Module java.desktop
Package java.awt.im.spi
Provides interfaces that enable the development of input methods that can be
used with any Java runtime environment. Input methods are software components
that let the user enter text in ways other than simple typing on a keyboard.
They are commonly used to enter Japanese, Chinese, or Korean - languages
using thousands of different characters - on keyboards with far fewer keys.
However, this package also allows the development of input methods for other
languages and the use of entirely different input mechanisms, such as
handwriting recognition.
Packaging Input Methods
Input methods can be made available by adding them to the application's class path. The main JAR file of an input method must contain the file:
META-INF/services/java.awt.im.spi.InputMethodDescriptor
The file should contain a list of fully-qualified class names, one per line,
of classes implementing the java.awt.im.spi.InputMethodDescriptor
interface. Space and tab characters surrounding each name, as well as blank
lines, are ignored. The comment character is '#'
(\u0023); on each line all characters following the first
comment character are ignored. The file must be encoded in UTF-8.
For example, if the fully-qualified name of the class that implements
java.awt.im.spi.InputMethodDesciptor for the Foo input
method is com.sun.ime.FooInputMethodDescriptor, the file
META-INF/services/java.awt.im.spi.InputMethodDescriptor
contains a line:
com.sun.ime.FooInputMethodDescriptor
The input method must also provide at least two classes: one class
implementing the java.awt.im.spi.InputMethodDescriptor interface, one
class implementing the java.awt.im.spi.InputMethod interface. The
input method should separate the implementations for these interfaces, so
that loading of the class implementing InputMethod can be deferred
until actually needed.
Loading Input Methods
The input method framework will usually defer loading of input method classes until they are absolutely needed. It loads only theInputMethodDescriptor implementations during AWT initialization. It
loads an InputMethod implementation when the input method has been
selected.
Java Input Methods and Peered Text Components
The Java input method framework intends to support all combinations of input methods (host input methods and Java input methods) and components (peered and lightweight). However, because of limitations in the underlying platform, it may not always be possible to enable the communication between Java input methods and peered AWT components. Support for this specific combination is therefore platform dependent. In Sun's Java SE Runtime Environments, this combination is supported on Windows, but not on Solaris.Related Documentation
For overviews, tutorials, examples, guides, and tool documentation, please see Input Method Framework Overview.- Since:
- 1.3
-
Interface Summary Interface Description InputMethod Defines the interface for an input method that supports complex text input.InputMethodContext Provides methods that input methods can use to communicate with their client components or to request other services.InputMethodDescriptor Defines methods that provide sufficient information about an input method to enable selection and loading of that input method.