Proposal: unified input method/keyboard layout switching support for kde4

[LiuCougar]

Hi All,
I am the author of skim (SCIM for KDE, an input method which supports
more than 30 languages, see http://www.scim-im.org ).

I'd like to propose that KDE4 includes a similar app (let's name it
KDEINPUT for now) in its basic package (maybe kdebase?) which provides
not only an input method platform, but also multi-keyboard layout
switching capacity (and handwriting recognition in future).

The current skim has a plugin framework: all UI elements are in its
own plugin (see screen shots here for a review of available UI
elements here: http://www.scim-im.org/galleries/skim_screenshots )

but it does depend on SCIM: the core of skim is linked against libscim.

I think in KDE4, the core of KDEINPUT should not depend on SCIM, it
just provides a framework which provides kde applications (and other
none-kde apps via dbus interface) these features:
1. specify which keyboard layout to use. likely use case: a typing
practise app can switch the keyboard layout to the current practicing
layout specified in the app, without user switching that manually
2. to activate an input method (in chinese version of microsoft
office, when you open word, chinese input method will automatically
activated)

in future, this framework can also provide writing/voice recognition
as input means.
(some of these may be more appropriate to be placed under kdelibs, or no?)

plugins can be written for KDEINPUT to provide the actual support.
Under linux, plugins to interact with SCIM can be implemented to
support input methods, while keyboard layout switching can be
implemented using some X command (or API, I can not remember exactly,
as I do not use any keyboard layouts other than US one). Under
windows, a plugin to interface the windows input methods/keyboard
configuration API can be made. I assume a similar case under Mac OS.

What do you think?

If it is agreed that something like this should be included in KDE 4,
I'd like to work with kxkb developers (given they share the same view
and would like to collaborate) and make this happen.

Regards,
Cougar
-- 
http://www.liucougar.net
生于忧患，死于安乐
"People's characters are strengthened through struggle against
difficulties; they are weakened by comfort."
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