xvnkb  - Vietnamese keyboard input for X-Window

1. Description
    xvnkb is a Vietnamese keyboard input for X-Window. It provides an
    useful way for editing Vietnamese on X-Window environment with popular
    input methods and charsets. This software released under GNU GPL
    license.

2. Features
    - Run as a small X application in the background without any interfere
      with others.
    - Can work well with most X applications included: editors, browsers,
      office suites, ...
    - Supported Vietnamese input methods: VNI, TELEX, VIQR.
    - Supported Vietnamese charsets: TCVN3, VISCII, VPS, VNI, VIQR, Unicode
      (UTF-8).
    - Switch on/off input mode with shortcut key "Alt+Shift" or with Left
      mouse click on running icon.
    - xvnkb was tested with XFree86 on Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and hope
      work on other UNIX (need time to test).

3. User Guide
3.1. Install
    The install script will help you to do all things:

    [xvnkb2-source]$ ./configure
    [xvnkb2-source]$ make install

    or

    [xvnkb2-source]$ ./configure
    [xvnkb2-source]$ make
    [xvnkb2-source]$ ./install

    and then follow the instructions of install script

3.2. Launch
    To control the status of xvnkb core (xvnkb.so), launch xvnkb gui

    $ xvnkb

    A small icon of xvnkb will appear on screen, it displays status of
    xvnkb core (input mode). Using mouse to change status:
    - Left button: Switch on/off input method support.
    - Right button: Activate menu for choosing input method, charset, ...
    - Middle button: Exit.

    Status of current input method, charset, ... will be stored in file
    $HOME/.xvnkbrc and will be restored in next session of xvnkb.

3.3. Manually install & launch
    In the case you want to do it manually:

    [xvnkb2-source]$ ./configure
    [xvnkb2-source]$ make
    [xvnkb2-source]$ cp xvnkb.so /path/to/your/lib/folder
    [xvnkb2-source]$ cp xvnkb /path/to/your/bin/folder

    $ export LD_PRELOAD=/path/to/your/lib/folder/xvnkb.so
    $ <launch xvnkb to control>
    $ <launch your apps here>

3.4. Function
    With your default LANG, xvnkb can help you to input following charsets:
    tcvn, vni, viscii, vps, ... but unicode. So, when you want to input
    unicode, you have to set LANG=UTF-8.

    $ export LANG=UTF-8       # or LANG=en_US.UTF-8 or {something}.UTF-8
    $ <launch your apps here>

    * NOTICE:
    xvnkb will work fine with all other charsets when LANG=*UTF-8

3.5. Hints for advanced user (who dont want to use GUI :)):
    Make core only with default input method = viqr

    $ make core

    Make core with debug (viqr)

    $ make core_debug

    Make core with user defined input method

    $ make core CFLAGS="-DVK_CORE_METHOD=<N>"

    where N: 1=vni, 2=telex, 3=viqr

    Also, you can change input method by setting evironment variable
    VK_CORE_METHOD

    $ export VK_CORE_METHOD=1 # vni input method
    $ <launch apps>

    In this case GUI has no effect to the core. Using Alt-Shift to switch
    on/off Vietnamese input method (default is off).

    See also 3.3

4. Limits
    - Installation scripts only work if bash exists.

5. Others
    * Create UTF-8 locale
    For instance, your default LANG is en_US. Now you want to create UTF-8
    locale from your defalt LANG. Follow these instructions:

    # mkdir /usr/share/locale/en_US.UTF-8
    # localedef -v -ci en_US -f UTF-8 /usr/share/locale/en_US.UTF-8
    (ignore all warning & error messages)

    But it is better if you create vi_VN.UTF-8 ;)
    # mkdir /usr/share/locale/vi_VN.UTF-8
    # localedef -v -ci vi_VN -f UTF-8 /usr/share/locale/vi_VN.UTF-8

    Some applications (Ex: OpenOffice) use locale info in /usr/lib/locale.
    If your desired locale does not exist in /usr/lib/locale, you have to
    do the same as above or just make a soft link to that folder:

    # cd /usr/lib/locale
    # ln -s /usr/share/locale/en_US.UTF-8 en_US.UTF-8
    # ln -s /usr/share/locale/vi_VN.UTF-8 vi_VN.UTF-8


Thank you for using xvnkb!!! Have fun!!!

Dao Hai Lam <lam@visc-network.com>