On my computer, compose is Shift+RightControl (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compose_key). This approach is best for staying within one script. For example, typing accented Latin characters (for various western European languages for example) on a US English keyboard and the compose key approach is not suitable for typing Greek or Cyrillic using a Latin based keyboard (whether US English, AZERTY, QWERTZ or whatever). Well designed keyboard combinations will allow us to type the various Unicode punctuation marks regardless of keyboard layout. I agree it is best to switch keyboard layouts when typing a multiscript document and I understand the difficulties in learning the different locations where punctuation marks are placed in each layout, and because of this I've also created a Cyrillic layout just for me, so I can type Cyrillic efficiently.
Andrew On 4 May 2010 17:18, Juan Francisco Fraile Vicente < [email protected]> wrote: > Which is that compose key on Linux? > > I think all of you have a part of reason, but we have to remember that one > of the best things of the world of TeX is the multiple options that offers. > Erasing that conventions would be a loss. > Although I agree (it's difficult to see --- sometimes and the source code > may result in low readability), XeTeX is everyday more known for linguists > that work with several languages. And the great characteristic of XeTeX is a > more comfortable environment for working with several languages (that it is > possible in LaTeX, but some time ago it was not so easy for some of us if > working with Unicode). > Many people working with documents in several languages have the same > problem: it's necessary to change again and again between language-keyboard. > And every keyboard usually puts diacritical marks, dashes, points and other > chars where the designer wanted/preferred. In this way those methods of > LaTeX are very productive: LaTeX accents, for instance, make much easier to > put vocalic quantities in Latin, or marks for textual criticism in Greek > like a point under a greek letter. These are two examples only, and I agree > with some of you that suggest to learn the keyboard distribution, but > sometimes it's more difficult than it seems (for instance, in Spain we have > our own distribution, specially different because it includes our 'ñ', and > if I change to Greek layout on Linux is really different and few intuitive > for Spanish users). I am designing a layout for Ancient Greek for Spanish > keyboard and people who will use it will have to learn where I put the > em-dash for instance, but if they work with XeTeX and those codes of LaTeX, > this question is independent of the keyboard, the system or the editor, I > think. > > Sorry if I have made any mistake talking about XeTeX, I will be always a > **TeX learner... > > Best regards, > > Juan Francisco >
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