The Page of JLK

Problems

This section shows some of major problems caused by JLK, and tools to solve them. More through explanation of the tools will be given in the next section.

Problem #1: The very first mojibake you are likely to encounter might be one that appears in AppleMenu. If you are using no Japanese file names (and/or have not rewritten strings set by the system, such as "About this Macintosh..." as shown to the left), this isn't any problem at all. But if you do, you may want either: BeHierarchic, an AppleMenu enhancer; or Reliever zeta, a control panel that lets you change default fonts set by the system and application.

AppleMenu is too useful to be discarded because of such a silly problem as this. Although Reliever zeta, which solves other problems too, can fix this very well, I still recommend to get BeHierarchic, simply because it's a neat control panel in its own right.

Problem #2: This is caused by the default system font of English system, viz. Chicago. Alert messages of Japanese applications too are often affected by this. To fix the mojibake, put Reliever zeta into control panel folder and re-set the system font to a certain Japanese font (If you are badly in love with Chicago and don't want to chunk it away, try Narita font). Or you can change the primary language of English system to Japanese by Script Switcher or ResEdit so that the messages will be displayed using the default system font of Japanese system, viz. Osaka.

This mighty control panel, together with Nomemo Busters (made by the same author), solves most of mojibake. JLK users should really thank Mr. Futoshi EBATA a lot for making Reliever zeta. It's far worthier than the shareware fee of mere 1,000 yen.

*The old FontPatchin could solve this problem better using compound setting, which is unfortunately absent in the current version of Reliever zeta.

Problem #3: Chicago may still cause mojibake even after the procedure above. If that is the case, try replacing Chicago font entirely with a Japanese font using Reliever zeta. Or change the primary language to Japanese by ScriptSwitcher or ResEdit. But remember: Using ResEdit this way will completely disable Chicago (The English part of Narita uses Chicago, but it's not TrueType.)*; ScriptSwitcher simply change it to display in nothing but Osaka.

Problem #4: The default application font is changed to Osaka from Geneva by JLK and Japanese Language Register application (However you are recommended to set it to Osaka or a Japanese font of your preference by Reliever zeta anyway). But mojibake still happens with 9 point Geneva. The US version of such applications as Netscape (bookmark editor), AppleScript Editor, Note Pad &c., and the popular front end processor from JustSystem ATOK8, which cannot be recognized by Japanese Language Register, suffer this type of mojibake. To overcome it, again, you have to have Geneva entirely replaced with a Japanese font using Reliever zeta. Or, once again, use Script Switcher or ResEdit. Monaco too, although less frequently, causes this problem.

Problem #5: Keyboad Layout/Input Method Rotation is dynamically changed by the system as you point cursor back and forth Japanese text and English text, most of the time when you don't want it happens. To get rid of this annoying little problem, use StayHere to fixate it and let keyboad layout/input method change only when you yourself change it by pressing command + space or selecting from menu.

Problem #6: Not really big of a difficulty, but clearly not very comfortable to watch it happens. The problem is that when you activate ATOK 8 first time from the boot, a little blank white square appears somewhere at the upper left of window you were about to write into. (Note: ATOK 8 only; Kotoeri and the other Japanese input devices do not have this problem. Thanks FJ for the correction) You can easily erase the square by hiding and re-displaying the window using WindowShade, or eradicate it by setting Japanese the primary script by ScriptSwitcher so that Japanese input gets ready beforehand during the icon parade.

Problem #7: These Hankaku-kana & special character related mojibake happen when system font and the font used in View control pabnel (or Finder's "preferences..." under MacOS 8) are Japanese font. To get rid of them , you need to use either a Japanese font which disabled hankaku-kana (such as Narita) or Nomemo Busters.

If you found typo or mis/outdated-information or expired links or too abstruct/technical description or whatsoever seems wrong, let me know.