An applet which creates a KeyListener wants to look at the low-level KeyPress events which are happening.  

On Windows, in the Java PlugIn, while a TextField can display characters entered using a dead-key, the KeyListener sees no event for the dead key itself.

Using the built-in JVM (ie. not Sun's), the dead key does generate it's own event.  The dead key also generates an event which the KeyListener sees if the applet is run in AppletViewer rather than in the Java Plugin. 

We expect to see these events as we believe we are using the low-level interface to monitor actual keys pressed, not characters typed.

On Solaris, the compose key does generate a KeyEvent.

To reproduce:

An applet for monitoring this behaviour is attached.

If using an English PC with an English keyboard, use Windows' control panel to add a Spanish keyboard in Windows.  This means the key after jkl; and before # and <enter> becomes the DEAD ACUTE key, and the key to the right of u i o p becomes the DEAD GRAVE.

Load the attached web page (in the tar file) into a browser, and give focus to the first text entry field.  Press either of these keys and note that the test applet does not recognise it.