Technical Reference: Base Operating System and Extensions, Volume 1

IMProcess Subroutine

Purpose

Processes keyboard events and language-specific input.

Library

Input Method Library (libIM.a)

Note: This subroutine will be removed in future releases. Use the IMFilter (IMFilter Subroutine) and IMLookupString (IMLookupString Subroutine) subroutines to process keyboard events.

Syntax

int IMProcess (IM, KeySymbol, State, String, Length) IMObject IM; KeySym KeySymbol; uint State; caddr_t * String; uint * Length;

Description

This subroutine is a main entry point to the input method of the operating system. The IMProcess subroutine processes one keyboard event at a time. Processing proceeds as follows:

Validates the IM parameter.
Performs keyboard translation for all supported modifier states.
Invokes internal function to do language-dependent processing.
Performs any necessary callback functions depending on the internal state.
Returns to application, setting the String and Length parameters appropriately.

Parameters

IM	Specifies the input method instance.
KeySymbol	Defines the set of keyboard symbols that will be handled.
State	Specifies the state of the keyboard.
String	Holds the returned string. Returning a null value means that the input is used or discarded by the input method. Note: The String parameter is not a null-terminated string.
Length	Stores the length, in bytes, of the String parameter.

Return Values

This subroutine returns the IMError global variable if an error occurs. The IMerrno global variable is set to indicate the error. Some of the variable values include:

IMError	Error occurred during this subroutine.
IMTextAndAuxiliaryOff	No text string in the Text area, and the Auxiliary area is not shown.
IMTextOn	Text string in the Text area, but no Auxiliary area.
IMAuxiliaryOn	No text string in the Text area, and the Auxiliary area is shown.
IMTextAndAuxiliaryOn	Text string in the Text area, and the Auxiliary is shown.

Implementation Specifics

This subroutine is part of Base Operating System (BOS) Runtime.

Related Information

The IMClose (IMClose Subroutine) subroutine, IMCreate (IMCreate Subroutine) subroutine IMFilter (IMFilter Subroutine) subroutine, IMLookupString (IMLookupString Subroutine) subroutine.

Input Method Overview and National Language Support Overview for Programming in AIX 5L Version 5.1 General Programming Concepts: Writing and Debugging Programs.