[Fwd]: Re: More than one Unicode code-point in a X11 Keyboard file

How does one control keyboard layout under XFree86? This issue
perplexes quite a few. Here is the answer.

----- Forwarded message from Pablo Saratxaga <pablo-7Aj/b8uzpy6AmYF/[email protected]> -----

 > 
 > Kaixo!
 > 
 > On Mon, Apr 26, 2004 at 12:48:58PM +0700, Javier SOLA wrote:
 >  
 > > Hi,
 > > 
 > > I am trying to write a keyboard driver for Khmer language and in some 
 > > cases letters are composed of two Unicode points... does anybody know if 
 > > it is possible to generate two Unicode code-points with one single key 
 > > stroke in XKB files.
 > 
 > You can, using Compose file.
 > 
 > For that issue a code that you don't otherwise use (one of the not
 > attributed ones from the khmer bloc for example); then in
 > the Compose file you define that code to give the real string.
 > 
 > I use it for arabic keyboard that has a+l digraph keys;
 > in /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/locale/en_US.UTF-8/Compose file:
 > 
 > # Arabic digraphs
 > <Ufef5> : "لآ"
 > <Ufef7> : "لأ"
 > <Ufef9> : "لإ"
 > <Ufefb> : "لا"
 > 
 > (between quotes there is simply the UTF-8 string I want)
 > and then in the keyboard layout:
 > 
 >     key <AC05> {  [      Arabic_lam,       0x100fef7      ]     };
 > 
 > etc.
 > 
 > Note that for Compose to work you must select "X input mode" in gtk
 > input menu; and you must have a correct locale setting.
 > To make that the default, put export GTK_IM_MODULE=xim
 > somewhere in your ~/.profile or similar.
 > 
 > Note also that programs not using Compose (those are extremely rare;
 > usually either emulators that want to map keyboard at a low level,
 > or antediluvian programs; they won't likely be able to display any khmer
 > alphabet at all anyway), or if you don't have the proper lines in
 > the Compose file, you will be typing incorrect unicode characters.
 > But if you are able to add/edit an XKB keyboard layout then you can also
 > edit Compose file.
 > 
 > -- 
 > Ki ça vos våye bén,
 > Pablo Saratxaga
 > 
 > http://chanae.walon.org/pablo/		PGP Key available, key ID: 0xD9B85466
 > [you can write me in Walloon, Spanish, French, English, Catalan or Esperanto]
 > [min povas skribi en valona, esperanta, angla aux latinidaj lingvoj]



----- End forwarded message -----

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