Do you use a Japanese IME on Desktop or Mobile? (Help Wanted)

Subversity · January 23, 2018, 10:54pm

Hey everyone, I’m looking to release a major update to Wanakana — the kana conversion script used on Wanikani + other websites and extensions around the intertubes (kaniwani, bunpro, yomichan).

Every time I make changes though I find it hard to test effectively since I don’t have access to a device lab. It would be aaammaazzing if I could round up an army of gremlins (that’s you!) I can email/slack to battletest input every now and then (it would only take 30 seconds of your time maybe a few times a year).

The main issue is that all the desktop browsers + mobile keyboards + mobile IMEs + desktop IMEs can handle composition differently, and that’s… well… really time consuming to try to test by myself.

If you fit into any of the following buckets and would be willing to type a few words into a text box, put up your hand and I’ll edit this until we’re full.

[UPDATE: ok that’ll do for now unless you have a weird mobile input unlisted]

However, If you do use a different combination for IME input not listed below,
especially on a mobile device please say so and I’ll add that to the list!

Mozc IME + Chrome, Firefox - Subversity
Google IME + Chrome, Firefox, Edge - Kumirei
MacOS native IME + Chrome - Syphus
MacOS native IME + Safari - Syphus (Gsai)
MacOS native IME + Firefox - carlostdev (Gsai)
Microsoft native IME + Chrome - seanblue
Microsoft native IME + Firefox - Belthazar
Microsoft native IME + Edge - carolk (Kumirei)
Microsoft native IME + IE11 - Jnk1296
Microsoft native IME + Vivaldi - feoya
Ancient Microsoft IME on Windows XP + Firefox, Chrome, and Opera - AnimeCanuck
iOS Standard English Keyboard + Chrome - bladepoint
iOS built-in JA IME (qwerty keyboard) + Chrome - bladepoint
iOS Standard English Keyboard + Safari - Belthazar (Gsai, seanblue)
iOS built-in JA IME (qwerty keyboard) + Safari - Belthazar (Gsai, seanblue)
Android Google Standard English Keyboard + Chrome - Jnk1296
Android Google JA IME (qwerty keyboard) + Chrome - Jnk1296
Android Google Standard English Keyboard + Firefox - fl0rm
Android Google JA IME (qwerty keyboard) + Firefox - fl0rm
Android Samsung Standard English Keyboard + Samsung Browser, Chrome - finnra
Android Samsung JA IME (qwerty keyboard) + Samsung Browser, Chrome - finnra
Android Samsung Standard English Keyboard + Firefox - rodrigowaick
Android Samsung JA IME (qwerty keyboard) + Firefox - rodrigowaick
Android SwiftKey English Keyboard + Chrome, Firefox - Kumirei
Android SwiftKey JA IME + Chrome, Firefox - Kumirei
Android Sony Standard English Keyboard + Chrome, Firefox - feoya
Android Sony JA IME (qwerty keyboard) + Chrome, Firefox - feoya
Kana Kanji Conversion + Chrome (on Fedora) - Nath

I’m not sure of the easiest channel for communication. I could perhaps make a new thread when needed and @tag you all. I feel like a thread would be harder to organise (over time / different occasions) compared with individual emails? If I DM’d you all separately once we’re full to get your emails would that be reasonable? I dread the idea that 6 months from now I @tag people in a thread and only 2 people get the notification.

I don’t have anything to offer except gratitude and crabigator points*.
* points are non-transferable and redeemable only when you meet the great crabigator in the sky

Syphus · January 23, 2018, 10:57pm

I suppose why not, I’m using the Mac Native IME on Chrome, but I also obviously have Safari.

Belthazar · January 23, 2018, 10:59pm

I’ve got MS+Firefox, and iOS+Safari.

Subversity · January 23, 2018, 11:02pm

If I DM’d you all separately once we’re full to get your emails would that be reasonable?
I dread the idea that 6 months from now I @tag people in a thread and only 2 people get the notification.

carlostdev · January 23, 2018, 11:02pm

MacOS native IME + Firefox and iPhone native IME + Safari here

Gsai · January 23, 2018, 11:04pm

I can do:

iPhone native IME + Safari
MacOS native IME + Firefox
MacOS native IME + Safari

That’s about it.

bladepoint · January 23, 2018, 11:07pm

I can handle iPhone native IME (Romaji keyboard if that makes a difference) + Chrome

Belthazar · January 24, 2018, 12:14am

If it does make a difference, I can easily reinstall the kana keyboard on my iPad.

Jnk1296 · January 24, 2018, 12:26am

I can do Microsoft native IME + Chrome.

Edit: I’ve got IME (kana keyboard) on Android w/ Chrome also if that’s still needed.

seanblue · January 24, 2018, 12:39am

I use the following. I’ve done some WanaKana testing before, so I don’t mind helping out.

Microsoft native IME + Chrome
iPhone native IME + Safari

By the way, I recommend you come up with a set test plan for everyone to try. Of course it doesn’t hurt for people to look for edge cases, but giving testing guidelines would probably yield better results.

What are the major changes anyway?

Subversity · January 24, 2018, 12:52am

I think just full Japanese IME is needed, it wouldn’t really make sense for anyone to use kana input on a field with Wanakana active. You would either enter romaji/latin letters → converted by input, or full Japanese → ignored by input conversion.

Do any of the kana only input modes have suggestions?
I don’t mean tap か → drag to け, I mean tap か and there’s autocomplete suggestions for かん, かな etc

Subversity · January 24, 2018, 12:53am

Yeah I’m going to make a list of test inputs for everyone to cover all the cases + make it standardised.
Changes are mainly internal, but allows consumers to pass a custom conversion mapping for toKana or toRomaji. Could implement a kunrei map instead of the default hepburn or whatever you want.

toKana('WanaKana', { 
  customKanaMapping: (defaultMap) => merge(defaultMap, { na: 'に', ka: 'Bana' })
});
// => 'ワにBanaに'

Gsai · January 24, 2018, 12:56am

Yes. It will also give you suggestions for any and all kanji associated with whatever you stated to input.

Subversity · January 24, 2018, 1:04am

Roger, so we’re talking English keyboard → Japanese composition and kana keyboard → Japanese composition.
It’s worth including both, I’ll update the OP.

rodrigowaick · January 24, 2018, 1:05am

I use Firefox on Android if you’re interested. I don’t know much about tech but I don’t mind typing text in a box.

Subversity · January 24, 2018, 1:13am

@bladepoint @Belthazar @Jnk1296 Can you check the OP and mention if I’m missing you for kana/english keyboard (with IME!), or if I got it wrong

rodrigowaick · January 24, 2018, 1:17am

I use both English and Kana keyboards.

Subversity · January 24, 2018, 1:21am

No shock that IE/Edge isn’t covered yet

sirati97 · January 24, 2018, 1:28am

gave me a good laugh

seanblue · January 24, 2018, 1:38am

Mine are a bit mixed up so let me clarify:

No Mac, so remove that one entirely.
Microsoft native IME + Chrome: that’s right
On iOS I use the English/romaji keyboard, not the kana keyboard. Safari is correct on iOS.