Hi,
Just install CentOS using Japanese, so you can use Japanese on Gnome. It means that when you are installing CentOS, you must choose Japanese language . When you get on your account, click language and choose Japanese as well before typing your user name and password.
You just push Ctrl and space at the same time, so you can type Japanese on Firefox, Mozilla, Openoffice and so on. For example, if you want to type "さよなら", you need to type "SAYONARA" on your English keyboard. If you want to use Chinese characters for Japanese language, push space after typing Japanese, so you can choose Chinese characters. Hope that this helps you.
Cheers,
Joe
Dave Gutteridge dave@tokyocomedy.com wrote:
When I installed CentOS, I was careful to install Japanese language support.
However, now that CentOS is running, I can't seem to get Japanese language input going. I clicked on the top menu bar to add the "Input Method Switcher", and now there is a little white square on the top panel. If I click on it, gives me the option of using ASCII input, or to "Add or Remove".
If I click on "Add or Remove", I get an "Add or Remove Languages" dialoge box, which is empty. There are no languages to add to the list of selections, and nothing in the area marked "Languages shown in menu" either. There are also no options to install languages.
I went to Applications | System Settings | Add/Remove Applications to look for language settings, but they weren't there.
How do I get my Japanese language input up and running?
Dave _______________________________________________ CentOS mailing list CentOS@centos.org http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
__________________________________________________________________ Switch to Netscape Internet Service. As low as $9.95 a month -- Sign up today at http://isp.netscape.com/register
Netscape. Just the Net You Need.
New! Netscape Toolbar for Internet Explorer Search from anywhere on the Web and block those annoying pop-ups. Download now at http://channels.netscape.com/ns/search/install.jsp
Thank you for your suggestions.
However, although I know I can choose Japanese as a language in the boot screen, this makes the entire interface Japanese which is not the desired result. Even though I could work in a Japanese OS environment, I don't want to have to conform to the OS, I want the OS to conform to me. Partly that's because I don't take orders from my computer. But also, my Japanese is good enough to handle everyday commands. But if something really weird and squiky happened with some kind of driver or RPM setting or something, I don't want to have to be learning UNIX commands and practicing Japanese at the same time. Nor is always logging out and back in really a feasible option either, given the frequency with which I need to have both languages available.
CentOS/Red Hat/Linux gives the promise of being able to do so, or so it seems. So there's one of three choices: 1. I misunderstood the language settings potential, and perhaps someone could correct me. 2. My system is not configured correctly, and perhaps someone could help me correct the computer. 3. The feature has a significant bug which prevents it from operation, and so perhaps someone could help me in reaching CentOS or Red Hat to point out the bug.
Unfortunately, this is one of those "deal breaker" situations. If I can't get Japanese support, then CentOS will be a curiousity for me while I mainly work in Windows. But if I can get Japanese support, then I can start using CentOS as my main OS.
I hope there's someone who understands the language settings enough to keep CentOS alive for me.
Dave
On Sun, 2005-07-31 at 17:11 +0900, Dave Gutteridge wrote:
... cut ... I don't want to have to be learning UNIX commands and practicing Japanese at the same time. ... cut ... Nor is always logging out and back in really a feasible option either, given the frequency with which I need to have both languages available. ... cut ... Unfortunately, this is one of those "deal breaker" situations. If I can't get Japanese support, then CentOS will be a curiousity for me while I mainly work in Windows. But if I can get Japanese support, then I can start using CentOS as my main OS.
I've had limited exposure to using UNIX/Linux console and GNOME 2 environments for multiple languages, but I typically did it on a per- user basis. I.e., I would ensure I installed all i18N support, and then configure "LANG" and other settings (gotta find the old HOWTO when I did this) so when specific users logged in, they would experience it in another language.
Not only do I don't know how you can do this in Windows, but I thought Windows was rather install-specific and rendered a fixed language (except for maybe terminal services?). I'm kinda confused on what you expect out of CentOS that Windows provides? Or is that you know Windows can't provide it but hoping CentOS can?
BTW, you do _not_ need to "log out" to run applications as a different user. Although I do have to choose 1 user to login as, I often use 2-3 accounts simultaneously in X using Xauth to authorize other users so they can display applications on my desktop. I don't see any reason why you can't do this for multiple users using different languages, especially when GNOME maintains its own sessions for different users, when when displaying to the same DISPLAY.
I hope there's someone who understands the language settings enough to keep CentOS alive for me.
I personally would like to know how Windows solves this. Everything in my background says it doesn't.
