Pinyin Macro for MS Word - here

[flameproof]

Here is a little Pinyin Macro for MS Word which helps a bit converting typed text with numbers to Pinyin. However, standard Pinyin will not convert correctly.

You have to type:

re2n (人) to get rén. (ren2 will not work)

To get ǖ type ü1 or u:1 (both work)

Note: It only works with small letters.

Another note, most Xp fonts will not work. I use "Lucida Sans Unicode" (standard Xp component).

PS: for converting Unicode you will find this page quite helpful: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/rexx/htm/unicode.htm

pinyin_macro.txt

[Lugubert]

You don't even need a macro in Word. Using Word 2002, I assign shortcut key combinations via Insert - Symbol. For 2 and 4, I use the accent dead key on my Swedish keyboard, but you should find the á's and ì's etc. as well.

To illustrate, for the 1's, I press AltGr plus the vowel, for 3's CtrlShift plus the vowel. The ü's had to get their own set, which I made AltGr + Y + [1|2|3|4].

After using this set for a couple of years, it's fully automatic from brain to hands and IMO much faster and simpler than having to run a macro.

[flameproof]

well, I use Word 97 and I find it easier to have a Macro made once. But even with the Macro installed you can use shortcuts.....

[stephanhodges]

Well, here's "my" version, derived from the one at Mandarin Tools. I've included a Word document, with a toolbar also defined. The text in the document shows how to install both the macro and toolbar into your standard "normal.dot" file, so that they are available for all documents.

I also include a second macro to generate practice paper (sheets with squares), either blank, or with guidelines within the squares.

You have to type:

re2n (人) to get rén. (ren2 will not work)

With this macro, either format will work. It also handles "some" of the capitalized vowels with tones. Please feel free to let me know if anything doesn't work.

ChineseMacros.zip

[goldie]

stephen,

thanks for those macros. they're pretty cool and it's much easier to just click on the tones thing rather than going into alt F8 ever time.

i have two questions, one relating to the practice squares and one to viewing chinese.

1. if you just want one or two squares after a PINYIN word what do you do?

2. I've just had to wipe my whole PC hard drive and i'm inputting everything from scratch again, i have installed XP service pack 2 and have Word 2002. I've tried to install east asian languages from the languages link in control panel, but it keeps telling me to put the Windows XP home edition CD in first. I don't have that CD, so how can i get those languages? only through windows IME?

thanks for any help you can provide. this PC revival is taking AGES! duo xie la!

goldie

[stephanhodges]

1. if you just want one or two squares after a PINYIN word what do you do?

Macro only generates full page empty "practice" sheets. Zdt (which is also free) can generated practice sheets with optional pinyin and hanzi on left hand side of each row.

but it keeps telling me to put the Windows XP home edition CD in first. I don't have that CD

If you have an image disk, then often, the manufacturer will put a subdirectory called "I386" directly on the hard drive. It is most often located either at the root (C:I386), or under the windows directory (C:WindowsI386).

If you have that directory, you should be able to point at that directory when it asks for a CD. There should be a "Browse" button, which lets you point at different locations.

That's about all I can suggest, unless you have a friend with a complete install CD.

[goldie]

thanks, i worked it out in the end, don't quite know how. i noticed that i had a link under the start button and all programs and then micorsoft office tools which led to the language option. i installed it from there but also put in a CD which only says it's the Word 2002 CD, but in fact also had some stuff on it worth uploading. i also downloaded the simplified chinese IME, but i'm not sure if i need it now that i've installed the east asian languages...

[stephanhodges]

Depends on which IME version you downloaded. There's a couple of other threads on this forum about IME 4, which people says has a number of improvements, etc. I don't use them currently.