bug#62898: 29.0.90; X can’t be input by the current input method [chinese-ctlaub]

[Van Ly <van.ly@sdf.org>]

> Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2023 11:11:07 +0300
> From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
> Cc: 62898@debbugs.gnu.org
> Content-type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
> 
> The chinese-ctlaub input method is produced from the file
> CTLau-b5.html, and that file doesn't include #x6a59.
> 
> I cannot find a newer version of CTLau-b5.html on the Internet, if
> there is a newer version.  I also don't know why #x6a59 is missing
> from the file we have: whether it's a mistake, omission, or there's
> some real reason for that.
> 

Perhaps at the time when this CTLau-b5.html was composed that was the
extent of what was known or the authors hadn't encountered a use for
it to be included.  Those two codepoints are documented at page 185 of
U4E00.pdf .  They represent two forms of citrus fruit.

  - https://www.unicode.org/charts/index.html
  - https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U4E00.pdf

Looking at the below for #x6a58

  - https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=%E6%A9%98

The left margin section, at the bottom, has a drop down menu and the
CTLau phonology is obtained by selecting the bottom option.

There the phonological reading for #x6a58 is given by gat and gwat.

Looking at the CTLau-b input sequence for \foh

  - https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=%E7%85%92

the humanum gives the reading wai, is there any memory for some
CTLau-b input sequences having the backslash prefix?  The sounding foh
refers to the fire character indexical is my guess which might have
been a mnemonic for the authors of CTLau-b5.html .

> Are there any newer sources for this input method which we could use?

  - http://sdf.org/~van.ly/img/x6a58--gat--gwat--add-to-CTLau-b5.jpg

I would like to use the phonological readings gvien at the humanum website.

I've tried to contact them but got no reply.  It would be neat if they
update the CTLau-b5.html file.

> 
> > chart from Shuowen's tree section
> >  - https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/shuowenRadical.php?rad=%E6%9C%A8
> 
> That page is in Chinese, and I cannot read nor understand it.  What
> does it say that is relevant to this issue?
> 

That page is a random page in the Shuowen dictionary with two
codepoints for orange and tangerine citrus fruit which I thought would
be in common use enough to be covered by the CTLaub input method.  One
of them is not available. I am hoping for an accommodation to allow
updating the CTLaub input method.  Perhaps the user can compose a
CTLau-b5-extend.html for use.

> > unexpected result
> >  - the current input method won't learn new input key sequence for symbol
> > 
> > expected result
> >  - the current input method learns new input key sequence for symbol
> > 
> > The current input method being chinese-ctlaub learns a new input key
> > sequence for symbol flowing the way a word that does not occur in the
> > wordlist can be added for future personal spell checking.
> 
> I don't understand what you are saying here, sorry.  What do you mean
> by "current input method learns new input key sequence"?  AFAIK, input
> methods don't learn any key sequences, they just support key sequences
> that are part of the IM's definition.
> 

I was likening the input method function to spellchecking.  The input
method function does not accommodate updates but the spellchecker will
let you add new word spellings.