jbw@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu (Jingbai Wang) (07/31/89)
From jbw Mon Jul 31 12:47:30 EDT 1989
Article 23454 of soc.culture.china:
Path: unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu!jbw
>From: jbw@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu (Jingbai Wang)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.china
Subject: Using/Transmitting/Printing Chinese on Computers
Keywords: Chinese
Message-ID: <18932@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu>
Date: 31 Jul 89 16:45:52 GMT
Reply-To: jbw@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu (Jingbai Wang)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh, Comp & Info Services
Lines: 117
Lately I have seen quite a number of posting regarding to Chinese
computer documentation. Yes, we do need a way to use Chinese as our
medium for communication in the network. The problems are
1) How to edit and format
2) How to transmit
3) How to print
Since I am known as an expert in computer typesetting and software developing
in this area (Scribe, TeX/LaTeX, Chinese Editor and Graphics) in the net-
work. I 'd like to contribute my ideas and in a later stage: my programmes
FREE of charge.
1) How to edit:
The primary solution to this problem is, of course, to use CCDOS, where
Edlin and Chinese WordStar can be used to edit Chinese documents.
Byx by Yan Yongxin, as quoted from this net, can be an alternative. The
question is: does it follow standard mainland Chinese encoding convention?
If not, it would be junked soon. One thing I can see is that its so-called
utility that translates its output into an interger file is really not
smart enough. It increases the file size between 3 to 4 times, and
generates a very strange looking trasmittable output.
The disadvantage of CCDOS is that it is ROM BIOS and Graphics
Card dependent, i.e., XT version can not be used on AT and PS/2. Mono
version can't be used on CGA. I have not seen an EGA and VGA version yet.
The good thing is that you can use all the 6-7 commonly used ways to
call Chinese characters, e.g., Pinyin, GuoBiao, QuWei, ShuoWei,
PianPang, DianBao, and WuBi. I found that the WuBi version gives the
highest speed, even in Pinyin.
1a) Formatting: Most of people use Chinese WordStar to format a Chinese
document, in China and here. Even Taiwan versions use that.
I, on the other hand, like the idea of command-driven, instaed of menu-
driven. Therefore, I am creating a thing called Chinese Scribe
(ChScribe in short). That, in fact, is a pre- and post- processor to the
existing Scribe and TeX. ChScribe is also a PostScript device driver for
the CCDOS standard (including WordStar) output files.
Its output, as of today, is PostScript. What's good of it?
It allows you to do whatever you can do with English fonts with Chinese,
such as Scaling and Rotating. All the fancy math and other symbols can
be mixed with Chinese. In short, it is an enhencement to Scribe and
TeX, a great enhancement. I use my own version of Scribe database which
supports all the math and graphics that can be done by TeX/LaTeX.
2) Transmitting: Chinese DOS, or CCDOS, has standardized its encoding scheme
of 7000 some Chinese characters, i.e., using two entended ASCII codes
for a Chinese character. The first of code stands for the ZOOM (Qu)
starting from 161 and ending at 247, but 168 ~ 175 overlap 175 ~182.
Therefore, there are 79 zooms only. In each zoom, there are 94 characters,
starting from 161 and ending at 254. For instance, if you boot with
a CCDOS, and get into BASIC, then type
? chr(176); chr(161);
you get an Chinese "A1" (in graphics mode).
Problem: all these extended ASCII codes utilize the 8th bit, that is
disliked by all standard mail facilities. It is why Byx utility
translates every one into an integer, that can be translated back
most easily, but the file size is also increased significantly.
Solutions:
a) UUENCDOE and UUDECODE on unix (also available on DOS, that can
be ftped from simtel20.arpa) can transmit such 8-bit files.
b) Use some special utilities, such as Byx ones (but strongly
discouraged). In my ChScribe, there is an option for encode
and decode for transmission. The intermidiate file is in standard
ASCII bytes, and the file size is only slightly larger than
the original one.
c) Transmit PostScript output from ChScribe directly (since
PostScript is in standard ASCII), and you can print it on any
PotScript printers.
3) Printing: Normally, CCDOS allows you to print a standard CCDOS Chinese
file on a 9-pin EPSON and the compatibles. For 24-pin EPSON and non-EPSON
dot matrix printers, we need a special driver for it.
For Laser Printers, like HP-plus, you need a driver, and a friend of mine
here did develop one.
Me, I like PostScript laser printers most, therefore, ChScribe output is
for PostScript only, and the bitmap font is based on the 24x24 library in
either HieTi or FangSongTi.
The Scribe part and encode/decode part of ChScribe is working now, and it is
in C working under VMS, UNIX and potentially DOS.
Conclusion:
1) There are no easy ways to edit Chinese, and there are over 500 schemes
but none is fast and/or easy enough. Pinyin is easy, most popular, but
slow. There are only 2-3 editors available, too.
2) The existing ways of formatting a Chinese document are far behind the
English ones, and good for non-techincal and low efficient purposes
only. It is desired that ChScribe will create a brand new way.
3) Chinese fonts are based on bitmap fonts, either 16x16 or 24x24. That
can be printed on any known printer, provided a driver is developed.
EPSON is the grandpa, HP followed up somehow. PostScript will be the
best solution, especial when there are vector fonts (some people in
China have developed it), or analytical fonts (rumors said Apple Inc.
has built it).
Sincerely yours,
JB Wang
jbw@pittvms.bitnet
jbw@cisunx.UUCPcck@deneb.ucdavis.edu (Earl H. Kinmonth) (08/01/89)
[Long discussion of the problems of handling Chinese texts.] Perhaps some attention should be given to Japanese word processing techniques. Afterall, Japanese is considerably more complex than Chinese (in terms of word processing Chinese is a subset of Japanese). Looking at Chinese word processors, I get the sense that they are designed by people who still think that Chinese culture is the one and only source of ideas in Asia (if not the whole world) and who will absolutely refuse to pay any attention to Japanese technology. At demonstrations of Chinese word processors at academic conventions, I've specifically asked exhibitors if they've checked out Japanese technology, and the answer has been no. Earl H. Kinmonth History Department University of California, Davis 916-752-1636 (voice, fax [2300-0800 PDT]) 916-752-0776 secretary (bitnet) ehkinmonth@ucdavis.edu (uucp) ucbvax!ucdavis!ucdked!cck (telnet or 916-752-7920) cc-dnet.ucdavis.edu [128.120.2.251] request ucdked, login as guest, no password