Software for Chinese

[cdrobin66]

Hello

I need to download software for my computer so my SO can write Pinyin and write english as well. She had that on her computer in china, but I can not get it to work on mine.

 

Carl & Haixia

[LeeFisher3]

Hello

I need to download software for my computer so my SO can write Pinyin and write english as well. She had that on her computer in china, but I can not get it to work on mine.

 

Carl & Haixia

216918[/snapback]

You probably need to install the East Asian language support for your computer. Here are the steps for XP.

 

Goto Control Panel -> Region & Language Settings

Goto the Language tab

Check Install East Asian Language

 

You will need your CD.

[A Mafan]

Alot of that depends on your system. I didn't need my disc to install the asian pack on my laptops that run XP. I did to install it on my computers running WinME and Win98, back in the day.

 

If you absolutely want to buy specific Chinese word processing software, Nanjixing (South Pole Star) and Chinastar are pretty good.

 

One other thing. I just learned this weekend that there is another thing that needs to be changed to help your computer handle Chinese.

Go to Regional and Language Options on your control panel. Then go to the "Advanced" tab. The top section is "Language for Non-Unicode Programs". Change that to "Chinese (PRC)". Before I found that change, my CD burner and some of the MP3 players couldn't handle Chinese characters. It wouldn't recognize any MP3 file with a Chinese character title, like it wasn't there. Now I can burn CDs with it. I'm sure there's other useful effects, but that was the main one for me.

[david_dawei]

you need to state your operating system.. if it's XP, you are golden and the steps, although a good many, are easily done... without downloading any software.

 

If you reply that you have XP, then I have a write I created on what to do, that will include changing any of the following:

 

A) Change date/time to chinese

Install East Asian language support

C) Add input language support (pinyin)

D) Select the language for the OS

E) Add chinese language to IE

[Randy W]

you need to state your operating system.. if it's XP, you are golden and the steps, although a good many, are easily done... without downloading any software. 

 

If you reply that you have XP, then I have a write I created on what to do, that will include changing any of the following:

 

A) Change date/time to chinese

Install East Asian language support

C) Add input language support (pinyin)

D) Select the language for the OS

E) Add chinese language to IE

217002[/snapback]

 

 

 

. . . and, if anyone wants Chinese character handwriting recognition, install the Japanese IME!

[cdrobin66]

I tried all of this and it does not work. My SO is driving me crazy, she wants to chat with her family and friends and I followed all the steps listed above. But there is not key to hit to change to chinese characters. I know I may be doing some wrong or not doing at all. On Her computer in china, she just types control shifts and a bar appears.

 

Carl

[david_dawei]

here's my write-up.. I added in Randy's comment..

 

If you want an "input method".. you do that at the DETAIL button of the Language tab... step 5,6,7 below

 

Summary:

A ) Change date/time to chinese

B ) Install East Asian language support

C ) Add input language support (chinese - PRC)

D ) Select the language for the OS

E) Add chinese language to IE

 

 

 

1) Click START

2) Go to 'Control Panel' Click

3) Click 'Regional and Language Options'

4) IN REGION OPTIONS Tab:

- Set the Region option dropdown selection to Chinese-PRC. [ If it does not show up, you need to continue on and install Asian support... and come back to this step to later]

5) IN LANGUAGES Tab:

- make sure you click 'install for East Asian language', if not selected.

[You may be prompted to insert the Windows XP CD]

- Click 'Details' [ This opens Text Services and Input Languages]

6) Click ADD

7) In the INPUT LANGUAGE

- select Chinese-PRC.

- Keyboard layhout/IME: select Chinese (Simplified) - Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0

- Click OK

- [ I have heard of some recommending installing Taiwan for traditional characters and Japanese since some email accounts appear to need it to recognize all chinese characters; see my link above for some graphical steps/help on adding those.. you can do them at a later time also... I never added them in).

8)If you wants Chinese character handwriting recognition, install the Japanese IME

9) Back at the 'Default input language' choose Chinese Pinyin you just added.

10) Click on Advanced [While in Text Services still]

- Make sure that the second option is NOT CHECKED... If you check this box, or notice later that no language option shows up at the desktop, then this was checked at some point.. LEAVE UNCHECKED.

11) Back at the 'Regional Options', and under 'Standards and formats' choose Chinese-PRC

12) Click 'Advanced' TAB

- choose 'Chinese(PRC)'

- click apply and ok

13)Open Internet Explorer:

- click on Tools/Internet Options/Languages

- Click ADD

- Select Chinese-zh

- Make sure that English remains as the FIRST ITEM !!! [ If you set this to chinese first, then Microsoft reads the first item and gives you updates based on the language, but you want to maintain English updates since the OS is English XP afterall ]

Edited May 22, 2006 by DavidZixuan (see edit history)

[cdrobin66]

here's my write-up.. I added in Randy's comment..

