I need Chinese-typing programme for Windows 2000 and Linux.

[Cyberian]

Hi,

I am a beginner in learning Chinese, and I wish to start practicing with some typing. I am looking for a Chinese-typing programme. With the following options:

1. Menu and options are in English.

2. Uses pinyin

3. Able to be used in programmes like ICQ and word processors.

4. Supports Windows 2000. If possible, suggest one that works on Linux too.

I tried the default Chinese input in Windows 2000, but it doesn't work in ICQ or word processors.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[gato]

Have you tried NJStar Communicator:

http://www.njstar.com/communicator/

I like it. I believe the trial version available on their site is fully functional and can be used indefinitely.

[Cyberian]

How do I get NJS to work in a full-screen programme?

[Chappie]

1, NJ star, 2, almsot any chinese input prog. 3, NJstar does only a soft(not real or at least not direct) input of chinese char.

4, I have heard that there are some OS (in HK) has a special edition chinese/english. But i think its just a hoax.

You better install a chinese windows next to your current windows.

NJstar isnt great but its on the of the best software there is avialable.

(Besides you dont need to read chinese in windows. The start button is always south-west of the ur screen .)

[Cyberian]

I am illiterate . I cannot read or write Chinese. I am starting to learn. If I install a Chinese edition of Windows, I will not be able to understand it or get through the installation properly.

I installed Windows XP in Chinese once, and I do not understand what I was doing in the installation screen.

[johnmck]

Try:

http://www.mandarintools.com/wordinput.html

This is a macro for Microsoft Word. I use it and it works well. If I want to write in Explorer, I write it in Word first and cut and paste. It is not the perfect solution, but for me it is good enough and it is free

John.

[beirne]

I use chinput on Linux. There are instructions on setting it up for Debian at http://sps.nus.edu.sg/~huyihuyi/debian3.html. You will need to adapt it or hunt for instructions for other forms of Linux.

What word processor are you using in Windows?

[Chappie]

Cyberian... You know where the start button is right? You have installed WinXP before right? (otherwise ur name is a bit ....)

Chinese Windows is just like any otherwise but its translated... You might start looking for some "auto-install" windows (nLite for exp.).

Chinese Windows has the best (kinda silly to say but) Chinese input/output program.

Otherwise just use Njstar... (crappy program but there are no better ones then this one...)

[Pravit]

Are you sure the default Chinese input in Windows 2000 doesn't work in other programs? As far as I know Win2000/XP are almost the same thing and what is good for one is good for the other. Occasionally people in ICQ say that they can't read the characters I type, but that is usually a problem on their side, not mine.

[Cyberian]

Beirne

Just notepad and wordpad.

Chappie

Yes, I know. But the instructions will be in Chinese.

How do you expect me to understand what the options tabs says?

There is a lot of customizing to be done after installing Windows, English or Chinese. And in order to customize, I need to read what it says on the screen. I also need to configure security settings, which uses sophisticated words.

I am not the 'install Windows, and I am ready to use it' type. I have to configure this thing for an average of 3-4 hours before using it. Because the default settings are not good enough for I.

Yes, but I don't want to install it in XP. It gave me too much problems; it frequently crashed. Not to mention it eats up a lot of RAM. I have 256 DDR.

Pravit

Can you let me know the settings for keyboard in specific? Because when I do it, it can only type Chinese when I am on Desktop. I cannot get it to work on browser, ICQ, or word processors.

[Pravit]

Well, what I did is go to Regional and Language Options, Languages, Install files for complex script etc., details, Add, Chinese. I assigned a control key to it, CTRL+SHIFT+3, and every time I want to type in Chinese I just hit this control key and there you go. I believe you can cycle through the languages as well; the default key combo is either CTRL+SHIFT or ALT+SHIFT.

[Cyberian]

I have my settings set up. But I don't get the Chinese input even after ctrl+shitf'ing it to Chinese.

[beirne]

Do you have a blue EN box in your tray? If so then start up Notepad, then right-click on the EN and pick the other choice. You should then be able to enter type pinyin and get the character choices.

[Chappie]

Use dual bootsystem. I cant read chinese either but its kinda usefull. I have 2 windows (dutch/english and chinese). That is how i config my chinese windows with the use of the other one.

The reason is why you still dont type chinese is that you have a "english" keyboard now. You should change into PRC PinYin or something like that.

I highly recommend chinese windows if you really want to learn chinese. THe bluebox is the indicator.

You should install WinXP it has some awesome input programs. Windows 2000 hasnt much... but acceptable.

znABC is one of the best.

Quanpin is kinda crappy but its ok.

Pinyin... very slow and sloppy.

the other I dont get it....

[beirne]

The reason is why you still dont type chinese is that you have a "english" keyboard now. You should change into PRC PinYin or something like that.

The English keyboard works fine. All you are typing is pinyin anyhow, so it works without any problem.

[Chappie]

Pinyin =! Chinese...

I think he wants to type chinese char wtih pinyin.

[beirne]

Pinyin =! Chinese...

I think he wants to type chinese char wtih pinyin.

Exactly. With the english keyboard Cyb would type something like "gonggongqiche" and get the choces of characters that match. One doesn't need a special keyboard for that. One doesn't need a dual-boot system, either. Cyberian is on the right track with the US Keyboard configuration, but sometimes switching between the English and Chinese input methods doesn't work right.

[marcel]

www.mandarintools.com has macros for MSWord. They work on Word2000 and XP, despite what the website says.

One of the macros allows you to type the pinyin (without tone marks or numbers) and it presents a numbered list of characters corresponding to that pinyin entry. You click on the required number and the character is entered into the Word document.

You need to have at least one Chinese font. MS supplies some nice ones. You can use Unicode (I think).

There is also a macro (should also be available in mandarintools) to replace pinyin-with-tone number by pinyin-with-tone-mark.

You may also need to set language (Control Panel > Regional and Language options) to include Chinese.

You will have to switch between Chinese and English, from the language toolbar, when moving from pinyin-to-character input to inserting tone marks.

Hope this isn't too confusing!

Good luck!

[Josh-J]

You should be fine with pinyin input with chinese menus; I've never actually used the options and I manage just fine. The default settings will allow you to type easily. Although, I'm uing Windows XP rather than 2000... still, I imagine its similar. As for Linux - you could try SCIM.. but bear in mind that I've not really tried using pinyin in Linux - I just found that from a Google search.

[kudra]

Don't know but this may help

http://classes.yale.edu/chns130/TypingTutorials/index.html

http://classes.yale.edu/chns130/IME/Index.html

I myself use NJStar. Can't remember how much Chinese it had to set it up, but it couldn't have been too much.