better way to switch to japanese when typing?

[dudnaito]

i have english, japanese, and korean functions set up. I can just ctrl+1,2,3, to easily switch between the three in principle, but in practice, it doesn't work that way with the 2 foreign languages.

Once i change the language, i have to once again, change to hiragana from options such as half-width alphanumeric katakana, etc...

I can make shortcuts apparently, but they're ctrl+shift+1, etc... anyone ever try pressing those 3 buttons at the same time. Just about the most unintuitive combo ever.

Is there any way to just set the option immediately to hiragana, korean, etc...

I don't understand why i need to switch to korean, but i still type in english. Why is this even a 2 step process? Switch to korean, then set microsoft ime keyboard korean to write korean.

Sorry, just frustrated, cause my studies require me to switch back and forth every 20 seconds.

[Jessi]

I'm not sure how it works having three languages installed, but for me I use Alt+Shift to toggle between English and Japanese, and then Alt+tilde (next to the 1 key) to toggle between romaji and hiragana input if needed. If there is a way to have it always go directly to hiragana, I'd like to know too!

On my Japanese keyboard at work all I have to do is press one key in the corner and I'm all set. Why can't it be this easy on all computers??

[shimewaza]

Jessi, I share your frustration. Why the Input Mode often defaults to Direct Input instead of hiragana after hitting Alt-Shift, I have no idea but I'd love to talk to the dufus at Microsoft who designed this part of the IME. In WinXP there is a setting for "Default Input Mode" in Properties for IME within the General tab, and I set mine to HIragana but IME seems to often ignore this.
なんでやねん！

[Crystalxli]

hi there,
i'm pretty new to this site and all.
but i was just wondering if there was a software that i could download from the internet for free that enables me to type Japanese.

[hajime]

Jessiさん、

Normally, there is no need to use the EN setting ever (i.e. you should never have to use Alt-Shift). Just leave the language setting on JP always. Then the only keystroke needed is alt-tilde to switch between ひらがな and A. English input (or other Western European language) uses A.

The other tip is to dock the language bar in the task bar instead of floating it up top. Then it is is easy to see if you are in ひらがな (あ) or A.

Unfortunately, I never use 3 languages, I imagine the keyboard selection UI is not well optimized for that usage.

[Sumiko]

Thankyou, I didn't know about the tilde key. I'm going to have to put a piece of tape on it until I can get used to it. I have the setting that if I start a sentence with a capital letter it switches to A.

How about for a MAC , Apple, does anybody know? I don't use it very often, so I don't know what the different carat?, up arrow,and semicolon mean. I can find the semicolon but that is about it.

[Jessi]

Jessiさん、

Normally, there is no need to use the EN setting ever (i.e. you should never have to use Alt-Shift). Just leave the language setting on JP always. Then the only keystroke needed is alt-tilde to switch between ひらがな and A. English input (or other Western European language) uses A.

It seems so obvious, but I never thought of that! If I leave the setting to JP always, it cuts out an extra step. Thanks!!

[spare_change]

http://thejapanesepage.com/w/index.php?title=IME

[oskar2008]

on my PC I use 3 different language , now I have on tool bar HR and can switch to EN
but if need JP just press Alt+Shift and then Alt+1 (not numeric pad!!)
first appear Hiragana input. But sometime if windows platform not work well I have huge trouble to change language.(Settings must be correct or not work good).


ゾラン

[watermen]

Is there a way to switch for mac users? At the moment, I always have to click the flags on the right top and select the language each time I change.

[Belton]

Is there a way to switch for mac users? At the moment, I always have to click the flags on the right top and select the language each time I change.

In the keyboard shortcuts control panel you can set a shortcut to cycle between the last two keyboard layouts / input methods used. So you can swap from Romaji to hiragana.
(It was once cmd-space (and still is on my system) but it was changed at some point and I no longer know the default)

To automatically change layouts based on the app you are using this will help. (Snow Leopard might have some of this functionality)
http://www.polyglotapp.com/

[Psy]

Is there a way to switch for mac users? At the moment, I always have to click the flags on the right top and select the language each time I change.

The shortcut can be configured in the "Language & Text" in System Preferences. By default it is control+space.