 

If you want an "input method".. you do that at the DETAIL button of the Language tab...  step 5,6,7 below

 

Summary:

A ) Change date/time to chinese

B ) Install East Asian language support

C ) Add input language support (chinese - PRC)

D ) Select the language for the OS

E) Add chinese language to IE

 

 

 

1) Click START

2) Go to 'Control Panel' Click

3) Click 'Regional and Language Options'

4) IN REGION OPTIONS Tab:

- Set the Region option dropdown selection to Chinese-PRC.  [ If it does not show up, you need to continue on and install Asian support... and come back to this step to later]

5) IN LANGUAGES Tab:

- make sure you click 'install for East Asian language', if not selected.

[You may be prompted to insert the Windows XP CD]

- Click 'Details'  [ This opens Text Services and Input Languages]

6) Click ADD 

7) In the INPUT LANGUAGE

- select Chinese-PRC.

- Keyboard layhout/IME:  select Chinese (Simplified) - Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0

- Click OK

- [ I have heard of some recommending installing Taiwan for traditional characters and Japanese since some email accounts appear to need it to recognize all chinese characters; see my link above for some graphical steps/help on adding those.. you can do them at a later time also... I never added them in).

8)If you wants Chinese character handwriting recognition, install the Japanese IME

9) Back at the 'Default input language' choose Chinese Pinyin  you just added.

10) Click on Advanced [While in Text Services still]

- Make sure that the second option is NOT CHECKED...  If you check this box, or notice later that no language option shows up at the desktop, then this was checked at some point.. LEAVE UNCHECKED.

11) Back at the 'Regional Options', and under 'Standards and formats' choose Chinese-PRC

12) Click 'Advanced' TAB

- choose 'Chinese(PRC)'

- click apply and ok

13)Open Internet Explorer:

- click on Tools/Internet Options/Languages

- Click ADD

- Select Chinese-zh

- Make sure that English remains as the FIRST ITEM !!!  [ If you set this to chinese first, then Microsoft reads the first item and gives you updates based on the language, but you want to maintain English updates since the OS is English XP afterall ]

217203[/snapback]

Ok

It works. I dont know what I did before but now my lady and her daughter is happy. They are chatting away with friends and family.

 

Carl

[clayton2103]

here's my write-up.. I added in Randy's comment..

 

If you want an "input method".. you do that at the DETAIL button of the Language tab... step 5,6,7 below

 

Summary:

A ) Change date/time to chinese

B ) Install East Asian language support

C ) Add input language support (chinese - PRC)

D ) Select the language for the OS

E) Add chinese language to IE

 

 

 

1) Click START

2) Go to 'Control Panel' Click

3) Click 'Regional and Language Options'

4) IN REGION OPTIONS Tab:

- Set the Region option dropdown selection to Chinese-PRC. [ If it does not show up, you need to continue on and install Asian support... and come back to this step to later]

5) IN LANGUAGES Tab:

- make sure you click 'install for East Asian language', if not selected.

[You may be prompted to insert the Windows XP CD]

- Click 'Details' [ This opens Text Services and Input Languages]

6) Click ADD

7) In the INPUT LANGUAGE

- select Chinese-PRC.

- Keyboard layhout/IME: select Chinese (Simplified) - Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0

- Click OK

- [ I have heard of some recommending installing Taiwan for traditional characters and Japanese since some email accounts appear to need it to recognize all chinese characters; see my link above for some graphical steps/help on adding those.. you can do them at a later time also... I never added them in).

8)If you wants Chinese character handwriting recognition, install the Japanese IME

9) Back at the 'Default input language' choose Chinese Pinyin you just added.

10) Click on Advanced [While in Text Services still]

- Make sure that the second option is NOT CHECKED... If you check this box, or notice later that no language option shows up at the desktop, then this was checked at some point.. LEAVE UNCHECKED.

11) Back at the 'Regional Options', and under 'Standards and formats' choose Chinese-PRC

12) Click 'Advanced' TAB

- choose 'Chinese(PRC)'

- click apply and ok

13)Open Internet Explorer:

- click on Tools/Internet Options/Languages

- Click ADD

- Select Chinese-zh

- Make sure that English remains as the FIRST ITEM !!! [ If you set this to chinese first, then Microsoft reads the first item and gives you updates based on the language, but you want to maintain English updates since the OS is English XP afterall ]

 

David,

 

Thanks so much for the detailed instructions on adding this to XP, but when I reach #13 when I open languages I only find English and no other.

What have I missed?

Thanks for any help you or anyone else can provide.

 

Clayton

[david_dawei]

when I reach #13 when I open languages I only find English and no other.

What have I missed?

The list you see when doing step #6 is the same list you should see at #13.

 

Once you get into the Tools/Internet Options/Languages... your likely to only see English in the language Preference window... but CLICK on ADD and the Add Language window should open and be a full list of languages.. then select the chinese option.

 

If you don't see the chinese language option (but see others), then it didn't get added in an earlier step.

[Shenzhen K-1]

here's my write-up.. I added in Randy's comment..

 

If you want an "input method".. you do that at the DETAIL button of the Language tab... step 5,6,7 below

 

Summary:

A ) Change date/time to chinese

B ) Install East Asian language support

C ) Add input language support (chinese - PRC)

D ) Select the language for the OS

E) Add chinese language to IE

 

 

 

1) Click START

2) Go to 'Control Panel' Click

3) Click 'Regional and Language Options'

4) IN REGION OPTIONS Tab:

- Set the Region option dropdown selection to Chinese-PRC. [ If it does not show up, you need to continue on and install Asian support... and come back to this step to later]

5) IN LANGUAGES Tab:

- make sure you click 'install for East Asian language', if not selected.

