Sinhala input methods

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A screencast showing Sinhala text being entered using the Intelligent Input Bus into Firefox under Linux. As shown in the video, under the Singlish method, to input විකිපීඩියා (Wikipedia), wikipIdiyaa is entered.

Sinhala input methods are ways of writing the Sinhala language, spoken primarily in Sri Lanka, using a computer. Sinhala input methods can be broadly classified into two main groups: ones based on typewriter keyboard layouts, and ones that are meant to be typed on QWERTY keyboards using an input method, known as "Singlish". [1]

Contents

Wijesekara keyboard

The Wijesekara keyboard is the standard typewriter keyboard for the Sinhala script. This keyboard layout was first created and approved by the government of Sri Lanka in 1964.

Windows Sinhala layout Sinhala keyboard win.png
Windows Sinhala layout

In 2004, it was given the SLS standards as the Sri Lanka Sinhala Character Code for Information Interchange, SLS 1134 : 2004. [2]

Implementations

The first standards compliant Sinhala Keyboard for Apple iOS was created by Bhagya Silva. This implementation featured a copyrighted custom layout that was based on SLS 1134:2004 optimised for mobile keyboards. [3]

Virtual Keyboards

The first Sinhala virtual keyboard is Helakuru. Helakuru was developed by Bhasha Lanka (Pvt) Ltd for Android and iOS devices. It was first released on Android in 2011 and in 2015 it was released on App Store also. [4] In 2019, Apple allowed Sinhala to be a keyboard layout and an iPhone language to boost Apple product sales in Sri Lanka.

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Chinese input methods for computers Chinese character text entry

Chinese input methods are methods that allow a computer user to input Chinese characters. Most, if not all, Chinese input methods fall into one of two categories: phonetic readings or root shapes. Methods under the phonetic category usually are easier to learn but are less efficient, thus resulting in slower typing speeds because they typically require users to choose from a list of phonetically similar characters for input, whereas methods under the root shape category allow very precise and speedy input but have a steep learning curve because they often require a thorough understanding of a character's strokes and composition.

Sinhala script Abugida

Sinhala script, also known as Sinhalese script, is a writing system used by the Sinhalese people and most Sri Lankans in Sri Lanka and elsewhere to write the Sinhala language, as well as the liturgical languages, Pali and Sanskrit. The Sinhalese Akṣara Mālāva, one of the Brahmic scripts, is a descendant of the Ancient Indian Brahmi script.

In computing, cross-platform software is computer software that is designed to work in several computing platforms. Some cross-platform software requires a separate build for each platform, but some can be directly run on any platform without special preparation, being written in an interpreted language or compiled to portable bytecode for which the interpreters or run-time packages are common or standard components of all supported platforms.

Caps Lock Computer key

Caps Lock⇪ Caps Lock is a button on a computer keyboard that causes all letters of bicameral scripts to be generated in capital letters. It is a toggle key: each press reverses the previous action. Some keyboards also implement a light, to give visual feedback about whether it is on or off. Exactly what Caps Lock does depends on the keyboard hardware, the operating system, the device driver, and the keyboard layout. Usually, the effect is limited to letter keys. Letters of non-bicameral scripts and non-letter characters are generated normally. Whenever the key gets engaged with the shift keys, they may be used to type both lowercase letters and other alternate "upper" characters on many operating systems, but not lowercase letters on macOS.

ShapeWriter was a keyboard text input method for tablet, handheld PCs, and mobile phones invented by Shumin Zhai and Per Ola Kristensson at IBM Almaden Research Center and the Department of Computer and Information Science at Linköping University.

OpenVanilla (OV) is a free, open-source text-entry and processing architecture, and includes a collection of popular input methods and text processing filters. It serves as a bridge between input methods and the operating system. It was originally designed to offer a better text-entry experience and alternative input methods not found in Apple's built-in set or suit better the needs for Windows "switchers." However, the developers have since worked on a Microsoft Windows port and a bridge between OV and SCIM on the X Window System. The macOS version is compatible with Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther) and Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger). OV's input methods can also be used through SCIM on Linux or FreeBSD. An experimental Win32 Unicode version is also available.

Virtual keyboard Software component

A virtual keyboard is a software component that allows the input of characters without the need for physical keys. The interaction with the virtual keyboard happens mostly via a touchscreen interface, but can also take place in a different form in virtual or augmented reality.

