Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!pt.cs.cmu.edu!cadre!pitt!unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu!jbw From: jbw@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu (Jingbai Wang) Newsgroups: comp.text Subject: Typesetting Chinese Message-ID: <18933@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu> Date: 31 Jul 89 16:49:57 GMT Reply-To: jbw@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu (Jingbai Wang) Distribution: na Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh, Comp & Info Services Lines: 130 From jbw Mon Jul 31 12:47:30 EDT 1989 Article 23454 of soc.culture.china: Path: unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu!jbw >From: jbw@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu (Jingbai Wang) Newsgroups: soc.culture.china Subject: Using/Transmitting/Printing Chinese on Computers Keywords: Chinese Message-ID: <18932@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu> Date: 31 Jul 89 16:45:52 GMT Reply-To: jbw@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu (Jingbai Wang) Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh, Comp & Info Services Lines: 117 Lately I have seen quite a number of posting regarding to Chinese computer documentation. Yes, we do need a way to use Chinese as our medium for communication in the network. The problems are 1) How to edit and format 2) How to transmit 3) How to print Since I am known as an expert in computer typesetting and software developing in this area (Scribe, TeX/LaTeX, Chinese Editor and Graphics) in the net- work. I 'd like to contribute my ideas and in a later stage: my programmes FREE of charge. 1) How to edit: The primary solution to this problem is, of course, to use CCDOS, where Edlin and Chinese WordStar can be used to edit Chinese documents. Byx by Yan Yongxin, as quoted from this net, can be an alternative. The question is: does it follow standard mainland Chinese encoding convention? If not, it would be junked soon. One thing I can see is that its so-called utility that translates its output into an interger file is really not smart enough. It increases the file size between 3 to 4 times, and generates a very strange looking trasmittable output. The disadvantage of CCDOS is that it is ROM BIOS and Graphics Card dependent, i.e., XT version can not be used on AT and PS/2. Mono version can't be used on CGA. I have not seen an EGA and VGA version yet. The good thing is that you can use all the 6-7 commonly used ways to call Chinese characters, e.g., Pinyin, GuoBiao, QuWei, ShuoWei, PianPang, DianBao, and WuBi. I found that the WuBi version gives the highest speed, even in Pinyin. 1a) Formatting: Most of people use Chinese WordStar to format a Chinese document, in China and here. Even Taiwan versions use that. I, on the other hand, like the idea of command-driven, instaed of menu- driven. Therefore, I am creating a thing called Chinese Scribe (ChScribe in short). That, in fact, is a pre- and post- processor to the existing Scribe and TeX. ChScribe is also a PostScript device driver for the CCDOS standard (including WordStar) output files. Its output, as of today, is PostScript. What's good of it? It allows you to do whatever you can do with English fonts with Chinese, such as Scaling and Rotating. All the fancy math and other symbols can be mixed with Chinese. In short, it is an enhencement to Scribe and TeX, a great enhancement. I use my own version of Scribe database which supports all the math and graphics that can be done by TeX/LaTeX. 2) Transmitting: Chinese DOS, or CCDOS, has standardized its encoding scheme of 7000 some Chinese characters, i.e., using two entended ASCII codes for a Chinese character. The first of code stands for the ZOOM (Qu) starting from 161 and ending at 247, but 168 ~ 175 overlap 175 ~182. Therefore, there are 79 zooms only. In each zoom, there are 94 characters, starting from 161 and ending at 254. For instance, if you boot with a CCDOS, and get into BASIC, then type ? chr(176); chr(161); you get an Chinese "A1" (in graphics mode). Problem: all these extended ASCII codes utilize the 8th bit, that is disliked by all standard mail facilities. It is why Byx utility translates every one into an integer, that can be translated back most easily, but the file size is also increased significantly. Solutions: a) UUENCDOE and UUDECODE on unix (also available on DOS, that can be ftped from simtel20.arpa) can transmit such 8-bit files. b) Use some special utilities, such as Byx ones (but strongly discouraged). In my ChScribe, there is an option for encode and decode for transmission. The intermidiate file is in standard ASCII bytes, and the file size is only slightly larger than the original one. c) Transmit PostScript output from ChScribe directly (since PostScript is in standard ASCII), and you can print it on any PotScript printers. 3) Printing: Normally, CCDOS allows you to print a standard CCDOS Chinese file on a 9-pin EPSON and the compatibles. For 24-pin EPSON and non-EPSON dot matrix printers, we need a special driver for it. For Laser Printers, like HP-plus, you need a driver, and a friend of mine here did develop one. Me, I like PostScript laser printers most, therefore, ChScribe output is for PostScript only, and the bitmap font is based on the 24x24 library in either HieTi or FangSongTi. The Scribe part and encode/decode part of ChScribe is working now, and it is in C working under VMS, UNIX and potentially DOS. Conclusion: 1) There are no easy ways to edit Chinese, and there are over 500 schemes but none is fast and/or easy enough. Pinyin is easy, most popular, but slow. There are only 2-3 editors available, too. 2) The existing ways of formatting a Chinese document are far behind the English ones, and good for non-techincal and low efficient purposes only. It is desired that ChScribe will create a brand new way. 3) Chinese fonts are based on bitmap fonts, either 16x16 or 24x24. That can be printed on any known printer, provided a driver is developed. EPSON is the grandpa, HP followed up somehow. PostScript will be the best solution, especial when there are vector fonts (some people in China have developed it), or analytical fonts (rumors said Apple Inc. has built it). Sincerely yours, JB Wang jbw@pittvms.bitnet jbw@cisunx.UUCP