[FFe] Urdu with better support: Default Fonts

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

I can explain every thing here in detail,

we have two issues here,

1. Reading Urdu Text:

the default font for Urdu is SanSerif and others font only made on emphasis on english language that's why the text displayed is not easily readable, we cant change the text as we don't have a font already installed for URDU. This is the main reason all the news papers and every other thing published or posted on internet are in image format. The result is image takes longer to download, mobile view is not good, u cant zoom in as at a point the text with go rubish. you cant search any thing inside an image (text). google is not helpfull in case you want to search for something that is ur requirement. The only current way that i use with my web site is CSS3 font download.

2. Writing Urdu: the default keyboard layout is not wat it has to be. we need to download and install third party keyboard layouts that is called "phonetic keyboard layout". Most of the characters in english and urdu are same like the char 'S' and 'seen' in urdu and arabic. now it makes sense that S should type 'SEEN' but it doesnt, rather it prints un realistic characters. the best option google has created for this is google translitration which works same as phonetic keyboard.

I am available if more explaination or help is required.

thanks for listening to our problems.

Abdellah / Shabbir,

Thanks for your help to improve Ubuntu by reporting these issues!

The font configuration thing may well be a matter for the fontconfig package, so I add a fontconfig task.

Keyboard layout settings are handled via the gnome-control-center package. In System Settings -> Keyboard Layout (Ubuntu 12.10) I find these Urdu options:

Urdu (alternative phonetic)
Urdu (Pakistan)
Urdu (Pakistan, CRULP)
Urdu (Pakistan, NLA)
Urdu (phonetic)
Urdu (WinKeys)

Do you say that none of those options is sufficient for writing Urdu conveniently?

The official Font for urdu is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasta%CA%BFl%C4%ABq_script

Nasta Liq, all the news papers universities text books school college materials all are printed in this font.

here is the officially made font and checked by a famous calligrapher,
http://www.crulp.org/software/localization/Fonts/nafeesNastaleeq.html

The font could be downloaded from the same place,

If you want i can personally go and meet them make a report and update you.

Gunnar,
About the keyboard lay out there are many and we are talking about the default, as to type in english you simply click into a text area and start typing, where as in urdu you have to do some effort which a common computer user is not aware of, so i think we have to simplify things for him, if he clicks into a place to type in urdu he simply selects the urdu and start typing the easiest way or the more easy he can achieve his task.

This would be the
http://www.crulp.org/software/localization/keyboards/CRULPphonetickbv1.1.html

which already is in ubuntu named Urdu (Pakistan, CRULP),

Urdu (Pakistan, CRULP) is phonetic keyboard layout and all the ppl who use special software to write urdu and then convert it into image format (most in-page is used) and the keyboard layout is called phonetic.

kindly sujjest further.

thank you,

Actually another bug report had been submit (Bug #1153549 ) to add other Nafees fonts including Nastaleeq (Ubuntu, Debian has a package with only NafeesWeb font - fonts-nafees.).

These days I'm researching different fonts and keyboard layouts and talking to URDU experts,

The current defacto standard considered is "InPage" http://www.inpage.com/Download.html. They make their own versions of fonts, like the version of nastaleeq that InPage makes is called "Noori Nastaleeq".

The best of all public implementations so far i found is Nafees Nastaleeq I mentioned in my above reply. it has an issue in that the text clarity in different font sizes is not same(distorted text like if you type something in large size on a low resolution display), in few sizes the text displays is not that best clear "like it does if you copy from Inpage" to an image format and view them in a browser.

the best till i found is Nafees Nastaleeq, which is at least supported. there are many other versions of Nastaleeq available but not well supported.

the other good fonts available are Nafees Web etc.

Thanks,

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

Thanks for the additional info!

I'm slowly getting the picture.. Please bear with a simple guy from Western Europe. ;-)

As regards fonts, I have proposed that Nafees Nastaleeq is added to the fonts-nafees package. A fonts-nafees build with the change is available in my PPA at https://launchpad.net/~gunnarhj/+archive/misc
Can you please install that version of fonts-nafees, and let us know if the proposed change is a step in the right direction.

I see that fonts-nafees is automatically installed when the Urdu language is installed. I also see that /etc/fonts/conf.d/65-nonlatin.conf mentions "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" for serif and sans-serif.

On 2013-03-10 11:34, عبدالله شلي (Abdellah Chelli) wrote:
> It's better that language-selector sets "Nafees Regular" (Nafees Web in
> fonts-nafees package) as default font for all font families (SansSerif,
> Serif...except mono) used in Ubuntu.

Do you mean that you would like that "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" in /etc/fonts/conf.d/65-nonlatin.conf is exchanged for "Nafees Regular"?

