Language Support
Forum: DSL Ideas and Suggestions
Topic: Language Support
started by: -Batista-
Posted by -Batista- on July 24 2007,10:31
Dear DSL managers,I am writing about problem with the Language support
why the "Damn Small Linux" doesn't have full languages support ?
because I'm an Arabic man. I don't have problem when I'm using English, but when I'm sending a mail to some one how speake Arabic or if he sends me a mail I need to turn of the computer and use another O.S like Windows.
Olso I cant visit an arabic site I just see
???? for the arabic words I would appreciate it if any one can hadle this problem and Make the DSL support Arabic even if takes more size withe the same powerfull
I look forward to hearing form you
-Batista-
Posted by curaga on July 24 2007,11:47
DSL has only support for english because it's most widely used.. You can add arabic fonts to your DSL so you can see those characters..
Posted by -Batista- on July 26 2007,08:52
how can I do it ?
Posted by curaga on July 26 2007,11:51
Well, first search them up. If I remember correctly Microsoft fonts have arabic characters, bitstream and dejavu might too..Then search this forum for "truetype" or "adding fonts"
Posted by lucky13 on July 26 2007,12:10
Try this, Batista:< http://www.arabeyes.org/project.php?proj=Khotot >
Posted by -Batista- on July 26 2007,15:12
thanks pal 
Posted by -Batista- on July 26 2007,15:39
I donwload thim how can I install thim ? 
Posted by lucky13 on July 26 2007,22:24
You might start with this, else try Google.< http://damnsmalllinux.org/cgi-bin....t=18569 >
Posted by humpty on July 26 2007,22:56
IF you can find pcf.gz fonts, it doesn't need to be complicated to install fonts.< http://damnsmalllinux.org/cgi-bin....ts;st=5 >
Though, you will have to find arabic pcf.gz fonts and their font info lines.
Posted by stupid_idiot on July 29 2007,02:46
| Quote (humpty @ July 27 2007,02:56) |
Though, you will have to find arabic pcf.gz fonts and their font info lines. |
The font info lines can be generated as a 'fonts.dir' file using `mkfontdir` (Debian package < here >).
To generate a 'fonts.dir' file for all the fonts in a directory, do the following:
cd font_directory
mkfontdir .
Or, just do:
mkfontdir font_directory
That will generate the font information file.
You still need to tell the Xserver to add the new fonts to its cache:
xset +fp font_directory [This will add font_directory to the font-path]
xset fp rehash [This will tell the Xserver to re-scan for new fonts in the font-path.]
The font-path will revert to the default once you close the Xserver.
You might want to add the above 'xset ...' commands to '/home/dsl/.xinitrc' so the Xserver will use the new font-path when it starts.
Update
Dear Everyone,
This is '10x21.pcf.gz' ('arabeyes-fixed-iso10646-1') from < ae_fonts_mono.tar.bz2 > (< homepage >).
Screenshots:
#1 (BBC Arabic): < http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1396/937126148_5178e7ec58_o.gif >
#2 (Wikipedia Arabic): < http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1172/937365784_bbb1d13200_o.gif >
Does the font size look right?
Or would you like a finer/smaller font?
Like this:
(This is 'arabic24.pcf.gz' ('arabic-newspaper-iso10646-1') from Debian < xfonts-base > package.)
#1 (BBC Arabic): < http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1145/937150742_477a082c5b_o.gif >
#2 (Wikipedia Arabic): < http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1261/937365788_e007a7d117_o.gif >
I am working on an Arabic-fonts extension. I am intending to call it 'xfonts-arabic.tar.gz'.
If anyone can suggest more websites to test, I will be happy to post more screenshots.
Thank you very much.
Posted by -Batista- on July 31 2007,09:29
Impressive, :0 I would appriceate it if you would explain it step by step
I'm just beginner user
Posted by stupid_idiot on Aug. 01 2007,21:43
1. Download font: < http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/arabeyes/ae_fonts_mono.tar.bz2 >2. Extract font:
tar xjf ae_fonts_mono.tar.bz2
The fonts are extracted in ./ae_fonts_mono.
There are 2 files, '10x21.bdf' and '10x21.pcf'. The '.pcf' is an optimized version of the bdf. You can remove the .bdf file.
3. You need "mkfontdir" to generate a font information file.
There is no easy way to get "mkfontdir" in DSL, so I uploaded it on rapidshare:
< http://rapidshare.com/files/46407451/mkfontdir.dsl.html >
To load the .dsl file:
mydsl-load mkfontdir.dsl
4. Make font information file:
mkfontdir ./ae_fonts_mono
5. Add the folder to the font path of the Xserver:
xset +fp /home/dsl/ae_fonts_mono
6. Re-generate the font cache:
xset fp rehash
7. Restart Firefox.
Firefox -> Edit -> Preferences -> Fonts & Colors -> Arabic -> Choose "arabeyes-fixed-iso10646-1" for all. - This is for pages which use Arabic encoding ["Arabic (Windows-1256)"].
Firefox -> Edit -> Preferences -> Fonts & Colors -> Unicode -> Choose "arabeyes-fixed-iso10646-1" for all. - This is for pages which use Arabic characters of Unicode encoding ["Unicode (UTF-8)"].
8. Test with Arabic websites.
Posted by -Batista- on Aug. 02 2007,12:26
tnanks pal, it works
now can you find away to make the keybord typing arabic ?
I know you can make it
Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Aug. 02 2007,17:38
Download a keymap and place it in /usr/share/keymaps/i386/[...]Then run DSLPanel > Keyboard
Select yours.
Restart X ( menu > exit - then run "startx" )
If you find a plaintext one that you wish to use (such as < http://lists.arabeyes.org/archive....06.html > ) you can take the text and put it in it's own <file>.kmap, run `gzip -9 <file>.kmap` before doing the above steps.
Alternatively you can make your own.
Posted by -Batista- on Aug. 05 2007,12:11
I dont got it can you explain it step by step
Posted by -Batista- on Aug. 05 2007,12:40
& where I can find the keymap