Internationalization Overview

Article
06/30/2006

The Internationalization features for Microsoft® Windows® CE .NET support general needs and language-specific needs.

Internationalization is the process of making software that accommodates differences in language, culture, and hardware. Internationalization presents users with a consistent look, feel, and functionality across different language editions of a product. Users expect localized software to support the same basic set of features that the original language edition of the product does, and they expect it to achieve the same level of quality. They also expect different language editions to interact smoothly with one another.

To assist your development of internationalized software, the operating system provides system support through Unicode and the national language system (NLS). Unicode is a universal character encoding system, while NLS carries information on date, time, calendar, number, and currency formats. NLS also provides sorting and character-type information for all the locales supported by the operating system.

Internationalization also spans a variety of language-specific features, such as Input Method Editors (IME) and input methods (IM) for East Asian languages. For some East Asian locales and for worldwide English, Windows CE includes a handwriting recognition engine. For English (U.S.), French, and German, the Transcriber Handwriting Recognition Application is provided. In addition, the Multilingual User Interface feature makes it possible for you to create one ROM image that can contain multiple languages.

Feature Summary

The following table shows operating system design information for Internationalization.

Element	Information
Agfa Font Compression	Supports font compression for a reduced memory footprint.
Font Versions	Includes different versions of TrueType and AC3 font files, which are modified to contain different subsets of characters and font sizes of the original files. The resulting files are smaller. For more information, see Font Versions.
Handwriting Recognition (HWX)	Provides a Handwriting Recognition engine that supports user-drawn ideographs and characters. If used, the platform developer must develop a UI. Sample UIs are provided for Japanese, Korean, and Traditional Chinese. For more information, see Handwriting Recognition.
Multilingual User Interface (MUI)	Enables the platform developer to create one ROM image with multiple languages, and thus allow the end-user to switch the user interface language. For more information, see Multilingual User Interface (MUI).
NLS	Provides National Language Support.
Transcriber Handwriting Recognition Application	The Transcriber is a Handwriting Recognition application for English (US), German, and French. It recognizes all handwriting, cursive or printed. In addition to recognizing letters, numbers, and words, the Transcriber recognizes common symbols and various control gestures. For more information, see Transcriber Handwriting Recognizer Application Overview.
Unicode Surrogates	Supports handling and display of Unicode surrogate pairs.
Japanese Edit Control, Level 2	Supports edit control level 2 as a default. For more information, see Japanese Edit Control.
Japanese IMEs	Supports three IMEs: Pocket IME version 2.0 The kernel and UI codes have been separated. The UI module is a customizable sample. The added features are dictionary compiler, user dictionary and word registration, multiple dictionary support, new registry settings, and broader support for input methods. For more information, see Japanese Pocket IME. IME 3.0 Provides sample skins and allows you to customize the IME toolbar, candidate window and default composition window. The property dialog boxes, dictionary tool dialog boxes, and the system tray icon support are separated, allowing you to select a set of specific UI components for your target platform. Supports Portrait and Landscape orientation. For more information, see Japanese IME 3.0. TESTIME A basic application programming interface (API) that allows you to create your own IME.
Japanese Input Methods	Supports the following Input Methods: Bushu-kensaku Search by radical engine that enables complex Kanji character selection based on radicals. UI is provided as a sample for customization. Soukakusu-kensaku Search by stroke engine that enables complex Kanji character selection based on character strokes. UI is provided as a sample for customization. Microsoft Kana IM An on-screen keyboard that enables input of Hiragana and Katakana directly. This IM is provided as sample code. Microsoft Roma IM An on-screen keyboard that enables input of the Western alphabet. This IM is provided as sample code. Multibox A sample IM for Japanese handwriting input that works with IME 3.0 and Pocket IME. Character Auto Complete (CAC) A sample UI that works with the handwriting recognition engine. This IM automatically updates a list of possible character candidates with each character stroke that the user draws. Japanese All Character IM A sample IM that enables character input based on all-character list. (Shift-JIS and Unicode).
Korean IME	Supports IME97. The Korean IME kernel and UI mode have been separated. The UI module is a customizable sample. You can choose between a horizontal and a vertical candidate list. For more information, see Korean IME.
Korean IMs	Supports the following Input Methods: MSIMK A sample soft keyboard IM that allows Hangul input. Mboxkor A sample IM for Korean handwriting input that works with IME97. For more information, see Korean Input Methods.
Simplified Chinese IMEs	Supports the following IMEs: Microsoft Pinyin IME 2.0 for Windows CE An intelligent, bigram-based IME that offers a choice of three lexical databases. Pocket IME A compact IME that provides Pinyin and Shuang Pin input with a sample customizable UI model. For more information, see Simplified Chinese Pinyin IME and Simplified Chinese Pocket IME.
Simplified Chinese Shuang Pin IM	A Simplified Chinese input method (IM) with a soft keyboard now allows Shuang Pin input. This IM is tied closely to the Shuang Pin Pocket IME. For more information, see Simplified Chinese Input Method.
GB18030 converter	Supports data conversion of the PRC GB18030 standard to Windows CE encoding standard for Simplified Chinese. Fore more information, see GB18030 Data Converter.
Traditional Chinese IMEs	Supports the following IMEs: Phonetic Pocket IME A compact IME that provides a sample customizable UI module. Chang Jei Pocket IME A compact IME that provides a sample customizable UI module. For more information, see Traditional Chinese Pocket IME.
Traditional Chinese IMs	Supports the following Input Methods Phonetic IM A sample soft keyboard IM that is closely tied to the Phonetic IME. Chang Jei A sample soft keyboard IM that allows Chang Jei input and is closely tied to the Chang Jei IME. Mboxcht A sample IM for Traditional Chinese handwriting input. For more information, see Traditional Chinese Input Methods.

