CANNA Version 3.6, a Japanese input system
Canna Project
http://canna.sourceforge.jp/
0. Preface
This file describes the introduction of Canna. For
installation of Canna or changes from the previous versions of
Canna, see the file `INSTALL' or `CHANGES.jp' respectively. (Sorry,
but `INSTALL' and `README' may not be updated compared to the files
written in Japanese. Also sorry that `CHANGES' is provided only in
Japanese.)
1. Overview
This directory includes files which are source codes for a
Japanese input system named Canna. Canna provides a unified user
interface for Japanese input.
*Note: Canna was called Iroha among developers of Canna
previously.
There exists a commonly usable Japanese input system called
Wnn. Canna gives an alternative Japanese input system.
Canna is based on a client-server model for kana-to-kanji
conversion, that is, an application program which uses a Japanese
input system communicates with a kana-to-kanji conversion server,
which is a separate process from the application program. Canna has
several features as follows:
1) Based on client-server model kana-to-kanji conversion
2) Supporting automatic kana-to-kanji conversion
3) Providing a unified user interface to input Japanese
4) Supporting customization by users
5) Based on lisp language customization
6) A mechanism to add a suitable part of speech to each registered
words by users
7) Providing a library which supports a unified user interface
8) Maintenance tools for conversion dictionaries
9) A customizing tool which supports easy customization
10) Supporting Nemacs(Mule), kinput2 and uum
Below, we would like to describe details of Canna's features.
2. Features of Canna
2.1 Based on client-server model kana-to-kanji conversion
Canna converts kana to kanji based on a client-server model.
That is, an application program communicates with a kana-to-kanji
conversion server to achieve Japanese input.
2.2 Supporting automatic kana-to-kanji conversion
Canna is the first free Japanese input system which supports
automatic kana-to-kanji conversion which based on client-server
model. Generally, it is not easy to operate Japanese with automatic
kana-to-kanji conversion in PC environment. However, Canna makes it
easier for supporting better user interface which extended their
generally(unautomatically) conversion.
2.3 Providing a unified user interface to input Japanese
Developers of Canna used to use Egg on Nemacs when we had to
input Japanese. Egg was very harmonious with Nemacs and its user
interface was convenient.
*Note: Nemacs is a Japanese version of Emacs. Egg is an interface
between Nemacs and Wnn. Egg provides a user interface by
itself.
On the other hand, if we had to input Japanese without Nemacs,
for example, to input Japanese in command line of shell, we were not
able to use Egg because Egg was usable only in Emacs environment.
On the other hand, there is also a Japanese input system for TTYs
called Uum, Uum has a different user interface from Egg and we did
not become accustomed with it.
Especially in using X clients, we were eager to use Egg's user
interface to use them. We found a lot of good tools on the X window
system such as xmh and xcalendar. Our desire was to localize those
clients into our national language and to operate them with Egg's
user interface.
<<Let's create another Egg by ourselves>>
Thus, we decided to create an Egg like system and to provide it
in a library. This is the Canna. Now, Canna provides more features
than Egg. Canna can be used in Emacs, in X environments, and also
on TTYs.
2.4 Supporting customization by users
As well as key binding, it is possible to customize
romaji-to-kana conversion rules, status describing strings,
dictionaries, etc. A customization is described in a customization
file. A customization file can be shared among applications using
Canna.
2.5 Based on lisp language customization
Canna used to use a simple syntax for a customization file.
But once a new function is introduced to the syntax of the
customization file, old application programs will have to be
re-written to incorporate the new rules and conditions of Canna.
According to use new customization syntax based on lisp
language, it is possible to ignore the descriptions which old
version's Canna cannot understand. With new syntax, you can get
version of Canna or connected server, and it is also possible to
customize on conditions of these versions.
2.6 A mechanism to add a suitable part of speech to each registered
words by users
When we made our own user interface, we added one new idea into
the word registration part of Canna.
In kana-to-kanji conversion system, more detailed parts of
speech are used than what are used in school grammars. Canna uses
almost 400 parts of speech. On the other hand, it might be almost
impossible and unkind to ask users what kind of a part of speech
must be used for the registered word.
In Canna, we made a new mechanism to add a suitable part of
speech to registered words. Canna shows several sentences using
newly registered word, and ask user the usage is correct or not.
Asking several questions to user helps Canna to decide what part of
speech is suitable for the newly registered word.
2.7 Providing a library which supports a unified user interface
A user-interface library is provided. With this library,
programmers can easily add a Japanese input system with unified user
interface to application programs.
This library has higher-level functions than those Wnn's
high-level library has, and interpretation of each input key is also
processed inside of this library.
