Input Window Areas

Three separate areas of an application subwindow are involved in entering characters. These areas are typically displayed, named, and used as follows:

• Preedit area Highlighted (reverse video or underlined) entry display area

• Status area indicating the current input/conversion mode

• Auxiliary Windows-- Utilities for input method management

• Lookup choice area displaying multiple character choices

  

Preedit Area

The highlighted (reverse video or underlined) preedit area displays characters as they are typed or converted. It holds formations of text before it is converted to an ideogram or symbol and put in the text block being assembled for the application.

Status Area

The status area shows which input conversion mode is in effect. In the above example, it is located in the lower left corner of the window margin.

Lookup Choice Area

The lookup choice area displays multiple Chinese or special character choices available for conversion of the character(s) or radical(s) in the preedit area. In the above example, it is a pop-up menu.

Auxiliary Windows

The auxiliary windows provide tools and utilities to manage input methods or to make the input simpler.