION is the same as that of MAP-ACTION.
It is executed only after a matching rule has been determined and the
corresponding MAP-ACTIONs have been executed.  A typical use of
BRANCH-ACTION is to shift to a different state.

To see this effect, let us modify the current input method to upcase only
word-initial letters (i.e. to capitalize).  For that purpose,
we modify the "init" state as this:

@verbatim
  (init
    (toupper (shift non-upcase)))
@endverbatim

Here <tt>(shift non-upcase)</tt> is an action to shift to the new state
<tt>non-upcase</tt>, which has two branches as below:

@verbatim
  (non-upcase
    (lower)
    (nil (shift init)))
@endverbatim

The first branch is simple.  We can define the new map <tt>lower</tt> as the
following to insert lowercase letters as they are.

@verbatim
(map
  ...
  (lower ("a" "a") ("b" "b") ("c" "c") ("d" "d") ("e" "e")
         ("f" "f") ("g" "g") ("h" "h") ("i" "i") ("j" "j")
         ("k" "k") ("l" "l") ("m" "m") ("n" "n") ("o" "o")
         ("p" "p") ("q" "q") ("r" "r") ("s" "s") ("t" "t")
         ("u" "u") ("v" "v") ("w" "w") ("x" "x") ("y" "y")
         ("z" "z")))
@endverbatim

The second branch has a special meaning.  The map name <tt>nil</tt> means
that it matches with any key event that does not match any rules in the
other maps in the current state.  In addition, it does not
consume any key event.  We will show the full code of the new input
method before explaining how it works.

@verbatim
(input-method en titlecase)
(description (_ "Titlecase letters"))
(title "abc->Abc")
(map
  (toupper ("a" "A") ("b" "B") ("c" "C") ("d" "D") ("e" "E")
           ("f" "F") ("g" "G") ("h" "H") ("i" "I") ("j" "J")
           ("k" "K") ("l" "L") ("m" "M") ("n" "N") ("o" "O")
           ("p" "P") ("q" "Q") ("r" "R") ("s" "S") ("t" "T")
           ("u" "U") ("v" "V") ("w" "W") ("x" "X") ("y" "Y")
           ("z" "Z") ("ii" "İ"))
  (lower ("a" "a") ("b" "b") ("c" "c") ("d" "d") ("e" "e")
         ("f" "f") ("g" "g") ("h" "h") ("i" "i") ("j" "j")
         ("k" "k") ("l" "l") ("m" "m") ("n" "n") ("o" "o")
         ("p" "p") ("q" "q") ("r" "r") ("s" "s") ("t" "t")
         ("u" "u") ("v" "v") ("w" "w") ("x" "x") ("y" "y")
         ("z" "z")))
(state
  (init
    (toupper (shift non-upcase)))
  (non-upcase
    (lower (commit))
    (nil (shift init))))
@endverbatim

Let's see what happens when the user types the key sequence \<a\> \<b\> \< \>.
Upon \<a\>, "A" is inserted into the buffer and the state shifts to <tt>non-upcase</tt>.
So, the next \<b\> is handled in the <tt>non-upcase</tt> state.
As it matches a
rule in the map <tt>lower</tt>, "b" is inserted in the preedit buffer and characters in the 
buffer ("Ab")
are committed explicitly by the "commit" command in BRANCH-ACTION.  After
that, the input method is still in the <tt>non-upcase</tt> state.  So the next \< \>
is also handled in <tt>non-upcase</tt>.  For this time, no rule in this state
matches it.  Thus the branch <tt>(nil (shift init))</tt> is selected and the
state is shifted to <tt>init</tt>.  Please note that \< \> is not yet
handled because the map <tt>nil</tt> does not consume any key event.
So, the input method tries to handle it in the <tt>init</tt> state.  Again no
rule matches it.  Therefore, that event is given back to the application
program, which usually inserts a space for that.

When you type "a quick blown fox" with this input method, you get "A
Quick Blown Fox".  OK, you find a typo in "blown", which should be
"brown".  To correct it, you probably move the cursor after "l" and type
\<Backspace\> and \<r\>.  However, if the current input method is still
active, a capital "R" is inserted.  It is not a sophisticated
behavior.

