#summary User Guide for Chewing

For the latest version of this document, please see
http://code.google.com/p/ibus/wiki/ChewingUserGuide

= Introduction =
Chewing helps you inputting Chinese by its pronunciation,
in the form of either [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bopomofo Bopomofo/Zhuyin]
or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin Hanyu pinyin], as well as Chinese
punctuation marks and normal and full shape number and English alphabets.

For the ease of documentation and readability, following sections assume you
are using the default configuration, that is, with default/DaChen Bopomofo
keyboard layout, on an en_US keyboard, and default key-binding.

= Glossary =
Preedit buffer: The places for storing your typing before sending to the
   applications (such as firefox) you are using.

= Mode =
Mode determines how Chewing reacts on keyboard input.

== Editing mode ==
This mode is for normal Chinese character and punctuation typing. You are
 more likely working on this mode.

In this mode, alpha-numberic and punctuation marks are interpreted as either
Bopomofo symbols or punctuation marks. If the symbols can form Chinese
characters, it will choose the most suitable character according to the
context in preedit buffer.

It's recommend that you enter the whole Chinese sentences, so Chewing can
do auto-correction for you. If you like what you see, you can press [Enter]
to commit the characters in preedit buffer.

If something go wrong, you can select the character by move your cursor using
{Left} or {Right}, then press {Down} to enter Candidate Selection mode to
choose words.

To prevent the auto-correction on certain phrase, you may press {Tab} to
break the auto-correction on the end of the sentence.

You can also remember the 2,3,4 words phrases by pressing {Ctrl-2},
{Ctrl-3}, and {Ctrl-4} on the end of the phrase.

Also note that Shift's behavior changes in this mode.
Shift-(alpha number) outputs corresponding Full shape Chinese symbols if
"Easy symbol input" is enabled;
Or outputs corresponding number half shape lowercase English alphabets if
"Easy symbol input" is disabled.

Talking about inputing Chinese symbols, other then enable "Easy symbol input"
mode, you can also press {Ctrl-1} to open up a symbol selection dialog,
select the category, then use {Down} key to choose the symbols as you
would do for characters.

Hot-keys:
||Caps Lock  || Toggle Temporary English sub-mode                   ||
||Down       || Enter Candidate Selection mode                      ||
||Shift-Space|| Toggle Half/Full Shape sub-mode                     ||
||Enter      || Commit the content in preedit buffer to application ||
||Tab        || Break the auto-correction.                          ||
||Ctrl-1     || Open symbol selection dialog                        ||
||Ctrl-2     || Remember 2-word phrase.                             ||
||Ctrl-3     || Remember 3-word phrase.                             ||
||Ctrl-4     || Remember 4-word phrase.                             ||

=== Half/Full Shape sub-mode ====
This sub-mode is for inputing half shape and full shape characters.
Half shape characters are essentially normal English characters; while the
full shape characters are full-width pretty symbols that resemble English
characters.

Hot-keys:
||Shift-Space|| Toggle Half/Full Shape sub-mode                     ||

=== Temporary English sub-mode ===
This sub-mode is for temporary English inputting.

Hot-keys:
||Caps Lock  || Toggle Temporary English sub-mode                   ||

== Candidate Selection mode ==
This mode if for Choosing the candidate.
Firstly, the longest phrases that fit the pronunciation are shown, then the
second shortest, till the single characters. Pressing {Down} again to return
to the longest phrases.

For example, after entering "w91o3g4".
Pressing {Down} makes Chewing displays 3-word candidate "台北市";
pressing {Down} again makes Chewing displays 2-word candidate "北市";
pressing {Down} again makes Chewing displays 1-word candidates "市","是";
pressing {Down} again makes Chewing displays back the 3-word candidates
"台北市";

Hot-keys:
||Down       || Next bunch of candidates in different length        ||
||Left       || Previous page of candidates                         ||
||Right      || Next page of candidates                             ||
||1, 2, ...0 || Select 1st, 2nd, ... 10th candidate                 ||

== Bypass mode ==
This mode is on whenever the preedit buffer is empty. This allows you to use
movement keys (such as cursor keys and page up/page down) and popular
key binding (Ctrl-A, Ctrl-S).

