Text Services Framework
Encyclopedia
Component Object Model
Component Object Model is a binary-interface standard for software componentry introduced by Microsoft in 1993. It is used to enable interprocess communication and dynamic object creation in a large range of programming languages...
framework
Software framework
In computer programming, a software framework is an abstraction in which software providing generic functionality can be selectively changed by user code, thus providing application specific software...
and API in Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
and later Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
operating systems that supports advanced text input and text processing. The Text Services Framework is designed to offer advanced language and word processing
Word processing
Word processing is the creation of documents using a word processor. It can also refer to advanced shorthand techniques, sometimes used in specialized contexts with a specially modified typewriter.-External links:...
features to applications. It supports features such as multilingual support, keyboard drivers, handwriting recognition
Handwriting recognition
Handwriting recognition is the ability of a computer to receive and interpret intelligible handwritten input from sources such as paper documents, photographs, touch-screens and other devices. The image of the written text may be sensed "off line" from a piece of paper by optical scanning or...
, speech recognition
Speech recognition
Speech recognition converts spoken words to text. The term "voice recognition" is sometimes used to refer to recognition systems that must be trained to a particular speaker—as is the case for most desktop recognition software...
, as well as spell checking
Spell checker
In computing, a spell checker is an application program that flags words in a document that may not be spelled correctly. Spell checkers may be stand-alone capable of operating on a block of text, or as part of a larger application, such as a word processor, email client, electronic dictionary,...
and other text and natural language processing
Natural language processing
Natural language processing is a field of computer science and linguistics concerned with the interactions between computers and human languages; it began as a branch of artificial intelligence....
functions. It is also downloadable for older Windows operating systems.
The Language Bar is the core user interface
User interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
for Text Services Framework. The language bar enables text services to add UI elements to the toolbar and enables these elements when an application has focus. From the Language Bar, users can select the input language, and control keyboard input, handwriting recognition and speech recognition.
The language bar also provides a direct means to switch between installed languages, even when a non-TSF-enabled application has focus.
Starting with Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 and Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
, the RichEdit control supports the Text Services Framework. Windows Speech Recognition
Windows Speech Recognition
Windows Speech Recognition is a speech recognition application included in Windows Vista and more recently, Windows 7.-Features:Windows Speech Recognition allows the user to control the computer by giving specific voice commands...
in Windows Vista is also implemented using the Text Services Framework.
Advantages of TSF
- TSF is extensible. ISVsIndependent software vendorIndependent software vendor is a business term for companies specializing in making or selling software, designed for mass marketing or for niche markets...
can write their own text processing feature for TSF. - TSF-enabled applications can receive text input from any text service that supports TSF without having to be aware of any details of the text source. Services built using TSF are globally available to any application.
- TSF enables a text service to store metadataMetadataThe term metadata is an ambiguous term which is used for two fundamentally different concepts . Although the expression "data about data" is often used, it does not apply to both in the same way. Structural metadata, the design and specification of data structures, cannot be about data, because at...
with a document, a piece of text, or an object within the document. For example, a speech input text service can store sound information associated with a block of text. - TSF enables text services to provide accurate and complete text conversion, with continuous access to the document buffer. Text services using TSF can avoid separating their functionality into modes for input and modes for editing. This input architecture enables the buffered and accumulating text stream to change dynamically, thereby enabling more efficient keyboard input and text editing.
- TSF is device-independentDevice IndependenceDevice independence is the process of making a software application be able to function on a wide variety of devices regardless of the local hardware on which the software is used.- Desktop computing :...
and enables text services for multiple input devices including keyboardComputer keyboardIn computing, a keyboard is a typewriter-style keyboard, which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys, to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches...
, electronic pen or stylus, and microphoneMicrophoneA microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
.
TSF will eventually replace the Input method editor
Input method editor
An input method is an operating system component or program that allows any data, such as keyboard strokes or mouse movements, to be received as input. In this way users can enter characters and symbols not found on their input devices...
on Windows.