Typing In Japanese

[Saitou Hajime]

Does anyone have links to programs that will allow me to type Hiragana and Katakana? I've seen some that change romaji to hiragana, but those are for Word, and I don't have that. Thanks for the help in advance, guys.

[gentlemanandscholar]

Windows does it. Install the "eastern languages" pack.

[seiji]

I had a buttload of trouble getting the Windows pack installed and configured properly. Maybe I'm just incompetent that way, but this guy's freeware Japanese word processor (http://www.physics.ucla.edu/~grosenth/jwpce.html) (way down at the bottom of the page) is convenient enough for occasional cut-and-paste jobs. I use it all the time for its really spiffy built-in dictionary, kanji lookup by readings and radicals and what-have-you, and some other neat features I never bother with. The print features could use work, but that's what cut-and-paste-into-preferred-document-editor is for. :watson:

[Pierrot le Fou]

There was a link for it in the forum before. Search for IME or somesuch.

[/|/@/|/@し]

You can always go to Microsoft.com and download the Japanese IME. Hopefully you know which version of windows you use.. And just download that and it will setup the ability to switch between english and japanese on your computer.

And/or you can google JWPce which is a freeware japanese word processor type thing with a build in dictionary. But that one is sometimes annoying because you half to copy and paste.

[Seymour]

I made a post how to do this awhile ago. Just scroll to the bottom for "how to type in Japanese" (I changed my name)

http://www.outpostnine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4962

Cheers~

[Saitou Hajime]

ありがとございます.

[mikem]

ありがとうございます.

直した！

Long "tou" on arigatou! :)

[雨]

I had a buttload of trouble getting the Windows pack installed and configured properly. Maybe I'm just incompetent that way, but this guy's freeware Japanese word processor (http://www.physics.ucla.edu/~grosenth/jwpce.html) (way down at the bottom of the page) is convenient enough for occasional cut-and-paste jobs. I use it all the time for its really spiffy built-in dictionary, kanji lookup by readings and radicals and what-have-you, and some other neat features I never bother with. The print features could use work, but that's what cut-and-paste-into-preferred-document-editor is for. :watson:
It took a while to find this post. It's really helpful, I can't get the windows packs to install on neither of my computers. And googling applications like this one is difficult, since you get a bunch of software that require licensing or innumerable credit-card checkpoints.

This should be made into a thread and stickied.

[Edit] Unfortunately the program did not support katakana. Someone here know of an application capable of writing my katakana out?

[SlickWilly440]

Is there a hot key combination to where you can switch between hiragana & katakana because it gets kind of annoying haveing to constantly switch using the mouse key。

ありがとうございます。

[shadow]

I don't know if there is one, but I will say that you should have said お願いします rather than ありがとうございます... You say お願いします when you ask for something, and ありがとうございます to thank.

[ZaichikArky]

I don't have my windows cd so I can't do that either. The one seiji posted is the one I use. It works in most cut & paste stuff you do on your computer or online. It's a pretty good WP : ). I always do my essays for Japanese class using it. You should download it.

amani, the WP does in fact support katakana. You have to HIT THE CAPS LOCK KEY, and voila, katakana : ).

[雨]

amani, the WP does in fact support katakana. You have to HIT THE CAPS LOCK KEY, and voila, katakana : ).YESS! I can finally write バカ!

[ZaichikArky]

yatta!

BTW, we need to revive the japanese thread and start posting in it again. Oh you're new , Amani :3. Anyway, it was a cool thread which people mainly used Japanese so they could practice writing. I think I'll re-create it and perhaps as Meneer or someont to make it a sticky so it doesn't disapear again.

[Comazon]

I don't know if there is one, but I will say that you should have said お願いします rather than ありがとうございます...

For those who know hardly any kanji (like me)...:gloomy:

お願いします = おねがいします

with 願 = ねが

Though this does make me wonder...anyone know a way to type furigana? Or is that not really do-able?

