vB Easy Archive - Japanese text template input method for Euro/HK/TW firmware

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Japanese text template input method for Euro/HK/TW firmware - UPDATED
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Posted by: AL9999

Hi everyone, I've decided to make a new thread on this as the last one became three pages long with several updates.

I've updated my text template to input Japanese on Sharp phones with firmwares other than Japanese ones. I completely overhauled the kanji entries and increased the number to 315 (from little more than 100 last time round). I also moved a few things around to fit the 50 template limit on the 903.

Note that this template file works on Euro, HK and TW firmwares. I'm not sure about hybrid but I don't see why it shouldn't work.

You can access the new template here:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6VG33CEV

Instructions:

1. Save the file to PRIVATE\VODAFONE\My Items\Templates\Text only\Text only.BCK on your memory card.
2. Use your phone's memory card backup function (Main Menu -> Connectivity -> Memory Card -> Restore -> Text) to restore the backed up vNote file, and it will replace your current templates with the Japanese ones. If you already have templates saved, I suggest backing them up before you restore these Japanese ones as you'll lose them otherwise.

You can then input Japanese anywhere in the phone where it allows you to insert templates.

Please post any comments or suggestions here. Also if I make any more changes and post a new template file, it will be posted at the end of this thread because HoFo doesn't allow you to edit old posts.

Posted by: martindesu

Many thanks!!!

Posted by: K_Gokiburi

Hmmm... Megaupload's not working for me, could you upload it to Yousendit please

Posted by: AL9999

Up for seven days on Yousendit:

http://download.yousendit.com/6D4B7E0006E55280

Posted by: riel

If many users need Japanese input but are using Euro FW, this should definately be stickied!

Posted by: bparker05

What about getting japanese display support? I have HK firmware and when I get SMS's from japanese users (softbank), it's all garbled. BUT, if I turn around and forward that message to a regular email address, I can read it just fine. The only way I have seen japanese display properly on my firmware is to browse a website that is using UTF-8. Everything else seems broken.

Posted by: bparker05

I just tried this file on my 903sh (HK). None of the half-width katakana or most of the special symbols show up (just black blocks), and about 10% of the kanji do not show up either. Other than that, it seems to work ok. I tried sending some of the template entries via MMS to an email address, and it arrived as utf-8 (I'm using T-Mobile), and all the characters showed up, including ones that did NOT show up correctly on the phone. Any idea why I can't see these characters on my phone? (maybe my above message is related). Chinese display and entry works perfectly, but japanese is pretty much unusable here (which is all I care about).

Posted by: AL9999

In regards to your first message, the HK and TW firmwares use a different display font to the JP and Euro firmwares. The HK and TW firmwares use one font that supports all Latin and Chinese characters (virtually carried over from the GX32 as I see it), the JP firmware has the one Japanese font for Latin and Japanese characters, while the Euro firmware has the JP font and a special Latin font (different to HK/TW) as well.

If your SMS messages from Softbank users are being garbled, this is to do with your carrier and not your phone (unless someone can confirm to me that HK/TW firmware can't load Japanese SMS, but I think it can). I know the HK firmware does have Shift-JIS encoding support which most Japanese phones use for messaging, so it should be able to receive SMS from DoCoMo or Softbank users just fine.

Now in regards to your second message, the problem here is the Chinese font in use on HK/TW firmware doesn't support those characters, so they don't display. Euro, HK and TW firmwares are set by default to send emails in UTF-8 format and this can't be changed. The fact that your computer displayed the characters while the phone didn't is only because the phone doesn't have the font support while your computer does.

If you want proper Japanese character support, you'll need to get your phone flashed to JP or Euro firmware.

Posted by: AL9999

On a related note, people using this template file to send email to Japanese phone users will find they can send Japanese email to DoCoMo FOMA and Softbank 3G users without any problems. Some Softbank PDC and DoCoMo mova (PDC) users will also have no problems reading the messages. However, some Softbank PDC and DoCoMo mova (PDC) users and ALL KDDI au (ezweb.ne.jp) users will NOT be able to read emails sent by Euro, HK or TW firmware. This is because these firmwares send emails in UTF-8 format, which the aforementioned carriers' phones DO NOT support. There is no way to force the Euro, HK or TW firmwares to send emails in a Japanese encoding such as Shift-JIS, sadly, so you'll have to email these users in romaji only. However, these firmwares CAN still display Japanese emails sent by these users; you simply have to reply in romaji back.

I can't do anything about this problem, so please don't complain about it in this thread. Thank you

Posted by: K_Gokiburi

Quote:

Originally Posted by AL9999

Up for seven days on Yousendit:

http://download.yousendit.com/6D4B7E0006E55280

Thank You!!!

Posted by: AL9999

Already found a few reasons to update the template. Amazing what you discover when you try to write some messages after a while

Added the following kanji:
大丈夫 (silly omission, yes)
久 (お久しぶり, another common one)
配 (mainly to write 心配)
用 (使用, 利用 etc.)
笑爆汗 for emotes.

I'll update in a day or two to cover for more typically used kanji I may have forgotten.

Posted by: AL9999

Have also added:

実 (実は、... common sentence starter)
更 (更に、, also used in 変更)

Posted by: totaltoanage

why would you need japanese characters? is everyone in here jap?

Posted by: martindesu

Quote:

Originally Posted by totaltoanage

why would you need japanese characters?

Because, along with an obsession with Japanese mobile phones may come an obsession with Japan - or vice versa. Not only that, but it's most probable that many people here have Japanese friends and want to send messages to their mobiles from their own.

Quote:

Originally Posted by totaltoanage

is everyone in here jap?

Of course not.

Posted by: himeko

Al, you amaze us all once again

Thanks so much !

Posted by: sugo

Pretty creative idea. Thanks for sharing with everyone. Too bad it's not practical here due to speed and selection limitations.

Posted by: martindesu

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugo

Pretty creative idea. Thanks for sharing with everyone. Too bad it's not practical here due to speed and selection limitations.

I think it's really good - but it's struggling to help me choose between Euro and Jap Firmwares. I really am not sure which I prefer now!

I think Euro might be a little more polished, but I lean towards T9, auto picture rotate and pop email a little more than an answerphone, full screen wallpaper, no op logo and native Japanese input...

Posted by: AL9999

Here is the updated template file with all of the additions mentioned above.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=IMNMNT0D

http://download.yousendit.com/F6C0219718F8085E (Seven day time limit)