Multiple Stroke Characters on MS Greek Polytonic Keyboard

DickBryant · Post by **DickBryant** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 1:16 pm

This from a customer using the setup in the title.

"Thank you for your prompt response.

I am using the Microsoft Greek keyboard -- it is listed as "Greek Polytonic" in the Input Language menu. For complex diacritical marks and accents I have to use key combinations."

Apparently these are not entered correctly on a TRichViewEdit.

Any suggestions on getting this to work properly?

Thanks,

Dick

Post by **Sergey Tkachenko** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:56 pm

This keyboard layout has the following features:
1) it allows entering characters not belonging to GREEK_CHARSET;
2) it uses dead keys.

If you use ANSI text in TRichViewEdit, you cannot have these characters (not belonging to any charset) in text.
Unfortunately the problem occurs with Unicode text too. TRichViewEdit supports 2 methods of keyboard inputs, but unfortunately the first of them (default) cannot work with characters not belonging to the keyboard layout's charset, and the second method does not support dead keys.
So, I am afraid, currently the only way to support this keyboard layout is upgrading to Delphi 2009, where TRichViewEdit is a True Unicode window and has no problems with such keyboards.

DickBryant · Post by **DickBryant** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 3:07 pm

Does the Delphi 2009 upgrade automatically achieve this compatibility? I.e. do I need to make changes in my D7 code in order for it (and all my TRichViews) to work properly PLUS have the ability to handle the multi-stroke diacriticals?

Thanks,

Dick

Post by **Sergey Tkachenko** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:14 pm

This ability (working with keyboard layouts having both "exotic" characters and dead keys) will be given automatically (because in Delphi 2009 TRichViewEdit becomes a Unicode window, like all standard controls, and it does not need to use tricks to accept Unicode input).
But since String, Char and PChar types were changed to 2-byte Unicode characters, other your code working with strings may be affected. Besides I suggest to check if all thirdparty components you need are available for Delphi 2009.

DickBryant · Post by **DickBryant** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:37 pm

Thank you Sergey - I'll do as you suggest.

Dick