Chinese 1 : Semester I : Chinese 中文
 

 
 

Displaying and editing Chinese

  1. Windows 95/98/NT4.0/2000/XP
  2. MacOS
  3. UNIX: If you are a unix person

How to display and edit Chinese on English Windows systems

(Adapted from http://lingua.mtsu.edu/chinese-computing/faq/)

1. Introduction

This tutorial is intended for those who are new to Chinese computing on the Windows95/98/NT4.0/2000/XP platforms (English version).  It provides information on how to use the resources available on the Internet to add Chinese capability to your machine. If you follow the instructions successfully, you will be able to do the following on the Windows (English version) platform:

  • Display Chinese in web browsers;
  • Edit Chinese documents using such applications as Microsoft Word97/2000/XP and NJStar, etc.;
  • Send/read Chinese email messages;

Note that the instructions in this tutorial will apply to both GB (simplified) and Big5 (traditional) encoded Chinese. I will not make a distinction between the two unless necessary. It is recommended that you install all the software as suggested in this tutorial so that you will have an English windows system with comparable Chinese capabilities as its localized Chinese counterpart.
Note also that this tutorial describes one possible approach to Chinese computing on the Windows platform (English version). Other alternatives do exist.

2. System requirements

  • Operating system: Windows95/98/NT4.0/2000/XP (English version);
  • Hardware: Whatever that supports Windows95/98/NT4.0/2000/XP;
  • Web browsers: Netscape Communicator 4 (or better), Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 (or better);
  • Optional (but recommended): Microsoft Office2000/XP or (less preferred) Office97.

3. Software Installation

3.1 Before you begin

Make sure you have Internet Explorer 5 (or better) installed on your PC. To check the version of Internet Explorer running on your PC, you can look at the About Internet Explorer window from Explorer's Help menu.
The latest version of Internet Explorer can be downloaded from Microsoft's website.

3.2 Download and install software

Three packages need to be installed:

  1. Follow the instruction based on your computer's operating system:
    1. Windows2000/XP users: There are two ways to enable Chinese support on your Windows system. Get your Windows2000/XP system CD ready just in case you are prompted.
      1. From Control Panel, open Regional Options. Under the Languages tab, check 'Install files for East Asian languages';
      2. If you have access to your Windows2000/XP (system) CD, you can install the two packages (without input support) in this way: First, open up your Internet Explorer; Then, place the cursor within the browser window, Right-click your mouse and choose Chinese (whether GB or Big5) from the encoding option. You will be prompted to insert your Windows2000 CD. Just follow the instructions on the screen to complete your installation.
    2. Windows9X/NT users: Download free Chinese language support package (click HERE to download) from Microsoft. (Please read the instructions on that page for detailed information!) The two files to be downloaded are called Microsoft Global IME for Chinese (Simplified/Traditional), with filenames as scmondo.exe (for simplified) and  tcmondo.exe (for traditional), respectively. After downloading, just double click on each downloaded file to get them installed. Depending on the windows system you use, you will be prompted to restart your computer. Reboot your computer as instructed. Note that if you have the MS Office97 CD, those two language support packages (without input method support) are also available under the \valuepack\fareast folder.
  1. (Optional) Download and install the latest version NJStar Communicator from www.njstar.com. (The current production version is 2.6) It is shareware. If you choose the .zip file format, you need such utilities as WinZip or Aladdin Expander to uncompress it first. The .exe format will self-extract.
  2. (Optional) Download and install NJStar Chinese Word Processor (Current version: 5.1) from www.njstar.com. Again the downloaded .zip file needs to be uncompressed first.

Notes: There are nothing special for installing the three packages mentioned above. Just accept the defaults (i.e., clicking on OK when prompted) during installation and you will be in good shape.

4. Working with Chinese on your PC

4.1 Pinyin input method

To enter Chinese characters into any applications on your Windows platform, you will need to use something called input method. Input methods are functions (in the form of either standalone applications or add-ons to an application) which convert (unique) sequences of keystrokes you enter on the standard English keyboard into Chinese characters. There are too many input methods available for entering Chinese characters. The one which demands the least learning effort is the pinyin input method (provided that you have learned how to (phonetically) spell Chinese characters in Pinyin). (We will learn Pinyin throughout our course.)

  • Both Microsoft and NJ Star provide pinyin input method in their packages.
  • Microsoft pinyin input method is installed as part of its Chinese language support package. While it works with other Microsoft products (you bet!) such as Internet Explorer (web browser) and Outlook/Outlook Express (email client), etc., the current version may not work with other third-party software applications.
  • The pinyin input method in NJStar Chinese Word Processor works only within the application itself. Other input methods are also available within the application.
  • The pinyin input method in NJStar Communicator can be used for entering Chinese characters in many (but not all) Windows applications (e.g., Office97/2000/XP, Notepad and Dreamweaver) as long as they support two-byte encoded texts.

For a tutorial on using Microsoft IME, check out http://www.andante.org/ime.html.

