OLEXP: Composing Japanese-Language Messages with the Global IME for Japanese (308539)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 4.01 for Windows 98 SP 2
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5 for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 for Windows 2000
This article was previously published under Q308539

SUMMARY

You can use the Microsoft Global Input Method Editor (IME) for Japanese feature of Microsoft Internet Explorer to compose a Japanese-language message in Outlook Express. This article describes how to install the language support components for Internet Explorer and how to use this shared technology to enable international language support in Outlook Express.

MORE INFORMATION

You can install the latest version of the Global IME for Japanese from the following Microsoft Web site (click the install Global IME 5.02 here link):

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/recommended/ime/default.asp

In the list of available languages, click either Microsoft Global IME 5.02 for Japanese or Microsoft Global IME 5.02 for Japanese - with Language Pack. When the installation is complete, you must restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Using the Global IME for Japanese with Outlook Express

To send a message in Japanese, the message must be in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format. This allows Outlook Express to use the Global IME for Japanese. To enable HTML format for outgoing e-mail messages:
  1. Start Outlook Express.
  2. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  3. Click the Send tab, and then click HTML under Mail Sending Format.

Composing a Message by Using the Global IME for Japanese

To use the Global IME for Japanese to compose an e-mail message:
  1. In Outlook Express, open a new e-mail message.
  2. To begin entering Japanese characters, click in the message body of the Outlook Express HTML e-mail message to place the cursor in the message body.
  3. On the multilanguage menu (represented by an EN button on the taskbar), click Japanese IME to select the Japanese IME keyboard layout.
  4. After you select the Japanese IME keyboard layout, a floating toolbar is displayed on the screen. At this point, the Japanese IME keyboard layout is selected but inactive (off).
  5. Activate the Japanese IME keyboard layout by pressing ALT+~ on the 101-key keyboard. To de-activate the Japanese IME keyboard layout, press the ALT key in combination with the ~ key a second time. You can also toggle the Japanese IME keyboard layout state by clicking the pen button in the status area of the taskbar, and then clicking On/Off on the shortcut menu.
In the composition window, you can select the specific Kanji for the word by pressing the SPACEBAR. Pressing the SPACEBAR twice displays a list of Kanji that have the same pronunciation. You can select a specific Kanji from the list by clicking to select the appropriate Kanji, and then pressing the ENTER key.

Additional Editing Information

Character Metrics in the Global IME for Japanese

The input method defaults to full-width Hiragana. You can choose another input method by clicking the leftmost button on the floating Global IME toolbar. The input methods are listed from top to bottom as follows:
  • Full-width Hiragana
  • Full-width Katakana
  • Full-width Alphanumeric
  • Half-width Katakana
  • Half-width Alphanumeric
  • Direct

Phonetic Editing with the English Keyboard

To use an English keyboard to type Japanese characters, you must type each character phonetically. For example, type the Japanese character that sounds like "KA" as KA. Text that you enter in this manner is not a part of the message body until you press the ENTER key.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/25/2004
Keywords:kbhowto KB308539
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