How to use a drawing tablet and Windows XP writing pad IME to write Japanese and Mandarin characters with autosuggest

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2012/02/04 plagwitz Leave a comment Go to comments

Our small group work spaces each now have a Wacom Bamboo drawing tablet installed.
You can use these tablets in conjunction with the Windows XP writing pad IME to input Mandarin/Kanji character strokes and receive autosuggest options you can pick you character from which make not only writing faster, but also reward you for remembering your characters, expose you to more and help you identify the correct one from a list of options.
Here is what the Windows XP writing pad IME and Wacom tablet looks like in action: (behind the pen: our Japanese tutor).
Here is how to access Windows XP Japanese IME keyboard and handwriting:
1. Open the application you want to write in, e.g. MS Word (the language input option is specific to the current window and defaults to”English-US international” in the LRC if you open a new window).
2. In the taskbar, in the language toolbar section, select Japanese or Chinese or Korean.
3. If only the language identifier is showing in the language toolbar, right-click on it and choose “Show additional icons”
4. Select as input method for the chosen language from icon “Options” or “Tools”” , the “IME pad” / “Handwriting”
5. Prerequisites