What is the exact function of ${#prarmeter} syntax?

[Eungkyu Song]

Before bash 3.0, I think that ${#parameter} is just "byte counter".
(byte means the 'char' type in C)
To display prompt one line, I used it as 'terminal column counter'

In EUC-KR encoding (Korean), number of byte and number of terminal column
are same and I have no complain abount that.

But bash 3.0 count the number of characters and wide character which
occupy 2 terminal column is just one character.

Man page said that ${#parameter} is 'the length in characters'.
How abount change this feature to count terminal column?
or please add the feature that count terminal column.
I really want it and maybe many wide character user want it, too.

ps) please cc me

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