From: hchen@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (H. Chen)
Subject: Re: About HanZi Input Method
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1992 03:17:35 GMT

Hi, There,

Since your gay are talking about some input-by-word: ~{4JWiJdHk~}, I would
like to recommend you the following text from NJStar's English manual for
your review.  This is about how to input Chinese in Pin Yin with LiangXiang
~{A*Ok~} feature, and the last two paragraphs is exactly how to input by
word in NJStar.  (Sorry I can't post NJStar' Chinese manual here for it is 
copyrighted materials for registered users only.)  A complete NJStar trial 
version can be obtained via anonymous ftp from ahkcus.org, under 
src\pc\NJSTAR.

Hope this can explain how input-by-word is possible now.

~{;[=\~}
========

After  a complete code  (PinYin + Tone)  is entered, NJStar  will display all
match characters at the bottom  line.  Generally, those often used characters
would appear  before  those  less  often  used ones.    Thus  the  Class  One
characters  will  come  before  the  Class  Two  characters.    User  may use
[SpaceBar] to select the first character,  or use a number key, to select any
desired character.  If there are more than 10 match  characters, user may use
[>] or [<] key  to flip through the list, and then  select a character in the
same way.  User may enter [Esc] to cancel the current code, if necessary.

If  a  character  is  selected,  it  will  enter  into  the  editing  screen.
Meanwhile, if this  character has no  any LianXiang, the  bottom will not  be
changed.  Otherwise, the bottom line will display all LianXiang characters or
LianXiang words for it.  In the  latter case, the bottom line will  display a
"LianXiang" sign,  in the  right side of  the input  method sign.   User  may
select a character or a word from the list, in the same way  as with that for
selecting  match characters for  PinYin code.  A  LianXiang characters or the
last  character in a LianXiang  word can bring up more  LianXiang in turn, if
any.  User may enter [Esc] to clear the bottom line, or entering a new PinYin
code if necessary.

By default, NJStar  will dynamically adjust the PinYin  dictionary every time
user  selects a character.  That is,  if a selected character is in Class One
of GB table, it  will be automatically moved to the beginning position of the
characters list.   Thus, when user selects the same character again later, it
will appear at the first  location of the list so that user may  easily press
[SpaceBar] to select  it.  However, user  may also disable this  feature with
NJCONFIG.EXE  so that all  characters would appear at  a fixed location every
time user selects it.

If user don't want  to get LianXiang characters, or don't want  to change the
current list  order, user may press  [Alt] + number  key to select  a desired
character.   Meanwhile, because  [,], [.], and  [SpaceBar] keys  are used  to
select  characters,  user may  enter  [Alt + ,],  [Alt + .],  or  [Alt] +
[SpaceBar] when  there is characters at the bottom  line waiting to be input.
For  Windows  user,  please  specify  [Alt + SpaceBar]  as  an  application
reserved key if  possible.  (See Windows Manual for more about reserving keys
for applications.)  Otherwise, user needs to press [Esc] to clear  the bottom
line before entering a space character.

Quite often, before a complete code is entered, user may found that a desired
character has  shown in the  bottom line already.   At this point,  NJStar is
still waiting for  a complete code.  If user prefers not  to finish the code,
user  may still press  [Alt] + number key to  select the character.   In this
case, NJStar will still give its LianXiang  characters or words at the bottom
line, if any.  However, the order of the character list will not be adjusted.

Sometimes,  a character  may have  many  LianXiang characters.   To  select a
desired word from a long list  is still quite time-consuming.  In  this case,
NJStar  provides an  intelligent  way  to assist  selecting  characters  from
LianXiang  list.   That  is,  user  may keep  enter  the  code  for the  next
character,  if  the  desired  character  is of  LianXiang  for  the  previous
character, it will appear at the  beginning part of the list.  For  instance,
to enter the word ~{VPQ'~}, user first enter "zhong1" for ~{VP~},  after user
picks up this character,  instead of  using [>]  to flip  through  the  list, 
user may simply  enter"xue" for the next character. Then, NJStar will display
~{Q'~} at the very beginning of the list  so that  user can easily pick up it
by pressing [SpaceBar].

Another approach to  input a LianXiang word is  to enter codes for  the first
two characters together. For instance, if user want to input a word ~{VPPD~},
user  may enter  "zhongxin" directly.   Then, NJStar  will find out  all word
matching  the code of "zhongxin"  and display them at the  bottom line.  User
may select  a LianXiang word  in the  same way as  with that for  selecting a
character mentioned earlier.  Please  notice, if the codes of LianXiang  word
would be confused  when being put together,  such as "xi" and "an",  user may
need to use a [']  to separate the code.  So, codes for the word ~{Nw02~}  is 
"xi'an."  Alternatively,  user may use the tone code as a separator,  such as
"xi1an" to get the word ~{Nw02~}.
                                                            from  NJSTAR1.DOC
                                                       copyright of Hongbo Ni
Newsgroups: alt.chinese.text