Japanese text input on Ubuntu 8.10

In this tutorial I demonstrate how to set up and use Japanese text input on Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid):

Setup

• open a terminal and type in

sudo apt-get install uim-applet-gnome uim-xim uim-anthy uim-gtk2.0 im-switch

• still in the terminal, run

im-switch -s uim

• right-click on the panel and choose "Add to panel..."
• choose "Input Method Indicator"
• right-click on the uim applet and choose "Preference"
• adjust these settings:
  • Global Settings:
    • check "Specify default IM"
    • edit the toggle keys to your liking
    • as "Alternative input method" choose "Anthy"
    • optionally change the "Input method toggle key" to your liking
  • Anthy:
    • as "Default input mode" choose "Hiragana"
• before uim works in all apllications, you will probably have to restart your computer

Usage

• click on the uim applet and choose "Anthy" or press the key comination you chose earlier (this will only work in a text input field) (this will not change your keyboard layout like it would on Windows; all characters will be in their usual places)
• type the Japanese text as you would in romaji, paying attention to some special sequences (s. examples below)
• after a word, press the space bar to to go through the possible kanji and Enter to accept (you can also do this after typing the whole sentence, moving between the words with the arrow keys; to extend the selection, press Shift and the arrow keys)
• to switch to katakana, press Shift+F7; to switch back to hiragana, press Shift+F6
• to convert a word you just typed to katakana, press F7; to convert it back to hiragana, press F6
• some examples:
  • for たなか type tanaka
  • し can be typed as shi or si, つ as tsu or tu, etc.
    
  • for ん type nn
    • for こんにちは type konnnichiha (konnichiha would produce こんいちは)
    • for きんようび type kinnyoubi (kinyoubi would produce きにょうび)
  • ti will produce ち; for てぃ type texi or teli
    • for パーティー　type pa-texi- or pa-teli-
• to switch back to your default input language, click on the uim applet and choose "Direct" or, again, press the key combination you chose as "Input method toggle key"

Japanese text input on Windows XP

In this tutorial I demonstrate how to set up and use Japanese text input on Windows:

Setup

• Go to "Start" → "Control Panel" → "Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options" → "Add other languages"
• check "Install files for East Asian languages"
• click "OK"
• you will be asked to insert the Windows XP installation disc; do so and click "OK"
• Accept when you are asked to restart your computer
• After the reboot, go to "Start" → "Control Panel" → "Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options" → "Add other languages" again
• click"Details...", then "Add..."
• in the drop-down menu choose "Japanese" and click "OK"
• Click "OK" again
• Click on the language button, which is normally near the taskbar
• choose "Japanese" (note that this changes your keyboard layout; if you use a German keyboard, for instance, z and y will switch places)
• right-click on the language button and choose "Restore the language bar"
• On the language bar, click "Preferences"
• Change "Default Input Mode" to "Hirgana"
• Click "OK"
• (you can minimise the language bar now, if you want to)

Usage

• use the language bar/button to switch to Japanese or press the Left Alt Key + Shift to cycle through your input languages
  (if you use more than two languages, you might want to assign key combinations to jump to specific languages; you can do so by right-clicking the language bar, choosing "Settings" and then "Key Settings…")
• type the Japanese text as you would in romaji, paying attention to some special sequences (s. examples below)
• after a word, press the space bar to to go through the possible kanji and Enter to accept (you can also do this after typing the whole sentence, moving between the words with the arrow keys)
• to convert a word you just typed to katakana, press F7; to convert it back to hiragana, press F6
• some examples:
  • for たなか type tanaka
  • し can be typed as shi or si, つ as tsu or tu
  • for ん type nn
    • for こんにちは type konnnichiha (konnichiha would produce こんいちは)
    • for きんようび type kinnyoubi (kinyoubi would produce きにょうび)
  • ti will produce ち; for てぃ type texi or teli
    • for パーティー　type pa-texi- or pa-teli-

Japanese text input on Windows Vista

In this tutorial I demonstrate how to set up and use Japanese text input on Windows Vista:

Setup

• go to "Start" → "Control Panel" → "Clock, Language, and Region" → "Change keyboards or other input methods" → "Change keyboards" → "Add..."
• expand "Japanese" and check "Microsoft IME"
• click "OK" (three times)
• Click on the language button, which is normally near the taskbar
• choose "Japanese" (note that this changes your keyboard layout; if you use a German keyboard, for instance, z and y will switch places)
• right-click on the language button and choose "Restore the language bar"
• On the language bar, click "Tools", then "Preferences"
• Change "Default Input Mode" to "Hirgana"
• Click "OK"
• (you can minimise the language bar now, if you want to)

Usage

• use the language bar/button to switch to Japanese or press the Left Alt Key + Shift to cycle through your input languages
  (if you use more than two languages, you might want to assign key combinations to jump to specific languages: right-click the language bar/button, choose "Settings…" and go to the "Advanced Key Settings" tab)

• type the Japanese text as you would in romaji, paying attention to some special sequences (s. examples below)
• after a word, press the space bar to to go through the possible kanji and Enter to accept (you can also do this after typing the whole sentence, moving between the words with the arrow keys)
• to convert a word you just typed to katakana, press F7; to convert it back to hiragana, press F6
• some examples:
  • for たなか type tanaka
  • し can be typed as shi or si, つ as tsu or tu
  • for ん type nn
    • for こんにちは type konnnichiha (konnichiha would produce こんいちは)
    • for きんようび type kinnyoubi (kinyoubi would produce きにょうび)
  • ti will produce ち; for てぃ type texi or teli
    • for パーティー　type pa-texi- or pa-teli-

Japanese text input on Mac OS X

In this tutorial I demonstrate how to set up and use Japanese text input on Mac OS X:

Setup

• Open "System Settings"
• go to "International" → "Input Menu"
• check "Kotoeri" and any input methods you might want to use
• check "Show input menu in menu bar"

Usage

• click on the input menu icon
• choose "Hiragana" (note that this changes your keyboard layout; if you use a German keyboard, for instance, z and y will switch places; you can change this in the Kotoeri preferences accessible from the input menu); you can also use keyboard shortcuts to change the input language; you need to activate (and, if you want to, change) the shortcuts first: click the input menu icon, choose "Open International…", click on "Keyboard Shortcuts…" and look for the "Input Menu" section
• type the Japanese text as you would in romaji, paying attention to some special sequences (s. examples below)
• after a word, press the space bar to to go through the possible kanji and Enter to accept (you can also do this after typing the whole sentence, moving between the words with the arrow keys)
• to switch to katakana, press Shift+Ctrl+K; to switch to hiragana, press Shift+Ctrl+J
• some examples:
  • for たなか type tanaka
  • し can be typed as shi or si, つ as tsu or tu
  • for ん type nn
    • for こんにちは type konnnichiha (konnichiha would produce こんいちは)
    • for きんようび type kinnyoubi (kinyoubi would produce きにょうび)
  • ti will produce ち; for てぃ type texi or teli
    • for パーティー　type pa-texi- or pa-teli-