[Xfce-bugs] [XFCE 0000261]: Input methods in XFFM

xfce-bugs at xfce.org xfce-bugs at xfce.org
Mon Jul 19 08:27:10 CEST 2004


The following bug requires your FEEDBACK.
=======================================================================
http://bugs.xfce.org/view_bug_page.php?f_id=0000261
=======================================================================
Reporter:                   adrian440
Handler:                    edscott
=======================================================================
Project:                    XFCE
Bug ID:                     0000261
Category:                   xffm
Reproducibility:            have not tried
Severity:                   minor
Priority:                   normal
Status:                     feedback
=======================================================================
Date Submitted:             2004-07-17 00:30 GMT
Last Modified:              2004-07-19 06:27 GMT
=======================================================================
Summary:                    Input methods in XFFM
Description: 
When using chinese input methods in xfce, they never seem to work in XFFM
(but the work everywhere else in XFCE). I have tried both FCITX (which
utilises XIM) and also SCIM, which utilises the im_module in gtk2.
Attemped in charsets utf8 and gb2312. I'm running xfce 4.0.3, so please
close this bug if it has been fixed since.
=======================================================================

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 edscott - 2004-07-17 01:05 GMT 
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I'm afraid I have no idea what you are talking about (so I don't think it
is fixed). If anybody could explain further or provide a patch it would be
very helpful.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 adrian440 - 2004-07-17 02:56 GMT 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Asian languages utilise helper programs (called input methods) in order to
input characters. They are required to access the lord-knows-how-many
ideographs of their respective languages utilising an alpha-numeric
keyboard. Most of these utilise the XIM protocol, however there are newer
ones that jack into gtk-2 more directly. Fcitx is a chinese input method
that utilises XIM, while SCIM is an input method that utilises gtk-2's
more intricate protocol (which I've heard is more capable when it comes to
scripts that have recombination). One can view the available gtk input
methods by right clicking the space where one would usually type. Anywho,
these input methods work almost everywhere in xfce, just not in the file
manager. One thing it might be is that both of these utilise Ctrl-Space as
the activating keystroke, so perhaps this is being blocked? I might try a
japanese input method editor (I think they use shift space), and see if
that's any more successful.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 edscott - 2004-07-17 14:59 GMT 
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Indeed, modifier-Space is being sent down a black hole. I've changed that
and allowed ctrl-space, alt-space and shift-space to pass through.

Could you possibly check out the CVS version to test? You only have to
checkout xffm and xfce4-modules to continue using xfce4_0.x. Compile and
install xfce4-modules first, then for xffm do a "./configure
--enable-oldlibraries".

If you cannot do this, please give me some kind of recipe I can follow to
see whether the fix is good or not.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 adrian440 - 2004-07-18 11:09 GMT 
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OK, the build went fine, I'm using the CVS version now. Modifier space now
brings up the input method window (it did not before). However the
subsequent letters typed are not registered by the input method, it is as
if the input method is not receiving them; so no joy. With the updated CVS
version there is of course a new way of renaming things (just click on the
filename) which doesn't bring up the traditional input prompt at the top,
but allows one to rename the file directly. With this new mode, the input
methods tested (fcitx, scim, & kinput2) work flawlessly. There is
something about how input is taken there that is different. All input that
goes through the input buffer that appears at the top of the window (such
as creating files or folders, or doing a goto) is problematic. 

I must say I like the improvements though, like the new xffrecuent4 and
xffrequent. I also like being able to run each function (trash, mountdev,
etc) as its own executable, so please keep that going.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 edscott - 2004-07-18 13:36 GMT 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Apparently the input problem persists because xffm is trying to do
autocompletion (which is probably not what you want). So now I've modified
the combo so that autocompletion is turned off whenever the
(ctrl|alt|shift)-space is received. That will pass everything through.
Autocompletion will remain off until (shift or alt)-backspace is received,
if you want to switch back to default behaviour.

Please test. You only need to update your CVS version of xfce4-modules
(cvs update && make install). Xffm does not need to be updated or rebuilt,
just close all xffm instances and restart.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 adrian440 - 2004-07-18 23:21 GMT 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well done, that appears to have fixed it! A side-effect has occurred
though, in that after one uses an input method in the goto box (and then
deactivate it with mod-space), pressing enter brings down the drop list,
instead of confirming (as it usually would). Of course one can still use
the enter button provided at the end of the input buffer, so it isn't
really a problem.

When this gets patched into the next release it'll make the file manager
as i18nalised as the rest of xfce and more likely to be included in asian
distros, like hiweed (a chinese debian-based distro with xfce as the
default desktop).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 edscott - 2004-07-19 03:07 GMT 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The enter key now works as is should (it is not being passed through
anymore). You just need to update xfce4-modules for changes to take
effect.

I've also changed the combination to reenable autocompletion to
mod-space.
If there are no more problems, this would finish up the fix.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 adrian440 - 2004-07-19 06:27 GMT 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Almost. Goto, rename, and symlink all work perfectly, but new
file/directory seems to create nothing. I've found I can create a file
with just english, but hybrid english/asian or pure asian does not work.
The input window works perfectly, its just that no file/folder is actually
created.



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