Alphabetic keyboard entry displays and enters a character each time an
alphabetic key is pressed. Examples are the English, notes, bpmf (bopomofo),
hiragana, katakana,
radical(D-
-
6),
and
stroke(D-
-
7)
input modes. The romaji and pinyin input modes use translation rules to convert
romanization to alphabetic types, if desired. Alphabetic input modes use an
alphabetic font(4-
13)
and a corresponding
keyboard definition(4-
6).
A keyboard definition (or keyboard) maps each key to a symbol in
an
alphabetic font(4-
13).
In the United States, PCs generally use the US English keyboard definition
(e.g. the `A' key produces an `A'). European countries that use special
characters require European keyboards and
code pages(D-
-
2).
Asian languages have their own keyboard definitions that completely re-map the
keyboard into alphabetic or other symbols appropriate to their language. See
Alphabetic Text Entry(4-
4).
Smart Characters can support any
keyboard mapping(D-
-
5),
and display any
alphabetic font(4-
13).
Keyboards can be simple, as in the 8 key ISENS
stroke(D-
-
7)
keyboard, or complex, as in the translating kana, pinyin, or bopomofo
macro(D-
-
5)
keyboards. Macro
keyboard definition(4-
6)
files contain simple macros to translate romanized text into native alphabets.
To add group or company wide text entry macros to a keyboard, cut and paste
existing
dynamic glossary(4-
6)
macros into the appropriate macro keyboard, and distribute (or "publish") the
keyboard.
You can create and use
macros(D-
-
5)
to translate abbreviations into words, phrases, or even sentences. Such a
collection of text entry macros is called a
glossary(D-
-
4).
Like a
dictionary(D-
-
3),
a glossary entry consists of a key (usually an abbreviation) and a definition.
When you type the key, Smart Characters dynamically (automatically) substitutes
the definition. To create a new glossary entry, select some text, then select
the KeyboardAdd Selection to Glossary(3-
28)
command. See
Dynamic Glossary Window(4-
4).
Smart Characters glossaries are linked to and can be used in any input mode
that uses a
macro keyboard(4-
6).
Romaji, kana, pinyin, bopomofo, and
stroke(D-
-
7)
input modes use macro keyboards, while notes and English typically do not.
Glossaries can hold up to 1000 items. You can create or modify your own
keyboard definitions(4-
6)
and glossaries, which have identical formats. See
Keyboard Definition Format(12-
4).
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