[Shamu]

I should get that installed on my comp so I can type Katakana, but I think I'll wait until I get a new computer. My one right now is about ready to kick the bucket
Zaichi: that would be nice to have that thread revived since I'm trying to re-learn Japanese (it's not going to well though, it's been 10 years since I studied it :gloomy: )

[Soli]

Sorta random question:

What does a Japanese keyboard for a computer look like? I can't really be like English, right? There's more then 26 letter thingys. :P

[Comazon]

^
http://www.geocities.jp/nikotuk/jpen-keyboard.jpg

I just googled it. I don't own one myself.

[SlickWilly440]

I don't know if there is one, but I will say that you should have said お願いします rather than ありがとうございます...

I figured that 願 was pronounced NEGA when I looked at the whole word.

[tweek.3867]

^
http://www.geocities.jp/nikotuk/jpen-keyboard.jpg

I just googled it. I don't own one myself.
Mine doesn't look like that @_@ Similar, but not quite the same.. granted mine isn't for a laptop either. Most of the newer ones have a hankaku/zenkaku key in the top left to switch between roman and japanese lettering, where the tilde (~) key is on an english keyboard... unlike this one, where it is on the bottom left next to the alt key.

[Comazon]

^ Serves me right for finding a pic of a laptop keyboard. :gloomy:

Maybe this is a better keyboard (http://fula.jp/blog/image/ThinkPlus_USB_Keyboard_with_UltraNav_Japanese.jpg) (the pic is too big to post).

If not, then I give up (I was just googling anyway). As I said, I don't have one. I was contemplating getting one at one point, but the traditional keyboard layout suits me well enough for what I need (which is for only occasional Japanese use). Maybe I'll get one once I learn enough Japanese to be able to just hold a conversation. :meh:

[jindojim]

Though this does make me wonder...anyone know a way to type furigana? Or is that not really do-able?

You can do it in Microsoft Word if you have the Asian fonts installed.

Type something in Japanese and pick the appropriate kanji. Then go to "Format", go down to "Asian Layout", hold the arrow there and choose "Phonetic Guide" from the menu options that appear. It should be easy from there.

You can't copy and paste it from Word to this forum though. If you do, it appears like this: 国際郵便振替請求書兼告知書(こくさいゆうびんふりかえせいきゅうしょけんこくちしょ)

[Comazon]

^Yay! It works!

Thanks! :D

[Soli]

^ Serves me right for finding a pic of a laptop keyboard. :gloomy:

Maybe this is a better keyboard (http://fula.jp/blog/image/ThinkPlus_USB_Keyboard_with_UltraNav_Japanese.jpg) (the pic is too big to post).

If not, then I give up (I was just googling anyway). As I said, I don't have one. I was contemplating getting one at one point, but the traditional keyboard layout suits me well enough for what I need (which is for only occasional Japanese use). Maybe I'll get one once I learn enough Japanese to be able to just hold a conversation. :meh:

Ooooh, I see. It looks pretty much the same. Mystery solved! Thanks for giving me a link! :)

[darje]

On another random question, where did the Japanese practice thread go? I was under the impression there was such a thread (although not with that title) where people could practice writing in Japanese.

[SlickWilly440]

みんなと　ベッドに　はいりたい。 じょうだんです。。。。。。ラフ　アウト　ラウド。

[crabity]

Is there a hot key combination to where you can switch between hiragana & katakana because it gets kind of annoying haveing to constantly switch using the mouse key。

ありがとうございます。

if you use IME, after you type and before the dotted lines disappear, press F7. works in any app

コウイウフウニ

also, I use ctrl-tab to change "direct input" to "hiragana"

[Danistar]

On another random question, where did the Japanese practice thread go? I was under the impression there was such a thread (although not with that title) where people could practice writing in Japanese.
People used it for a while, but when people stopped posting on it, it obviously left the forum front page. I'll go post on it and bring it to the front in case anyone wants to use it again.

[SlickWilly440]

if you use IME, after you type and before the dotted lines disappear, press F7. works in any app

コウイウフウニ

also, I use ctrl-tab to change "direct input" to "hiragana"


Thank you so much for telling me this. Now my typing in Japanese experience will be a whole lote more efficient.