Re: mule Chinese input inconveniences

[Dan Jacobson]

[look mom, a valid Reply-to, now they won't doubt my user prowess
again]

>>>>> "B" == Bill Richter <richter@poincare.math.northwestern.edu> writes:

B> jidanni@kimo.FiXcomTHiS.tw (Dan Jacobson) writes:
B>    Say I have a line
B>    XXXX  XXXX  XXXX
B>    and I want to put one chinese char in each of the two gaps.  I go
B>    to the first blank, select the correct char., then want to move to
B>    the second blank with a few C-f ...
B>    I type

B>    b a n g 4 C-f 

B>    because i see the default choice is correct already
B>    I dont need to select say the 3rd character with

B>    b a n g 4 3 C-f 

B>    If I use just the 4 version, and not the 4 3 version, I will still
B>    be in character select mode, and the C-f will just rotate choices
B>    instead of moving the cursor... which is very unnatural after so
B>    many years of habit.


B>    Anyways, the feeling is "OK, I've already got what I want on the
B>    screen, now can I please move around?"  It seems that the easiest
B>    way under the present scheme is to hit SPC Backspace, to break out
B>    of character select mode... a wee bit easier to type than C-\.

B> Dan, I tried this, and it seems to me there's a very simple solution
B> that doesn't involve rebinding any keys.  If I understand you
B> correctly, your problem is that you don't want to keep inputting
B> `bang4', having inputted it once correctly.

mainly, I {put the keys in the ignition, step on the gas} == {hit
C-f}, and I want to move forward like has become habit, instead of
still looping thru character selection... so maybe have right-arrow do
that, but save C-f for "give me the zoom power to get my cursor out of
the mudpit of character selection looping and back onto the dry
pavement of moving forward."  {for some users, arrow might be a deeper
habit that C-f, of course, so then arrow could be forward-char, and
C-f still do character selection.)

B> Let's try it:

B> XXX XXX XXX XXX

B> I'm going to insert 膀 (typed b a n g 4 in GB as you say) in each of
B> the 3 blank spaces.

B> I position myself in the 1st blank and type b a n g 4 and now have 

B> XXX膀 XXX XXX XXX

B> and the point is positioned after the chinese char 膀.  

OK, but you didn't vacuum up the blank with C-d [which is nice as it
also turns off character selection mode.]

B> Now I select the chinese char 膀 with the mouse by clicking mouse-3 on
B> the previous position.

wait a second, I wanted to do all this without removing fingers from
the keyboard... no fair using the mouse, ok, "supposing we aren't
using the mouse in this problem".

B> Now the chinese char 膀 is in the kill ring, and I can paste it in the
B> other 2 SPCs with mouse-2.   So two mouse clicks later I have:

wait a second second, no fair using the same character...

B> XXX膀 XXX膀 XXX膀 XXX

B> Is that good enough?  Did I understand you correctly?

erm, my main problem, and indeed it isn't the end of the world, true,
is when I want to move the cursor to the second and third spots,
somebody left the parking brake on by binding my favorite means of
moving forward C-f, right arrow, to both be character selection, so
one would have to resort to C-e, etc. to break out of character
selection and get movement all in one stroke... [note that I just want
to move a character or two forward so forward-word, etc. are not
appealing to me.

Sorry to bore, but maybe I have found a flaw perhaps.

Yes the RET suggestion has merit, but I want all in one stroke:
breaking out of character selection mode, and: moving forward by
individual characters.  I can get breaking out & movement with C-e,
C-a, etc... Please also give me [and future users] back [one of] C-f [or right
arrow, per .emacs customization.]
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