On Sun, 2005-07-31 at 03:56 -0500, Bryan J. Smith wrote:
BTW, you do _not_ need to "log out" to run applications as a different user. Although I do have to choose 1 user to login as, I often use 2-3 accounts simultaneously in X using Xauth to authorize other users so they can display applications on my desktop. I don't see any reason why you can't do this for multiple users using different languages, especially when GNOME maintains its own sessions for different users, when when displaying to the same DISPLAY.
BTW, there is also the issue of keyboards and support -- especially with non-Latin keyboards.
X.org does an excellent job of making it easy to setup multiple input devices, including multiple keyboards of different languages each. Once the keyboard device has been so configured to the local X:0.0 display, whoever logs in has ownership of the display. But, again, you can authorize other users to have access to the display and use those keyboards.
Again, does anyone have a good HOWTO on this? When I did this awhile back (under RHL9/FC1 I believe?), the locale generation was different than it appears to be on FC3/RHEL4. I.e., my notes don't seem to work on my FC3 box here.
-- Bryan
P.S. Also, IIRC, RHEL artificially limits locale support for SLA reasons and it's one of the major differences between Fedora Core and RHEL (which CentOS is). Can anyone confirm that for my ignorant, land- locked American butt (who doesn't have to support much other than English and Spanish, both very similar Latin languages)?
I'm kinda confused on what you expect out of CentOS that Windows provides? Or is that you know Windows can't provide it but hoping CentOS can?
Windows has what is called a "Global IME". I'm not sure what "IME" stands for or how it works, but I can tell you what it does for me, the end user.
In Windows, I have a small panel called the "Language Bar", which you can place anywhere, but I have it on the bottom of the screen, just to the left of where my system tray and time display are. It's basically a little blue square icon that has the letters "En" on it. By clicking on this button, a pop up menu appears, which in my case gives me three choices: English (US), English (Canada), and Japanese.
In supported applications, which these days is almost everything, I can set the Language Bar to Japanese, and then I can input Japanese straight into the program. Not only does this work for Microsoft products like Office, but most every other program built within the last couple years. Significantly, I can input Japanese directly with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
Even more significanly, I can use this input method for programs, in Windows, like OpenOffice, Firefox, and Thunderbird. This is why I more or less assumed Linux would be able to as well, because the applications that I also use in CentOS support the feature in Windows.
As for the keyboards, again, I don't know how it works, but I just type in Japanese phonetically, the same way it works on a Japanese keyboard, but still using my US English keyboard. In fact, I prefer to use my US English keyboard for typing Japanese because Japanese keyboards have a tiny space bar that I'm always missing and hitting other keys, and they weirdly map thigs like an apostraphe to being above the seven and other odd choices. With Windows, my keyboard retains its mapping, but the result is that I can type in Japanese characters.
It's this functionality which I assumed CentOS was offering with it's "Input Method Switcher". After all, the Input method switcher does sit on my top panel with a little white squre icon with "En" on it, just like Microsoft's Global IME. If the "Input method switcher" does not allow me to type in other languages, then what does it do?
Dave
On Sun, 2005-07-31 at 19:02 +0900, Dave Gutteridge wrote:
Windows has what is called a "Global IME" ... Even more significanly, I can use this input method for programs, in Windows, like OpenOffice, Firefox, and Thunderbird. This is why I more or less assumed Linux would be able to as well, because the applications that I also use in CentOS support the feature in Windows.
In UNIX/Linux, language settings are environmental variables. All you would need to do is set a variable and export it before a program starts. The Pango subsystem of GNOME 2+ handles it for GNOME applications, and KDE has it's own.
As for the keyboards, again, I don't know how it works, but I just type in Japanese phonetically, the same way it works on a Japanese keyboard, but still using my US English keyboard. In fact, I prefer to use my US English keyboard for typing Japanese because Japanese keyboards have a tiny space bar that I'm always missing and hitting other keys, and they weirdly map thigs like an apostraphe to being above the seven and other odd choices. With Windows, my keyboard retains its mapping, but the result is that I can type in Japanese characters.
You can do either with X. You can continue to use your English keyboard _and_ you can plug in a Japanese keyboard simultaneously. How either is mapped is up to your X program, although I'm sure if you have the English in and the Japanese locale, it will take it as well.
It's this functionality which I assumed CentOS was offering with it's "Input Method Switcher". After all, the Input method switcher does sit on my top panel with a little white squre icon with "En" on it, just like Microsoft's Global IME. If the "Input method switcher" does not allow me to type in other languages, then what does it do?
I don't know. Never tried it.
