(:title Writing Chinese with SCIM:)

(:toc:)

!!Install SCIM

To install the "scim-pinyin" Chinese input method in gNewSense, use the terminal and type:

 $ sudo -s
 # apt-get update
 # apt-get install scim scim-pinyin (scim-chewing scim-tables-zh)

Open SCIM:

 $ scim-setup

Select the input methods you want to use (I selected the smart-pinyin method which I find more convenient):

-> Attach:Main:fr/SCIM_Chinois-01.png [[<<]] [-SCIM settings window-]

!!Activate complete Chinese support

In System-> Administration-> Language support (Gnome desktop), select the "Chinese" box:

-> Attach:Main:fr/SCIM_Chinois-02.png [[<<]] [-Language support: partially supported Chinese-]

-> Attach:Main:fr/SCIM_Chinois-03.png [[<<]] [-Language support: fully supported Chinese-]

Apply. A window opens, which let you download Chinese support components:

-> Attach:Main:fr/SCIM_Chinois-04.png [[<<]] [-Chinese support packages download window-]

!!Using SCIM

Warning: the French keyboard layout will not let you select a character using digits once you wrote pinyin, choose the American keyboard layout instead. Just add the keyboard selection tool to the Gnome or KDE taskbar.

[image-update path to and images names]

Restart your computer. Once restarted, open the application in which you want to write Chinese and simultaneously press the Ctrl and Space keys to get to the Chinese input method. If you can't, try to simultaneously press the Ctrl and Shift keys:

-> Attach:Main:fr/SCIM_Chinois-05.png [[<<]] [-Normal input method-]

-> Attach:Main:fr/SCIM_Chinois-06.png [[<<]] [-Chinese input method-]

Now you can write Chinese!

-> Attach:Main:fr/SCIM_Chinois-07.png [[<<]] [-Writing Chinese in gedit (Gnome notepad)-]

!!Going further

The selected Chinese input method may only work in a Chinese environment. To type Chinese in another environment (e.g. French interface), you need to install the address@hidden@] package. Open a shell and type:

 $ sudo -s
 # apt-get update
 # apt-get install im-switch

You need to modify two files:

 # gedit /etc/X11/xinit/xinput.d/scim

In this file, replace:

GTK_IM_MODULE='''xim''' by: GTK_IM_MODULE="'''scim'''"\\
QT_IM_MODULE='''xim''' by: QT_IM_MODULE="'''scim'''"

Save and quit. Edit the following file as well:

 # gedit /etc/scim/global

changing the first line /SupportedUnicodeLocales = en_US.UTF-8\\
 into /SupportedUnicodeLocales = en_US.UTF-8,'''fr_FR.UTF-8'''.