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27710: update FAQ on advanced character sets

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Peter Stephenson 2010-02-15 15:01:20 +00:00
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@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
2010-02-15 Peter Stephenson <pws@csr.com> 2010-02-15 Peter Stephenson <pws@csr.com>
* 27710: Etc/FAQ.yo: update sections on advanced character sets.
* unposted: Etc/FAQ.yo: correct outrageously old dates in FAQ. * unposted: Etc/FAQ.yo: correct outrageously old dates in FAQ.
2010-02-13 Peter Stephenson <p.w.stephenson@ntlworld.com> 2010-02-13 Peter Stephenson <p.w.stephenson@ntlworld.com>
@ -12742,5 +12744,5 @@
***************************************************** *****************************************************
* This is used by the shell to define $ZSH_PATCHLEVEL * This is used by the shell to define $ZSH_PATCHLEVEL
* $Revision: 1.4899 $ * $Revision: 1.4900 $
***************************************************** *****************************************************

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Etc/FAQ.yo
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@ -933,37 +933,16 @@ sect(What is zsh's support for Unicode/UTF-8?)
ways of supporting character sets beyond ASCII. `UTF-8' is an ways of supporting character sets beyond ASCII. `UTF-8' is an
encoding of Unicode that is particularly natural on Unix-like systems. encoding of Unicode that is particularly natural on Unix-like systems.
Q: Does zsh support UTF-8? The production branch of zsh, 4.2, has very limited support:
the built-in printf command supports "\u" and "\U" escapes
A: zsh's built-in printf command supports "\u" and "\U" escapes to output arbitrary Unicode characters; ZLE (the Zsh Line Editor) has
to output arbitrary Unicode characters. ZLE (the Zsh Line Editor) has
no concept of character encodings, and is confused by multi-octet no concept of character encodings, and is confused by multi-octet
encodings. encodings.
Q: Why doesn't zsh have proper UTF-8 support? However, the 4.3 branch has much better support, and furthermore this
is now fairly stable. (Only a few minor areas need fixing before
A: The code has not been written yet. this becomes a production release.) This is discussed more
fully below, see `Multibyte input and output'.
Q: What makes UTF-8 support difficult to implement?
A: In order to handle arbitrary encodings the correct way, significant
and intrusive changes must be made to the shell.
Q: Why can't zsh just use readline?
A: ZLE is not encapsulated from the rest of the shell. Isolating it
such that it could be replaced by readline would be a significant
effort. Furthermore, using readline would effect a significant loss of
features.
Q: What changes are planned?
A: Introduction of Unicode support will be gradual, so if you are
interested in being involved you should join the zsh-workers mailing
list. As a first step ZLE will be rewritten to use wide characters
internally. Character based widgets can then operate on a single wide
character instead of a single byte, and the proper display width can be
calculated with wcswidth().
chapter(How to get various things to work) chapter(How to get various things to work)
@ -2030,7 +2009,7 @@ sect(What is multibyte input?)
zsh will be able to use any such encoding as long as it contains ASCII as zsh will be able to use any such encoding as long as it contains ASCII as
a single-octet subset and the system can provide information about other a single-octet subset and the system can provide information about other
characters. However, in the case of Unicode, UTF-8 is the only one you characters. However, in the case of Unicode, UTF-8 is the only one you
are likely to enounter. are likely to enounter that is useful in zsh.
(In case you're confused: Unicode is the character set, while UTF-8 is (In case you're confused: Unicode is the character set, while UTF-8 is
an encoding of it. You might hear about other encodings, such as UCS-2 an encoding of it. You might hear about other encodings, such as UCS-2
@ -2063,7 +2042,7 @@ sect(How does zsh handle multibyte input and output?)
Note that if the shell is emulating a Bourne shell the tt(MULTIBYTE) Note that if the shell is emulating a Bourne shell the tt(MULTIBYTE)
option is unset by default. This allows various POSIX modes to option is unset by default. This allows various POSIX modes to
work normally (POSIX does not deal with multibyte characters). If work normally (POSIX does not deal with multibyte characters). If
you use a "sh" or "ksh" emulation interactively you shouldprobably you use a "sh" or "ksh" emulation interactively you should probably
set the tt(MULTIBYTE) option. set the tt(MULTIBYTE) option.