4.3 Word processing

There are four options to Chinese word processing depending on what your needs are:

  1. Plain GB/Big5 encoded text: If you just need to prepare a plain Chinese encoded text file (for example for email or webpage), you can use Notepad together with NJStar Communicator. It works on Windows98/NT 4.0/2000/XP).
  2. Simple word processing: If you all you want is to type in some Chinese text and print it out, use NJStar Chinese Word Processor. The nice thing about it is that you can save your document as plain GB, Big5 or HZ files, which can be viewed/edited on other platforms such as MacOS or UNIX. The disadvantage of using this application is that its shareware version comes with only one bitmap font, whose printing quality is poor.
  3. Fancy word processing: use Microsoft Word97/2000/XP and input Chinese with either Microsoft input methods or NJStar Communicator.
    • Note about using NJStar Communicator: You need to first launch NJStar Communicator and then Word97/2000/XP. Within the editor window, first choose a Chinese font (such as MS Song for simplified or Mingliu for traditional) and then you are ready to type. With NJ Star Communicator, you have access to the various input methods. With Microsoft TrueType Chinese fonts available in Word97/2000/XP, you can manipulate Chinese texts using the functions of Word97/2000/XP such as footnotes, different font size and color, etc. Remember that Word97/2000/XP uses Unicode as its internal encoding, which means that you can mix both traditional and simplified Chinese texts in the same document. If you use Windows NT 4.0, the Word Art function within Word97 will work properly for Chinese texts, though you have to tweak a little bit to get it working on Windows98/2000/XP.

4.4 Web surfing

There are two options for viewing a Chinese encoded page:

  1. Internet Explorer: Nothing special needs to be done. Once you are at a Chinese page, just place the cursor somewhere within the webpage and right click the mouse. Move to Language and then choose the appropriate language encoding. If a web page is (meta-)tagged properly, you don't even need to perform this step.
  2. Netscape Communicator: Before you can view Chinese pages, the following configuration needs to be done (only once):
        a. Launch Netscape Navigator.
        b. From the Edit menu choose Preferences.
        c. With the Preferences window, set the Fonts accordingly. Remember to use MS Song for simplified and Minliu for traditional.

Inputting Chinese characters in web browsers (e.g., when you fill in the search form on chinese.yahoo.com to look for information contained in Chinese-encoded webpages.):

  1. Netscape users: It is recommended that you use NJ Star Communicator. Everything is straight forward. You can use the Control key to switch between inputting English and Chinese characters.
  2. Internet Explorer users: NJ Star Communicator works with Internet Explorer 5.5. So does Microsoft Input Method.

4.6 Emailing

  • Microsoft Outlook (Express): Use Microsoft pinyin input to get Chinese text into your message. For compatibility across different email servers and clients, select Plain text and set your message's encoding to Chinese (GB or Big5) from the Format menu.
  • Use Netscape Messenger (which is part of the Netscape Communicator 4.5 package) and NJ Star Communicator. Remember to change the character set to either Simplified or Traditional Chinese.
  • Optional: Use an email client such as Eudora 3 (or better) which supports two-byte encoding together with NJ Star Communicator. Again, launch NJ Star Communicator first. (Personal note: Eudora 3 (light version) crashed several times when I used it on WindowsNT.)

4.10 Displaying PDF file

Acrobat Reader will not display Chinese properly if you do not have the proper Chinese fonts from Adobe installed on your system. Please go to http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/acrrasianfontpack.html to download the free Chinese fonts from Adobe.

Click here for a graphic tour.
http://abacus.bates.edu/lrc/multicomp_chi_win.html
Note: We will use simplified Chinese.

Working with Chinese on the Macintosh Operating System

Introduction

The document is intended for those who are new to using Chinese on the Macintosh Operating System. The following information applies to MacOS 7.5 or better.

Chinese system support

The following information applies to MacOS 7.5 or better (but not MacOS X)..

  • If you want full Chinese support (i.e., viewing and editing) on the Macintosh platform, you will need to use Chinese Language Kit (henceforth CLK) from Apple. MacOS 9 system CD contains CLK. It is strongly suggested that your upgrade the OS to Version 9 if you haven't done so.
    MacOS 9 users: CLK is not installed by default. You need to do a custom installation from the system CD.

Applications

  • Chinese input: 
    • To enter Chinese characters into any applications, you will need to use something called input method. Input methods are functions (in the form of either standalone applications or add-ons to an application) which convert (unique) sequences of keystrokes you enter on the standard English keyboard into Chinese characters. CLK provides, among others, the pinyin input method.
    • To input Chinese using CLK, you have to switch to a Chinese font first within the application you are using and then select an input method (if it is not switched on automatically).
    • For more information about Input Methods, please click the following links.
  • Word Processing:
    • Word98(or better): You can type in and edit Chinese texts using Apple's CLK pinyin input method but it crashes too often (my personal experiences on MacOS 8.1).
    • SimpleText: You can edit Chinese text and save it as plain GB or Big5 file.
  • Email:
    • Eudora 3 (or better) (Recommended): You can use the standard Eudora (English version) to send/read Chinese messages. Before you'll be able to do that, make sure to choose a Chinese font for both screen and print. Also uncheck 'curly quotes' if it is checked. All the settings can be set under the Special -> Settings or Tools -> Options menu, depending on the particular version of Eudora you use.
    • Netscape Messenger: It is part of the Netscape Communicator 4.5 package. If you do not have the current version installed on your Mac, you are suggested to do so first, since this version is the most stable release of the Netscape product.
    • Outlook (Express) for Macs: It also handles Chinese properly. 
  • Web surfing:
    • Netscape Navigator 3 (or better) works fine with Chinese pages.
    • Microsoft Internet Explorer: It is capable of displaying Chinese.

Click here for a graphic tour.
http://abacus.bates.edu/lrc/multicomp_chi_mac.html

Note: We will use simplified Chinese.

© 2006 Aventa Learning. All rights reserved.