@section im-surrounding-text Example of utilizing surrounding text support

To make the input method work well also in such a case, we must use
"surrounding text support".  It is a way to check characters around
the inputting spot and delete them if necessary.  Note that
this facility is available only with Gtk+ applications and Qt
applications.  You cannot use it with applications that use XIM
to communicate with an input method.

Before explaining how to utilize "surrounding text support", you must
understand how to use variables, arithmetic comparisons, and
conditional actions.

At first, any symbol (except for several preserved ones) used as ARG
of an action is treated as a variable.  For instance, the commands

@verbatim
  (set X 32) (insert X)
@endverbatim

set the variable <tt>X</tt> to integer value 32, then insert a character
whose Unicode character code is 32 (i.e. SPACE).

The second argument of the <tt>set</tt> action can be an expression of this form:

@verbatim
  (OPERATOR ARG1 [ARG2])
@endverbatim

Both ARG1 and ARG2 can be an expression.  So,

@verbatim
  (set X (+ (* Y 32) Z))
@endverbatim

sets <tt>X</tt> to the value of <tt>Y * 32 + Z</tt>.

We have the following arithmetic/bitwise OPERATORs (require two arguments):

@verbatim
  + - * / & |
@endverbatim

these relational OPERATORs (require two arguments):

@verbatim
  == <= >= < >
@endverbatim

and this logical OPERATOR (requires one argument):

@verbatim
  !
@endverbatim

For surrounding text support, we have these preserved variables:

@verbatim
  @-0, @-N, @+N (N is a positive integer)
@endverbatim

The values of them are predefined as below and can not be altered.

<ul>
<li> <tt>@-0</tt>

-1 if surrounding text is supported, -2 if not.

<li> <tt>@-N</tt>

The Nth previous character in the preedit buffer.  If there are only M
(M<N) previous characters in it, the value is the (N-M)th previous
character from the inputting spot.

<li> <tt>@+N</tt>

The Nth following character in the preedit buffer.  If there are only M
(M<N) following characters in it, the value is the (N-M)th following
character from the inputting spot.

</ul>

So, provided that you have this context:

@verbatim
  ABC|def|GHI
@endverbatim

("def" is in the preedit buffer, two "|"s indicate borders between the
preedit buffer and the surrounding text) and your current position in
the preedit buffer is between "d" and "e", you get these values:

@verbatim
  @-3 -- ?B
  @-2 -- ?C
  @-1 -- ?d
  @+1 -- ?e
  @+2 -- ?f
  @+3 -- ?G
@endverbatim

Next, you have to understand the conditional action of this form:

@verbatim
  (cond
    (EXPR1 ACTION ACTION ...)
    (EXPR2 ACTION ACTION ...)
    ...)
@endverbatim

where EXPRn are expressions.  When an input method executes this
action, it resolves the values of EXPRn one by one from the first branch.
If the value of EXPRn is resolved into nonzero, the corresponding
actions are executed.

Now you are ready to write a new version of the input method "Titlecase".

@verbatim
(input-method en titlecase2)
(description (_ "Titlecase letters"))
(title "abc->Abc")
(map
  (toupper ("a" "A") ("b" "B") ("c" "C") ("d" "D") ("e" "E")
           ("f" "F") ("g" "G") ("h" "H") ("i" "I") ("j" "J")
           ("k" "K") ("l" "L") ("m" "M") ("n" "N") ("o" "O")
           ("p" "P") ("q" "Q") ("r" "R") ("s" "S") ("t" "T")
           ("u" "U") ("v" "V") ("w" "W") ("x" "X") ("y" "Y")
           ("z" "Z") ("ii" "İ")))
(state
  (init
    (toupper

     ;; Now we have exactly one uppercase character in the preedit
     ;; buffer.  So, "@-2" is the character just before the inputting
     ;; spot.

     (cond ((| (& (>= @-2 ?A) (<= @-2 ?Z))
               (& (>= @-2 ?a) (<= @-2 ?z))
               (= @-2 ?İ))

            ;; If the character before the inputting spot is A..Z,
            ;; a..z, or İ, remember the only character in the preedit
            ;; buffer in the variable X and delete it.

