Abstract: Translation between a character encoding scheme used by an application and a font encoding scheme used by a character drawing routine may be controlled dynamically so as to accommodate multiple possible font encoding schemes. Accordingly, the range of usable fonts is greatly expanded since more than a single font encoding scheme is supported for a given locale. The process of purchasing and installing new fonts is significantly simplified since any font encoding scheme may be supported.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a translation environment for a computer system. Structurally, the present invention includes three main components: a codeset manager, a codeset database, and a codeset translation engine. The codeset manager compiles a set of codeset definitions. The compiled codeset definitions, or translation methods, are included in a codeset database. To translate a character, a client process requests the translation, specifying a source codeset and a target codeset from the codeset translation engine. The codeset translation engine transmits the requested translation to the codeset manager which searches the codeset database for an appropriate translation method. If no appropriate translation method exists in the codeset database, the codeset manager may be able to create a translation method using one or more translation methods in the codeset database.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for translating an input character from a source codeset to a target codeset. Structurally, the present invention includes a list of translation tables each having one or more entries. Each entry in a translation table defines a translation from a character in the source codeset to a character in the target codeset. Each translation table also includes an entry condition function and an input normalization function. To translate an input character in the source codeset to the target codeset, the list of translation tables is traversed until an entry condition is found which returns a boolean value of true when called with the input character is passed as a parameter. Then input character is then passed to the input normalization function which returns the index or position of the translation for the input character in the translation table. The contents of the translation table, at the index, is then returned as the translation of the input character.