Re: [emacs-bidi] Input methods and mirrored characters

[Roozbeh Pournader]

On Tue, 18 Dec 2001, Eli Zaretskii wrote:

> This seems to mean that the Emacs input method should mirror the
> parentheses when they are typed: if I type `)', Emacs should instead
> insert a `(' into the buffer.  And this means, in turn, that toggling
> the input method modifies the character inserted into the buffer when
> I press one of the keys that produce mirrored characters.  In effect,
> we now have a ``Hebrew ('' and a ``Latin (''.

Yes, that's right and what should be done if you want the simplest
logic. But as you tell, the problem is more complicated...

> This has a nasty consequence that pressing a `(' in the middle of a
> strong R2L text will display either `(' or `)', depending on whether
> the input method was on or off.  That is not something users will
> like, I think.  It is quite customary to have the input method either
> on or off when proofreading an already written document, if you need
> to insert a character, such as `(', which is supposed to be
> independent of the state of the input method.

This was debated some time ago on 'ivrix' (and even long long ago in
emacs-bidi itself) if I remember right. The best idea, IMHO, is to act
visually. Look at the context, to find if the user inserts a parenthesis
HERE, will it be mirrored? In all cases, insert a parenthesis in the shape
drawn on the keyboard.

roozbeh