            (set X @-1) (delete @-)

            ;; Then insert the lowercase version of X.

            (cond ((= X ?İ) "i") 
                  (1 (set X (+ X 32)) (insert X))))))))
@endverbatim

The above example contains the new action <tt>delete</tt>.  So, it is time
to explain more about the preedit buffer.  The preedit buffer is a
temporary place to store a sequence of characters.  In this buffer,
the input method keeps a position called the "current position".  The
current position exists between two characters, at the beginning of
the buffer, or at the end of the buffer.  The <tt>insert</tt> action inserts
characters before the current position.  For instance, when your
preedit buffer contains "ab.c" ("." indicates the current position),

@verbatim
  (insert "xyz")
@endverbatim

changes the buffer to "abxyz.c".

There are several predefined variables that represent a specific position in the
preedit buffer.  They are:

<ul>
<li> <tt>@@<, @@=, @@></tt> 

The first, current, and last positions.

<li> <tt>@@-, @@+</tt>

The previous and the next positions.
</ul>

The format of the <tt>delete</tt> action is this:

@verbatim
  (delete POS)
@endverbatim

where POS is a predefined positional variable.
The above action deletes the characters between POS and
the current position.  So, <tt>(delete @-)</tt> deletes one character before
the current position.  The other examples of <tt>delete</tt> include the followings:

@verbatim
  (delete @+)  ; delete the next character
  (delete @<)  ; delete all the preceding characters in the buffer
  (delete @>)  ; delete all the following characters in the buffer
@endverbatim

You can change the current position using the <tt>move</tt> action as below:

@verbatim
  (move @-)  ; move the current position to the position before the
               previous character
  (move @<)  ; move to the first position
@endverbatim

Other positional variables work similarly.

Let's see how our new example works.  Whatever a key event is, the
input method is in its only state, <tt>init</tt>.  Since an event of a lower letter
key is firstly handled by MAP-ACTIONs, every key is changed into the
corresponding uppercase and put into the preedit buffer.  Now this character
can be accessed with <tt>@-1</tt>.

How can we tell whether the new character should be a lowercase or an
uppercase?  We can do so by checking the character before it, i.e.
<tt>@-2</tt>.  BRANCH-ACTIONs in the <tt>init</tt> state do the job.

It first checks if the character <tt>@-2</tt> is between A to Z, between
a to z, or İ by the conditional below.

@verbatim
     (cond ((| (& (>= @-2 ?A) (<= @-2 ?Z))
               (& (>= @-2 ?a) (<= @-2 ?z))
               (= @-2 ?İ))
@endverbatim

If not, there is nothing to do specially.  If so, our new key should
be changed back into lowercase.  Since the uppercase character is
already in the preedit buffer, we retrieve and remember it in the
variable <tt>X</tt> by

@verbatim
    (set X @-1)
@endverbatim

and then delete that character by

@verbatim
    (delete @-)
@endverbatim

Lastly we re-insert the character in its lowercase form.  The
problem here is that "İ" must be changed into "i", so we need another
conditional.  The first branch

@verbatim
    ((= X ?İ) "i")
@endverbatim

means that "if the character remembered in X is 'İ', 'i' is inserted".

The second branch 

@verbatim
    (1 (set X (+ X 32)) (insert X))
@endverbatim

starts with "1", which is always resolved into nonzero, so this branch
is a catchall.  Actions in this branch increase <tt>X</tt> by 32, then
insert <tt>X</tt>.  In other words, they change A...Z into a...z
respectively and insert the resulting lowercase character into the
preedit buffer.  As the input method reaches the end of the
BRANCH-ACTIONs, the character is commited.

This new input method always checks the character before the current
position, so "A Quick Blown Fox" will be successfully fixed to "A
Quick Brown Fox" by the key sequence \<BackSpace\> \<r\>.


*/

/* 
Copyright (C) 2007
  National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
  Registration Number H15PRO112

This file is part of the m17n database; a sub-part of the m17n
library.

The m17n library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License
as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of
the License, or (at your option) any later version.

The m17n library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
Lesser General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
License along with the m17n library; if not, write to the Free
Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
*/