Modules and Components

The following table shows modules and components that support the Internationalization features of the operating system.

Item	Module	Component
Agfa Font Compression	gwes	decompdrv
Handwriting Recognition engine (USA)	hwxusa	None
Multilingual User Interface (MUI)	coredll	multui
National Language Support (NLS)	coredll	coreloc
Transcriber Handwriting Recognition Application	transcriber	None
Software Input Panel	coredll	coresip, softkb, largekb
Input Method Manager	coredll	coreimm, coreimmstub
IMM Thunking	gwes	immthunk
Fonts and Font versions	fonts	gl_ce, gulim_1_30, gulim_1_40, gulim_1_50, gulim_1_60, mingliu, mingliu_2_70, mingliu_2_80, mingliu_2_90, msming, msgothic, msgothic_1_50, msgothic_1_60, msgothic_1_70, msgothic_1_80, msgothic_1_90, msgothic30, msmincho, simsun, simsun2_20, simsun_2_50, simsun_2_60, simsun_2_70, simsun_2_80, simsun_2_90, sunfon
East Asian language line breaking	gwes	mgfe
Japanese Edit Control	gwes	edctl, edimefe, edimejpn
Japanese Pocket IME	imejpp	imejppui, imeskdic, imejpp_dic_s, imejpp_dic_n
Japanese IME 3.0	imjp30	imjp30k, imjp30t, imjp30m, imjp30u, imjp30ux, imjp30dx, imjp30c, imjp30s
Japanese TESTIME	testime	None
Japanese on-screen keyboard for Katakana	mskana	None
Japanese on-screen keyboard for western alphabet	msroma	None
Japanese Search by Radical IM	msradlist	None
Japanese Search by Stroke IM	msstrklist	None
Japanese All Character List	msallchar	None
Multibox (Japanese UI for Handwriting Recognition)	hwxjpn	None
Korean IME	mshime97	kimeui
Korean edit control	gwes	edimefek, edimefe
Korean Input Method	msimk	None
Korean UI for Handwriting Recognition	hwxkor	None
Microsoft Pinyin IME 2.0	msimepy	chsime98, intlime, mspy2db1, mspy2db3, mspy2db7, mspy2dbhelp
Simplified Chinese Pocket IME	msimesp	None
Simplified Chinese Shuang Pin IM	spim	None
GB18030 text converter	gb18030	None
Traditional Chinese Phonetic Pocket IME	phonim	None
Traditional Chinese Chang Jei Pocket IME	pimetcdb	None
Traditional Chinese Phonetic IM	msimeph	None
Traditional Chinese Chang Jei IM	wceshellfe	chajeiim, msimecj
Traditional Chinese Handwriting Recognition Engine	hwxcht	None
Traditional Chinese UI for Handwriting Recognition	mboxcht	None
Chinese edit control	gwes	edimechn, edimefe
Pocket IME UI module for Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese	msimeuic	None