The other option that affects multibyte support is tt(COMBINING_CHARS), The other option that affects multibyte support is tt(COMBINING_CHARS),
@ -2072,9 +2051,10 @@ sect(How does zsh handle multibyte input and output?)
assumed to be modifications (accents etc.) to the base character and to assumed to be modifications (accents etc.) to the base character and to
be displayed within the same screen area as the base character. As not be displayed within the same screen area as the base character. As not
all terminals handle this, even if they correctly display the base all terminals handle this, even if they correctly display the base
multibyte character, this option is not on by default. The KDE terminal multibyte character, this option is not on by default. Recent versions
emulator tt(konsole), tt(rxvt-unicode), and the Unicode version of of the KDE and GNOME terminal emulators tt(konsole) and
xterm, tt(xterm -u8) or the front-end tt(uxterm), are known to handle tt(gnome-terminal) as well as tt(rxvt-unicode), and the Unicode version
of xterm, tt(xterm -u8) or the front-end tt(uxterm), are known to handle
combining characters. combining characters.
The tt(COMBINING_CHARS) option only affects output; combining characters The tt(COMBINING_CHARS) option only affects output; combining characters
@ -2110,12 +2090,12 @@ sect(How do I ensure multibyte input and output work on my system?)
edit file names that have been created using a different character edit file names that have been created using a different character
set it won't work properly.) set it won't work properly.)
it() The terminal emulator. Those that are supplied with a recent it() The terminal emulator. Those that are supplied with a recent
desktop environment, such as gnome-terminal, are likely to have desktop environment, such as tt(konsole) and tt(gnome-terminal), are
extensive support for localization and may work correctly as soon likely to have extensive support for localization and may work
as they know the locale. You can enable UTF-8 support for correctly as soon as they know the locale. You can enable UTF-8
tt(xterm) in its application defaults file. The following are support for tt(xterm) in its application defaults file. The
the relevant resources; you don't actually need all of them, as following are the relevant resources; you don't actually need all of
described below. If you use a mytt(~/.Xdefaults) or them, as described below. If you use a mytt(~/.Xdefaults) or
mytt(~/.Xresources) file for setting resources, prefix all the lines mytt(~/.Xresources) file for setting resources, prefix all the lines
with mytt(xterm): with mytt(xterm):
verb( verb(
@ -2147,7 +2127,12 @@ sect(How do I ensure multibyte input and output work on my system?)
this feature does.) If your terminal doesn't have characters this feature does.) If your terminal doesn't have characters
that need to be input as multibyte, however, you can still use that need to be input as multibyte, however, you can still use
the meta bindings and can ignore the warning message. Use the meta bindings and can ignore the warning message. Use
mytt(bindkey -m 2>/dev/null) to suprress it. mytt(bindkey -m 2>/dev/null) to suppress it.
You might also note that the latest version of the Cygwin environment
for Windows supports UTF-8. In previous versions, zsh was able
to compile with the tt(MULTIBYTE) option enabled, but the system
didn't provide full support for it.
sect(How can I input characters that aren't on my keyboard?) sect(How can I input characters that aren't on my keyboard?)
@ -2187,6 +2172,9 @@ url(http://www.unicode.org/charts/)(http://www.unicode.org/charts/).
however, using UTF-8 massively extends the number of valid characters however, using UTF-8 massively extends the number of valid characters
that can be produced. that can be produced.
If you have a recent X Window System installation, you might find
the tt(AltGr) key helps you input accented Latin characters; for
example on my keyboard tt(AltGr-; e) gives mytt(e) with an acute accent.
See also url(http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/unicode.html#input)(http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/unicode.html#input) See also url(http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/unicode.html#input)(http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/unicode.html#input)
for general information on entering Unicode characters from a keyboard. for general information on entering Unicode characters from a keyboard.