Object Type Code Keys

Use your PC to Master Japanese and Chinese

The Notes object type(4- 2) is used for notes, translations, and data. It usually displays with a tiny font. Notes can be displayed in various styles controlled by the Format Annotations(3- 23) command. Notes are also suppressed if all annotations are turned off (i.e., View | Annotations is unchecked).

English Code ^E

The English object type(4- 2) is used for writing ordinary text in English. It displays in a proportional font selected by the Format Character(3- 16) dialog that averages about one half the width of the square Chinese characters. To use a wider English character, use the large ENGLISH type.

According to the type rules(4- 2), for compatibility with Ascii documents, every line begins in a default type, usually English. Consequently, English text at the beginning of a line need not be preceded by an English code.

ENGLISH Code ^F

The ENGLISH object type(4- 2) characters match the square Chinese characters, and are used for initials or numbers.

Punctuation Code ^P

The Punctuation object type(4- 2) is used for Asian style punctuation only. Otherwise, use the English or ENGLISH punctuation. For the standard keyboard mapping(D- - 5), see the Asian Punctuation Chart(E- - 1). See the example in Writing a Sentence in Japanese(2J- 10).

Romaji Code ^O

Romaji object type(4- 2) is the romanized (English alphabet) Japanese phonetic alphabetic writing system. For the standard keyboard mapping(D- - 5), see the Asian Punctuation Chart(E- - 1). Romaji usually automatically translates to hiragana or katakana. If romaji last translated to hiragana, it will continue to do so until you select katakana, and vice versa. See the examples in Writing a Sentence in Japanese(2J- 10).

For existing romaji documents, use ScConv(D- - 7) to translate from romaji to hiragana, or cut and paste small blocks in romaji input mode.

Hiragana Code ^W

Hiragana object type(4- 2) is the Japanese cursive phonetic alphabet used with kanji in ordinary text. For the standard keyboard mapping(D- - 5), see the Japanese Hiragana Chart(E- - 1).

Katakana Code ^X, ^T

Katakana object type(4- 2) is the Japanese angular phonetic alphabet used for foreign-derived words, or for emphasis. You can change hiragana to katakana by entering a katakana code (press ^T to insert a ^X) after the hiragana code(5- 9) (^W). See the example in From Hiragana to Katakana(2J- 11).

Pinyin Code ^N

Pinyin object type(4- 2) is the romanized Chinese phonetic writing system. You can display pinyin with or without tones in a variety of styles. See the Format Annotations(3- 23) command. Optionally, pinyin letter combinations that correspond to standard Chinese syllables will automatically translate to and display as bopomofo (Bpmf). See the example in Entering Chinese Characters(2C- 16) and Entering Chinese Characters(2J- 31).

For existing pinyin documents, use ScConv(D- - 7) to translate pinyin files to bopomofo, or cut and paste small blocks in pinyin input mode.

Bpmf Code ^V, ^B

Bpmf object type(4- 2) (also bopomofo but pronounced by some as "buh puh muh fuh") is the traditional Chinese phonetic alphabet, including tones. For the standard keyboard mapping(D- - 5), see the Chinese Bopomofo Chart(E- - 1).

Characters Code ^R

The Characters object type(4- 2) precedes Chinese characters entered directly from the keyboard. Press ^R and type the character number(D- - 2). Repeat as desired.

Stroke Code ^Q

The Stroke object type(4- 2) handles stroke(D- - 7) input for Chinese characters entry according to the stroke classification used by an optional stroke dictionary(4- 7). The default scheme is the Ideograph Stroke Encoding System, which classifies strokes as one of 8 stroke types.

Radical Code ^T

The Radical object type(4- 2) displays radicals(D- - 6) of Chinese characters according to the radical classification used by an optional radical dictionary(4- 7). Not compatible with Japanese input methods, which use ^T for Katakana.

Format Code ^]

The Format object type(4- 2) is used by format codes(D- - 3) to apply formatting of all kinds (character, paragraph, page, annotation, object, etc.) to the document. The symbol set index format code specifies the symbol set for subsequent Chinese characters.

Literal Code ^\

The Literal code (not an object type) allows the next code character to be interpreted according to the previous object type(4- 2). This is used to display an extended character(D- - 3) or a control range Ascii character(D- - 1) using the Notes or English fonts. Extended Ascii characters are used for accented characters as used in French (bête), German (gruße), Spanish (señor), etc. Without a preceding literal code, an extended character would be interpreted as the first part of a double-byte Chinese character, and a control range character would be interpreted as an object type code(5- 11).

Smart Characters automatically inserts a literal code whenever an extended character is entered in Notes, English, and ENGLISH modes. See Using Extended Characters(5- 10).

Code Spaces

Code spaces are used to define character sets for a particular language. Single byte code spaces use a single byte (character) to represent a small number of characters according to the code space in use. The most used single byte code space(D- - 2) is the Ascii code(D- - 1), which has been extended to provide support for the accented characters and currency symbols in foreign languages, as well as the line drawing symbols used by older DOS text mode applications.

Double byte code spaces are used to represent characters in a large orthography, as used by the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages. Smart Characters handles double byte code spaces in absolute and encoded ranges. Absolute ranges specify character numbers in the word processor and the font editor. A binary code(D- - 1) defines an encoded range of characters pairs, and maps it into a corresponding absolute range.

Using Extended Characters

Smart Characters works with the standard Windows code page(D- - 2) (sometimes referred to as code page 1007), as can be displayed using a character map(D- - 1) window.

To browse and use characters from the Windows extended range, select the Keyboard Character Map(3- 29) command, and note the character code displayed on the character map status bar Keystroke indicator.

When entered on the number pad, Windows code page 1007 extended characters begin with a zero:

To use é (code page 1007 code 0233), activate Num Lock. Press ^E to start an English object if necessary, then press and hold Alt while pressing the number pad Side 0 then 2 then 3 then 3 keys, then release the Alt key.

Smart Characters and Windows both automatically translate DOS code page 437 characters into an equivalent Windows code page character, if one exists (the 437 line drawing characters are not needed in or supported by Windows, see the Ascii Chart(5- 5).). DOS code page 437 extended characters never begin with a zero:

To use é (extended Ascii code page 437 code 130), activate Num Lock. Press ^E to start an English object if necessary, then press and hold Alt while pressing the number pad Side 1 then 3 then 0 keys, then release the Alt key.

The Ascii Codes(5- 5) window and Ascii Only display mode(3- 7) display text according to DOS code page 437. This is desirable because code page 437 has glyphs for almost every code, while the Windows code page contains many unassigned codes.

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Last Modified: March 23, 1996