An interface to this library is simple. Giving input key to
this library returns several pieces of information to display
pre-edit status. Interpretations of key functions are hidden inside
of this library, and it is not necessary for application programs to
be conscious of them.
This library meets the case of treating inputs from several
windows. By giving context identifiers which correspond to each
window with key inputs to this library makes it possible to process
plural kana-to-kanji conversion concurrently in a process.
2.8 Maintenance tools for conversion dictionaries
Canna provides more than ten tools to maintain kana-to-kanji
conversion dictionaries. Using these tools, you can do the
following things.
- Conversion between text format dictionaries and binary format
ones.
- Creating, deleting, listing, renaming dictionaries by remote
operation
- Uploading and downloading dictionaries
- Adding/deleting items to/from a dictionary by a batch procedure
2.9 A customizing tool which supports easy customization
In place of editing a customization file directly, it is
possible to set up customization by using a customizing tool.
2.10 Supporting Nemacs(Mule), kinput2 and uum
Canna provides a patch for Nemacs(Mule), which makes
Nemacs(Mule) possible to input Japanese in Canna's unified user
interface. And, after Mule 0.9.5, the distribution of Mule includes
interface to Canna.
If kinput2 use Canna as kana-to-kanji conversion engine,
application programs which use kinput can use Canna's unified user
interface to input Japanese
Additionally, Canna supports a patch for uum, which makes
possible to input Japanese in Canna on TTYs. For uum, see
canuum/README.jp. (Sorry, but canuum/README.jp is in Japanese.)
3. Contents of Canna
Canna contains the following things.
- Kana-to-kanji conversion server (cannaserver)
- User interface library (libcanna.a, libcanna.so.1)
- Remote version of dictionary accessing library (libRKC.a)
- Local version of dictionary accessing library (libRK.a)
- Maintenance tools for conversion dictionaries
- Patch files for uum of Canna version
- A sample program
4. Documents
Under this directory, there are several documents. Most of
them are in Japanese.
1) Document of Canna (in Japanese)
The document is in jlatex format and is in doc/man/guide.
This document describes the general comments of how to use Canna.
2) Documents for commands
The documents are in man macro format of roff and are in the
respective directory. Source codes are also available in same
directory. Japanese documents have suffix .jmn, and English have
.man.
3) Documents for application interface library
The documents are in man macro format of roff and are in
lib/canna and lib/RK.
4) Document for kana-to-kanji conversion protocol (in Japanese)
The document is in jlatex format and is in doc/intern. Canna
has the protocol versions 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 2.1, 3.0 and 3.2. The
document of the protocol version 1.0 and 1.1 is the file
proto12.tex. Other version's document is protocol.tex.
5) Document for lisp language of customization file (in Japanese)
The document is in jlatex format and is in doc/lisp as
canlisp.tex.
6) Document for uum of Canna version
The notes is in text file format and is in canuum as README.jp.
7) Other Documents
The documents are in jlatex format and are in doc/misc.
5. Bugs
Canna have some bugs as follows:
(1) Canuum doesn't run on Solaris 2.1.
(2) Canuum doesn't run on SunOS 4.2 with compiler gcc.
(3) On SONY NEWS, the terminal mode on pseudo tty is different which
make by canuum.
(4) No English documents as follows:
canuum/canuum.man
(5) When using automatic kana-to-kanji conversion, you sometimes can
not convert correctly.
(6) On Solaris 2.3, you will have some cores.
(7) When you compile, you will have a warning message "Undefined row
vectors: BM". Don't worry it.
6. Acknowledgements
see README.ja.
/* Copyright (c) 2003 Canna Project. All rights reserved.
*
* Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute and sell this software
* and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without
* fee, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies
* and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice
* appear in supporting documentation, and that the name of the
* author and contributors not be used in advertising or publicity
* pertaining to distribution of the software without specific, written
* prior permission. The author and contributors no representations
* about the suitability of this software for any purpose. It is
* provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.
*
* THE AUTHOR AND CONTRIBUTORS DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO
* THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND
* FITNESS, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR AND CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR
* ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER
* RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF
* CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTUOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN
* CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
*/
/* Copyright 1994 NEC Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
*
* Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute and sell this software
* and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without
* fee, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies
* and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice
* appear in supporting documentation, and that the name of NEC
* Corporation not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to
* distribution of the software without specific, written prior
* permission. NEC Corporation makes no representations about the
* suitability of this software for any purpose. It is provided "as
* is" without express or implied warranty.
*
* NEC CORPORATION DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE,
* INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS, IN
* NO EVENT SHALL NEC CORPORATION BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR
* CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF
* USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR
* OTHER TORTUOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR
* PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
*/
($Id: README,v 1.6 2003/09/25 15:24:31 aida_s Exp $)