Working with GDK_Multi_key & Friends

[Daniel Yacob <locales geez org>]

Greetings,

I'm working on an input method where I need to use apostrophe
as a dead key.  Unless a composable character follows apostrophe,
it doesn't render in the text buffer.  If a combining character
follows, of course that should appear.  A simple example:

keystrokes => composition
--------------------------
    n'n    =>  nn
    n'a    =>  n\xE1
	n''    =>  n'


I found in gtkimcontextsimple.c some code that looks like it can
be modified for use in this IM:

  GDK_Multi_key,	GDK_apostrophe,	GDK_space,	0,	0,	0x0027,	/* APOSTROPHE */
  GDK_Multi_key,	GDK_apostrophe,	GDK_apostrophe,	0,	0,	0x00B4,	/* ACUTE_ACCENT */
  GDK_Multi_key,	GDK_apostrophe,	GDK_a,	0,	0,	0x00E1,	/* LATIN_SMALL_LETTER_A_WITH_ACUTE */


However, I don't understand the GDK_Multi_key part of it.  What
initiates the "Multi Key" context?  Does it take a key sequence
to get GDK_Multi_key signalled (I'm on an English 101 type keyboard)? 

I realize that I might be going about this the wrong way, any
advice and pointers for working with GDK_ special keys  would
be appreciated.

thanks,

/Daniel