experimental multibyte support (Re: [Groff] How can I typeset Chinese text using groff?)

[Fumitoshi UKAI]

Hi,

At Tue, 27 Aug 2002 16:03:29 +0200 (CEST),
Werner LEMBERG wrote:

> > Is there detailed document that describes typesetting Chinese text
> > using groff?
> 
> No.  With default groff, you can't process Chinese.  I don't think
> that a Chinese version of groff exists, only a Japanese one.
> Theoretically, you should be able to use that also (if you restrict
> yourself to GB 2312 as the input encoding) with only minor changes.
> 
> I've CCed the maintainer of the Japanese Debian version of groff.
> Perhaps he can help.

I'm developing multibyte support based on Japanese patch now.
I've put latest version to http://people.debian.org/~ukai/groff/

Major changes from previous Japanese patch are:
 - use iconv()
 - .encoding request
        you can specify encoding in roff source.
        For example, if you put ".encoding EUC-JP" in roff source,
        groff recognize the source is encoded in EUC-JP, even if
        you are in ja_JP.UTF-8 locale.
        If there are no .encoding request in source file, codeset
        of locale is used as default.
 - \[u<code>] support, where code is unicode.
   So, you can write \[u3042] for `HIRAGANA LETTER A'
 - some changes in font/* files
   + DESC has fontset directive
   + font file can have code range after charset
   + font/devps/<font> can have encodingname.
        (for example,see font/devps/M.proto, it make it possible to
         produce right Japanese postscript even if ja_JP.UTF-8 locale)

It works on Japanese roff file at least to ps and tty (nippon) devices.
I suppose some of font/dev* for tty device could be merged in one font/dev*.
Other devices such as html and X doesn't work yet.
There are still some Japanese specific codes in environment::add_char() or
other places.

I would not understand groff internal correctly, so I may do in
wrong way. Suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,
Fumitoshi UKAI