Overview
Microsoft Natural Input is an Input Method Editor (IME) that improves the input of Japanese characters. Microsoft Office Word 2003 provides a finer Japanese input environment when it works together with Microsoft Natural Input.
Microsoft Natural Input provides the simplest method for Japanese text input and editing because you don't have to learn specific keyboard operations. The only key you must use is the Conversion key, which enables you to convert nearly all types of Japanese characters.
In contrast to previous Japanese input systems, Microsoft Natural Input helps you focus on entering text without needing to think about the status of the input system itself. The operations to control the cursor are identical to the other keyboard operations in Microsoft Windows-based applications, regardless of their status in the Japanese input conversion process. For example, you can use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move the cursor outside of the newly added strings, and the DELETE or BACKSPACE key to delete characters in front of or following the cursor, even if the IME status is still in conversion phase. In addition, you can retrieve the candidate list by pressing the Conversion key at any point in already determined strings. Thus, you can edit existing determined sentences as if they were newly input Japanese strings.
New features in the candidate list window
Support of people names, place names, and face marks
Microsoft Natural Input supports people names, place names, and face marks in the candidate list. The candidate list shows a Bias for Names icon as a candidate if the word you typed is registered in the Microsoft IME Name/Place Dictionary or a Face Marks icon if the word you typed is registered in the Microsoft IME Spoken Language/Emotion Dictionary. Then, you can enter a person's name, place name, or face marks by selecting a candidate in the list.
Listing phrases with different lengths in the candidate list
The candidate list can list phrases of different lengths as well as homonyms with the same length as candidates in the candidate list. This feature allows you to fine-tune the default phrase length that is determined by the input system automatically. You can also right-click any existing phrases in the shortcut menu to call back the conversion candidates with different phrase lengths, and then you can fine-tune the conversion result.
Microsoft Natural Input displays a comment beside each conversion candidate in the candidate list. For example, you can easily distinguish candidates that might be confusing, such as full-width alphanumeric and half-width alphanumeric based on the displayed comments.
Grouped comments in the candidate list
Comments in the candidate list are displayed as grouped lists, not as a single comment per word. Because Microsoft Natural Input can look at all the comments for similar options at once, this makes it easier to select the best candidate among them.
Hiding the candidates you don't use
You can hide the candidates that you don't frequently use so that they do not appear in the candidate list. Hiding unnecessary conversion candidates simplifies the candidate list and makes it easier to find the best candidate.
Rules for displaying Japanese word endings
Microsoft Natural Input has only three types of rules for displaying Japanese word endings in its property: All, Honsoku, and Tsusoku. With these three options, it's easier than in previous versions to decide the rules for Japanese word endings.
Advanced features for customizing IME dictionaries
The Conversion Training Wizard allows you to search existing documents for non-registered words and automatically register the detected words in your user dictionaries. The wizard adds an automated method of registering new words in your user dictionaries, in addition to the existing Register Word function in which you need to register a new word manually.
Use the Dictionary tool to edit or delete the registered words in your user dictionaries. With this tool, you can search the entries in the dictionaries by categories, such as "reading," "word," or "part of speech," and then order them by the search key so that you can quickly find the target word.