Re: Is X lam-alef key OK?

[Mohammed Sameer <msameer at foolab dot org>]

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On Mon, Sep 26, 2005 at 03:04:58PM -0700, Nadim Shaikli wrote:
> --- Oibane <pflm52td at w6 dot dion dot ne dot jp> wrote:
> > Let me summarize:
> > 
> > 1. It is more than common among Arabs to use X keyboard Arabic layout.
> > The 'b' and other lam-alef keys (shifted t,g,b) are still a bit
> > problematic. At least some, perhaps many don't use this key.
> > 
> > I wanted to know if I could recommend the layout to the Japanese 
> > at my site.
> 
> Again the t,g,b keys produce 2-characters - I'm not sure why you
> see this as a problem.  Pressing those keys results in entering two
> characters into your document which when shaped visually result in
> the display of a single glyph (from the form-B range).
>
Not true, AFAIKthey do insert a presentation form into the document, They
don't insert 2 characters.
Have a look at /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/pc/ar and/or /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/ar
You'll find the presentation form there.

> > 2. (I guess) If pango is used correctly, even if the key input falls into
> > the range of Arabic presentation form B, it is displayed correctly.
> > It does not mean that the letter is saved in a file as lam U+0644 and 
> > alef U+0627.
>
> No the letters saved in the file are indeed U+0644 and U+0627 (form-B
> is used only for display and is never saved).  Again the 'b' key press
> results in the generation of 2 characters LAM (U+0644) and ALEF (U+0627).

They'll be saved as a presentation form unless the editor
or word processor you are using do something.

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