[You may be prompted to insert the Windows XP CD]

- Click 'Details' [ This opens Text Services and Input Languages]

6) Click ADD

7) In the INPUT LANGUAGE

- select Chinese-PRC.

- Keyboard layhout/IME: select Chinese (Simplified) - Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0

- Click OK

- [ I have heard of some recommending installing Taiwan for traditional characters and Japanese since some email accounts appear to need it to recognize all chinese characters; see my link above for some graphical steps/help on adding those.. you can do them at a later time also... I never added them in).

8)If you wants Chinese character handwriting recognition, install the Japanese IME

9) Back at the 'Default input language' choose Chinese Pinyin you just added.

10) Click on Advanced [While in Text Services still]

- Make sure that the second option is NOT CHECKED... If you check this box, or notice later that no language option shows up at the desktop, then this was checked at some point.. LEAVE UNCHECKED.

11) Back at the 'Regional Options', and under 'Standards and formats' choose Chinese-PRC

12) Click 'Advanced' TAB

- choose 'Chinese(PRC)'

- click apply and ok

13)Open Internet Explorer:

- click on Tools/Internet Options/Languages

- Click ADD

- Select Chinese-zh

- Make sure that English remains as the FIRST ITEM !!! [ If you set this to chinese first, then Microsoft reads the first item and gives you updates based on the language, but you want to maintain English updates since the OS is English XP afterall ]

 

Thanks like everybody else has stated, it worked for me! I like to send letters and cards in Chinese now and then. Maybe this time she will not say leave the translating to her!!

[clayton2103]

Thanks David.

I stumbled across my error moments before your reply.

I have had this loaded on my computer for some time now, but now that my SO is here and she wishes to write to her family via emails when I use this when writing pinyin it only inserts the Chinese characters that it sees fit.

For example, when we write the pinyin word for road "lu" the character it chooses is not correct.

I have used a free internet program in the past that when I write a word in pinyin a window opens and I can scroll through the choices of characters until I find the correct character. I choose it and it is inserted into my emails, etc.

My SO used this free website also to write to me, but does not recall what the name or web address is that she used nor do I. The internet cafe employees set her up with the site some time back.

After following your instructions in the post I was hoping that I would find the same window of choices of characters, but it remains the same as before.

Perhaps someone knows of this website I speak of.

Thanks again.

Clayton

Edited November 24, 2007 by clayton2103 (see edit history)

[scooby94]

My Wife stated that if you loaded Windows language setting correctly and enter Pinying and its incorrect, a window will pop after few seconds and then you can scroll to the correct characters.

 

The other option is to get a virtual machine loaded onto your system. The virtual machine can be purely a chinese window operating system if you have a copy that is. Your SO can boot up your PC, which is in english and then click on the virtual machine which will load a Chinese OS and from here she can switch from US Windows to Chinese Windows and vice versa.

 

The virtual machine works the same way as your local installation. We use it at our house and for my work. You can get a copy at Microsoft, just type in microsoft Virtual machine, its free ware.

 

cheers!

[MikeandRong]

Thanks David.

I stumbled across my error moments before your reply.

I have had this loaded on my computer for some time now, but now that my SO is here and she wishes to write to her family via emails when I use this when writing pinyin it only inserts the Chinese characters that it sees fit.

For example, when we write the pinyin word for road "lu" the character it chooses is not correct.

I have used a free internet program in the past that when I write a word in pinyin a window opens and I can scroll through the choices of characters until I find the correct character. I choose it and it is inserted into my emails, etc.

My SO used this free website also to write to me, but does not recall what the name or web address is that she used nor do I. The internet cafe employees set her up with the site some time back.

After following your instructions in the post I was hoping that I would find the same window of choices of characters, but it remains the same as before.

Perhaps someone knows of this website I speak of.

Thanks again.

Clayton

 

 

It is all on your computer now, nothing to download or website to look at.

Check your PM.

Edited November 25, 2007 by MikeandRong (see edit history)

[credzba]

My SO used this free website also to write to me, but does not recall what the name or web address is that she used nor do I. The internet cafe employees set her up with the site some time back.

After following your instructions in the post I was hoping that I would find the same window of choices of characters, but it remains the same as before.

Perhaps someone knows of this website I speak of.

Thanks again.

Clayton

 

Clayton, after you follow the instructions, then your computer can input characters in either english or chinese. The left hand ALT-SHIFT key combination will toggle between the 2 languages.

In English mode, you, of course, never see the chinese character selection, but if you alt-space you will be in chinese input mode, then when you type the pinyin you will get the chinese character selection.

( test ÌØ˹ͼ just checking I explained right )

 

As for the web site, do you mean email site?

My wife and I have used mail.126.com and mail.163.com in china. I believe these are popular free sites, so maybe one is what was set up for your wife?