Re: why is Dutch the default language for note-entry?

[Hans Aberg]

On 18 Dec 2008, at 22:28, <address@hidden> wrote:

> > Right. So the best one can hope for is a series of keyboard maps that
> > perhaps unify groups of characters, that those that so like may use.
>
> The issue is to create a UTF-8 text file with linguistic content from
> several writing scripts, right?  Choose an OS and a text processor  
> that
> supports that and you have whatever you need for lyrics and other
> arbitrary text.

Right. On Mac OS X, just use <command><space> or whatever you set it  
to change key map. Then switch into the LilyPond key map for typing  
notes and such. The latter layout must be logical and easy to remember  
to be usable.

> Keywords are a different issue.  Yes, it is a bit strange that parts  
> of Ly
> are english and other parts are not.  Ly is the first programming  
> language
> I have seen which allows a choice of language for programming  
> keywords.

Keyboard maps can demand certain key stroke combinations for output,  
and can output a sequence of characters, I would think, because  
otherwise some Unicode combining character combinations might not be  
possible. So it might be possible to capture keywords - I do not know  
for sure. But if possible, and it also can be learned, it would be a  
fast input method.

> Macintosh Fonts with unusual encodings (eg, IPA) can include a key- 
> glyph
> mapping table (KCHR reseource) that the OS automagically employs  
> when the
> typing focus is directed at a field employing that font ('Font' menu  
> has
> it checked).  The KCHR resource is something human beings can create  
> (with
> effort) using ResEdit or Resourcerer; I think Fontographer will also  
> make
> one.

I am only thinking about Unicode fonts. Fonts can only have 2^16  
characters, and cannot cover all of Unicode. So it is necessary to  
have several. There is a lookup system for the glyphs available for  
each character.

> Mac, and maybe PC, used to have utillities which would allow you to
> program the F-keys so they would execute macros (perhaps typing  
> arbitrary
> text).  Might be that this is no longer feasible because of improved
> memory protection under OS X, dunno.  F1-12, hmmm, twelve keys...

All the keys have different numbers, and should in principle be  
reprogrammable. But as function keys tend to have different uses, it  
might be wise not using them up for typing.

> > On the other hand, it is easy to switch keyboard maps, on mine it is
> > <command><space>.
>
> Used to be <command><space> cycled between installed scripts,  
> rotating the
> chosen font and associated KCHR.  Confusing if you have more than two
> installed.

You can set it in System Preferences -> International -> Input Menu.

> > I do not know what they [chinese] use - check on the Unicode list.
>
> I was refering to historical chinese typesetting, ca 1300 AD; before
> computers.  OT digression, sorry.

They used movable type, early on, using wooden glyphs. Gutenberg made  
a method for making many identical glyphs by casting in led. More OT.

> Google on 'Pinyin' gets hits on description of some of the Chinese  
> input
> methods for the terminally curious.

Thanks.

  Hans