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[xkb-boshiamy]
Hack to implement Boshiamy Input Method using only X11 config files
------------------------------------=[Setup]=-----------------------------------
Move
--------------------------------=[How it Works]=--------------------------------
X11 handles key inputs via the xkb extension, which in addition to defining
keymaps/layouts, also handles compose/dead keys on the
application side via libxkbcommon. I have hijacked this functionality to
implement a fully functional version of the Boshiamy input method that requires
no software other than X11, and which should be in theory compatible with any
X11 application unlike ibus or fcitx.
Background]=---
What is a compose/dead key?
Certain keyboard layouts allow for diacritics to be added to letters via
"dead key". For the user this means pressing the diacritic key followed
by the base letter. For example, to type "ô" on the German layout you
would press the "^" key followed by "o". The "^" is called a "dead key".
For those curious, you type "^" by itself by pressing the key twice.
Compose is a similar functionality except is relies on pressing a
predefined "compose" key followed by a sequence of other keys. For
example AltGr+e+= types the euro sign "€".
In X11's case, this is all defined via a config file in
/usr/share/X11/locale/$LOCALE/Compose. For reference, the Compose file
for en_US.UTF-8 is 5000 lines long, which is on the order of magnitude
of your average Chinese input method.
This functionality can also be user defined at ~/.XCompose
How exactly is this functionality being handled by X11?
When a key is pressed, X11 sends a key event containing "key symbols" to
the application. This includes printable ascii characters like "a" or
"@" but it can also be keys like "prsc" (printscreen) or non ascii
characters like "Г" or "肏". The specifics of how physical keys get
turned into key symbols are defined in /usr/lib/X11/xkb/.
Compose happens at one layer of abstraction above "key symbols". Most
applications after receiving an X11 key event, use libxkbcommon to
translate this into a string, during which the Compose table is
referenced to get the desired result of the compose sequences.
Boshiamy Implementation]=---
First, I did some regex wrangling to create a Compose file that defines every
character on my computer's copy of Boshiamy
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