InScript is the decreed standard keyboard layout for Indian scripts using a standard 104- or 105-key layout. This keyboard layout was standardised by the Government of India for inputting text in languages of India written in Brahmic scripts, as well as the Santali language, written in the non-Brahmic Ol Chiki script. It was developed by the Indian Government and supported by several public and private organisations. This is the standard keyboard for 12 Indian scripts including Devanagari, Bengali, Gujarati, Gurmukhi, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Tamil and Telugu, among others. The InScript layout is built into most of the major operating systems including Windows, and most Linux and Mac OS systems. It is also available in some mobile phones and in Apple's iOS 5 and higher. It is available in Android 4.0 and higher but removed from latest Google Keyboard application (Gboard) and Google Indic Keyboard. It is also available for Windows Mobile 5.x and 6.x from third parties.

Indic Computing means "computing in Indic", i.e., Indian Scripts and Languages. It involves developing software in Indic Scripts/languages, Input methods, Localization of computer applications, web development, Database Management, Spell checkers, Speech to Text and Text to Speech applications and OCR in Indian languages.

Sinhala language software for computers have been present since the late 1980s but no standard character representation system was put in place which resulted in proprietary character representation systems and fonts. In the wake of this CINTEC introduced Sinhala within the UNICODE standard. ICTA concluded the work started by CINTEC for approving and standardizing Sinhala Unicode in Sri Lanka.

Swype was a virtual keyboard for touchscreen smartphones and tablets originally developed by Swype Inc., founded in 2002, where the user enters words by sliding a finger or stylus from the first letter of a word to its last letter, lifting only between words. It uses error-correction algorithms and a language model to guess the intended word. It also includes a predictive text system, handwriting and speech recognition support. Swype was first commercially available on the Samsung Omnia II running Windows Mobile, and was originally pre-loaded on specific devices.

Dvorak keyboard layout Keyboard layout

Dvorak is a keyboard layout for English patented in 1936 by August Dvorak and his brother-in-law, William Dealey, as a faster and more ergonomic alternative to the QWERTY layout. Dvorak proponents claim that it requires less finger motion and as a result reduces errors, increases typing speed, reduces repetitive strain injuries, or is simply more comfortable than QWERTY.

Keyboard layout Arrangement of keys on a typographic keyboard

A keyboard layout is any specific physical, visual or functional arrangement of the keys, legends, or key-meaning associations (respectively) of a computer keyboard, mobile phone, or other computer-controlled typographic keyboard.

Bengali input methods refer to different systems developed to type Bengali language characters using a typewriter or a computer keyboard.

A mobile application, also referred to as a mobile app or simply an app, is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone, tablet, or watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop applications which are designed to run on desktop computers, and web applications which run in mobile web browsers rather than directly on the mobile device.

Microsoft SwiftKey

Microsoft SwiftKey is a virtual keyboard app originally developed by TouchType for Android and iOS devices. It was first released for Android in July 2010, followed by an iOS release in September 2014 after Apple allowed third-party keyboard support.

Kivy (framework)

Kivy is a free and open source Python framework for developing mobile apps and other multitouch application software with a natural user interface (NUI). It is distributed under the terms of the MIT License, and can run on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Tamil keyboard Keyboard layout

The Tamil keyboard is used on computers and mobile devices to input text in the Tamil script.

Bobble Keyboard is an input method app for Android and iOS devices founded in 2015 by Ankit Prasad and Mohd. Wassem. It was developed and produced by Talent Unlimited Online Services Private Limited.

Dream Keyboard

Dream Keyboard is a Sinhala virtual keyboard app originally developed by Dream Keyboard for Android devices. It was first released for Android in October 2020. It was later developed into the Huawei App Gallery. It is an application that can type Sinhala language into the popular Singlish method which is popular among Sri Lankans.

References

  1. Kishino, Fumio; Itoh, Yuichi; Hayashi, Yoshihiko; Goonetilleke, Sandeva (2007). "An Efficient and User-friendly Sinhala Input Method Based on Phonetic Transcription". Information and Media Technologies. 2 (4): 1228–1247. doi:10.11185/imt.2.1228. ISSN   1881-0896.
  2. "SLS 1134 : 2004 (Sinhala ICT standard)". icta.lk.
  3. "Sinhala for iOS - Apple AppStore". appstore.com. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  4. "හෙළකුරු (Helakuru) – Real-time Unicode and Sinhala Font". classifylanka.com. Retrieved 28 May 2021.