I just wanted to mention I had setup different users with different languages before, and that unlike Windows (without different Graphical Display Interfaces, GDIs, such as via Terminal Services for Switch User), you _can_ run multiple user desktops/applications simultaneous on a _single_ X session with windows right next to each other (of different users).
In UNIX/Linux, language settings are environmental variables. All you would need to do is set a variable and export it before a program starts. T
But if I understand this correctly, this would cause the interface of that program to be in Japanese as well. The only thing I want to make Japanese is my input. So, for example, when I use Firefox in Windows, all the menus and buttons are in English, but when I type a search into Google, I can do so with English or Japanese characters at my discretion.
You can do either with X. You can continue to use your English keyboard _and_ you can plug in a Japanese keyboard simultaneously.
This is different from the desired functionality. I want to only need my one keyboard, my English one, and use it for English and Japanese input. As I do with Windows.
Dave
From: "Dave Gutteridge"
But if I understand this correctly, this would cause the interface of that program to be in Japanese as well. The only thing I want to make Japanese is my input. So, for example, when I use Firefox in Windows, all the menus and buttons are in English, but when I type a search into Google, I can do so with English or Japanese characters at my discretion.
My experience may not be relevant as its FC4 rather than CentOS, but I hope it may help.
I have a Fedora Core 4 machine which has an English UI but allows a choice of English and/or Japanese input.
I can quite happily switch between inputting in English and Japanese using the iimf. I followed the instructions here http://fedora.redhat.com/projects/i18n/iiimf-faq.html
When I have time I could re-install CentOS4 and try to achieve the same level of functionality
Ian
Ian Wells esmith@wellsi.com wrote:
My experience may not be relevant as its FC4 rather than CentOS, but I hope it may help. I have a Fedora Core 4 machine which has an English UI but allows a choice of English and/or Japanese input. I can quite happily switch between inputting in English and Japanese using the iimf. I followed the instructions here http://fedora.redhat.com/projects/i18n/iiimf-faq.html When I have time I could re-install CentOS4 and try to achieve the same level of functionality
I apologize for my prior "jumping in." I was just trying to share how I did it for different users prior (and that was for Latin), and my knowledge was clearly dated. I was also completely ignorant of what IIIMF does. I think I'm going to have fun checking it out though.
Following advice given here, I seem to be further along. Also, switching to KDE seems to have helped as well.
Now, when I open certain applications, mainly FireFox and OpenOffice, I get a small "Input Switcher" window. It has only a drop down menu on it, and if I click on the drop down, I see "Japanese" as an input option. But, if I select that, then nothing really happens. Typing in the application still happens in English.
If I click on the "system-switch-im" icon in the top panel, I get a window which allows me to select an "Input Method System". I can choose "iiimf" or Advanced Settings. Under Advanced Settings, Japanese is listed. If I go into advanced settings and select Japanese, I'm further presented with different input methods. Can't quite figure out what the difference is between them, though, as selecting any of them doesn't seem to do anything.
Dave
Dave Gutteridge wrote:
Thank you for your suggestions.
However, although I know I can choose Japanese as a language in the boot screen, this makes the entire interface Japanese which is not the desired result. Even though I could work in a Japanese OS environment, I don't want to have to conform to the OS, I want the OS to conform to me. Partly that's because I don't take orders from my computer. But also, my Japanese is good enough to handle everyday commands. But if something really weird and squiky happened with some kind of driver or RPM setting or something, I don't want to have to be learning UNIX commands and practicing Japanese at the same time. Nor is always logging out and back in really a feasible option either, given the frequency with which I need to have both languages available.
CentOS/Red Hat/Linux gives the promise of being able to do so, or so it seems. So there's one of three choices:
- I misunderstood the language settings potential, and perhaps
someone could correct me. 2. My system is not configured correctly, and perhaps someone could help me correct the computer. 3. The feature has a significant bug which prevents it from operation, and so perhaps someone could help me in reaching CentOS or Red Hat to point out the bug.
Unfortunately, this is one of those "deal breaker" situations. If I can't get Japanese support, then CentOS will be a curiousity for me while I mainly work in Windows. But if I can get Japanese support, then I can start using CentOS as my main OS.
I hope there's someone who understands the language settings enough to keep CentOS alive for me.
Dave
You can have multiple desktops with KDE & be logged in as different users (in shells) on different desktops (man su(1)). That *may* be all you need.
-
Bryan J. Smith -
Dave Gutteridge -
Ian Wells -
kenkensmile＠netscape.net -
William A. Mahaffey III