Re: [emacs-bidi] Control-key binding while typing (for example) Hebrew

[Amit Ramon]

Eli Zaretskii <address@hidden> [2010-06-25 13:20 +0300]:

> > Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:53:59 +0300
> > From: Amit Ramon <address@hidden>
> >
> > One things that bothers me is emacs Control-key binding. When I switch
> > to Hebrew keyboard layout, I cannot use the standard key binding. For
> > example, if I try to press Control-x while in Hebrew layout, emacs
> > sees it as Control-<Hebrew letter samekh>, and complains about an
> > undefined key.
>
> I cannot reproduce this.  How do you "switch to Hebrew keyboard
> layout", and on what platform do you see this problem?

I'm working on Debian GNU/Linux under X window. I think I understood
the problem and it is confirmed by a link Scot sent me. For some
reason I don't see the message I sent to the list that explains that,
so I'll re-post it, hoping I'm not repeating myself.

This is a feature, not a bug. The point is that, AFAIK, Emacs input
method is simply a translation from one character to another. So, for
example, when Emacs receives a 'x' character it is translated to
Hebrew Samekh. However, the location of the button that sends 'x'
depends on the keyboard layout, so the location of the key that will
send Hebrew Samekh also depend on the layout.

The current Hebrew input method functions assumes a QWERTY
layout. When using DVORAK layout the Hebrew keys shuffles all over the
keyboard... So the key that sends Hebrew Samekh is now located where
the 'x' is located in a DVORAK layout, but this is not where one would
expect it to be in a standard Hebrew layout.

I think that the simplest solution is to write a specific input method that
assumes a DVORAK layout. I already started to work on it and it is
almost completed. Once I complete and test it I'll post it here.

Scot referred me to the following link, which describes a similar
issue for a Cyrillic keyboard:

http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs-es/WritingRussianWithDvorak

It talks about a solution similar to what I've suggested, plus a
different method. I'll look deeper into it, perhaps it'll shed more
light on the subject.
> > And thanks for everyone who took part in developing the emacs bidi -
> > this is really a great improvement!
>
> Thanks for the feedback.  I'm glad you like it, even though there's a
> lot to be done yet.

I wish I had time available to contribute more than words :) I'll at
least try to test it - I'm already using it on a regular basis.

--- Amit