Re: Typing arabic for non-arabic speaker

[Nadim Shaikli <shaikli at yahoo dot com>]

--- Gimson Ahmed <gimson indo net id> wrote:
> 
> I've been trying to find information how to type arabic text along with
> latin (mixing bidirectional) in Linux environment, especially using KDE.
> 
> I have searched this mailing list and found that now I can enable arabic GUI 
> and arabic html in Linux, using standardized i18n and unicode fonts. But my 
> associates wants more using Arabic Windows as the sample. What I don't know 
> are:
> 1. Using friendly word processor (maybe if there is ArabTex in GUI) to type 
> bidirectional text. OpenOffice is available in bidirectional feature, but is 
> this a standard feature, or just a tweaked version.
> 2. Creates arab-like character, with different charset (e.g. Arabic Jawi
> text)  using my custom fonts.
> 3. Using existing non-unicode Arabic Windows fonts in Linux.

I'm not sure what you are asking - are you seeking MS-windows help ?

If you are seeking a means to simply write Arabic in linux there are
many options out there including,

 + katoob
 + vim (with patch)
 + emacs-bidi
 + kate (part of KDE)
 + openoffice (with patch)
 etc.

> These needs are came up as my associates used lots of fully harkat arabic 
> text. I have tried to create a windows-1256 html, but displayed bizzarely in 
> Linux environment (Konqueror/Mozilla) as it didn't recognize 0 width 
> character.

Don't know what to tell ya -- your best bet is to create a page and let
others view it and critique it (please don't attach files here though).
I would also recommend you tell whomever is creating those CP-1256 encoded
pages to reconsider and use a more universal encoding such as UTF-8.

> And lastly, how can I use strict fatha/kasra/dhammah when typing in MS Word 
> (on Arabic Windows)? I viewed the font (traditional arabic) and sure that it 
> has the correct character, but couldn't find way to get it.

If you are indeed seeking windows help, then this forum is the wrong one
to ask for help in.  Keep in mind is that Arabeyes.org's charter is to
address Linux and Arabic.

BTW: for general question, of this caliber, you'd be better served if you
     posted to 'general -at- arabeyes dot org'.

Salam.

 - Nadim


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