On 2013-03-12 14:15, Shabbir Ahmed wrote:
> About the keyboard lay out there are many and we are talking about
> the default, as to type in english you simply click into a text area
> and start typing, where as in urdu you have to do some effort which a
> common computer user is not aware of, so i think we have to simplify
> things for him, if he clicks into a place to type in urdu he simply
> selects the urdu and start typing the easiest way or the more easy he
> can achieve his task.

As far as I can tell, it is that easy already. If there are more than one keyboard layout activated for a user, e.g. "en" and "ur", s/he can select which one to use via the keyboard layout icon at the top bar.

One aspect of "default" is the keyboard layout that is automatically suggested by the Ubuntu installer when Urdu is the selected language. Is that currently something else but "Urdu (Pakistan, CRULP)"? If so, would you like it to be changed to "Urdu (Pakistan, CRULP)"?

I added a fonts-nafees task to this bug report and marked bug 1153549 as a duplicate of this one. Easier to have it all in the same report.

Hi,

On Tue, Mar 19, 2013 at 8:04 PM, Gunnar Hjalmarsson <email address hidden>wrote:

>
> Do you mean that you would like that "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" in
> /etc/fonts/conf.d/65-nonlatin.conf is exchanged for "Nafees Regular"?

Yeah, "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" would be the default.

On 2013-03-20 14:21, عبدالله شلي (Abdellah Chelli) wrote:
> On 2013-03-19 20:04, Gunnar Hjalmarsson wrote:
>> On 2013-03-10 11:34, عبدالله شلي (Abdellah Chelli) wrote:
>>> It's better that language-selector sets "Nafees Regular" (Nafees Web in
>>> fonts-nafees package) as default font for all font families (SansSerif,
>>> Serif...except mono) used in Ubuntu.
>>
>> Do you mean that you would like that "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" in
>> /etc/fonts/conf.d/65-nonlatin.conf is exchanged for "Nafees Regular"?
>
> Yeah, "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" would be the default.

Hmm.. Now I'm really confused.

Currently "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" is in /etc/fonts/conf.d/65-nonlatin.conf. Hence it is the default already, isn't it?

Or do you mean that you would like to see two entries, like:

  <family>Urdu Nastaliq Unicode</family> <!-- arabic (ur) -->
  <family>Nafees Regular</family> <!-- arabic (ur) -->

thus making "Nafees Regular" a fallback alternative?

I just tried to check the name in system, I have installed the new package
from the ppa.

I couldn't find a font with this name "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode", even using
gnome-font-view for each font in both packages Nafees & PakType. I was
thinking the its the name of the new included font NafeesNastaliq.

Actually we were looking for NafeesNastaleeq.ttf , if fallback option
available: NafeesWeb.ttf (Nafees Regular) will be good. (Please, Shabbir
let us know if you would other way.)

I am not familiar with fonts, but the new included font,
NafeesNastaleeq.ttf file, does not have a name. As it seems in
gnome-font-viewer. I couldn't find in the font list. Is it a problem in
this font?

On Wed, Mar 20, 2013 at 4:32 PM, Gunnar Hjalmarsson <email address hidden>wrote:

> Or do you mean that you would like to see two entries, like:
>
> <family>Urdu Nastaliq Unicode</family> <!-- arabic (ur) -->
> <family>Nafees Regular</family> <!-- arabic (ur) -->
>
> thus making "Nafees Regular" a fallback alternative?
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
> RTL, which is subscribed to the bug report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1153188
>
> Title:
> Urdu with better support: Default Fonts, Kbd Layout
>
> Status in “fontconfig” package in Ubuntu:
> Confirmed
> Status in “fonts-nafees” package in Ubuntu:
> In Progress
> Status in “gnome-control-center” package in Ubuntu:
> Incomplete
> Status in “fonts-nafees” package in Debian:
> New
>
> Bug description:
> Default fonts in Ubuntu show ugly Urdu text.
>
> It's better that language-selector sets "Nafees Regular" (Nafees Web
> in fonts-nafees package) as default font for all font families
> (SansSerif, Serif...except mono) used in Ubuntu.
>
> I would like to ask, if language-selector is able to set specific
> keyboard layout for Urdu for 1st time?
>
> Please Shabbir:
> Could you write here the best setting for Urdu Fonts (Using "Tweak
> Tool": Scale Factor, Hinting, Anitaliasing, Size)?
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
>
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/fontconfig/+bug/1153188/+subscriptions
>

The name of the file in the downloaded zip file is "Nafees Nastaleeq v1.02.ttf". When preparing the package in my PPA I took the liberty of renaming the file to "NafeesNastaleeq.ttf", which seemed to be consistent with the names of other .ttf files.

The zip file also contains a "Release Notes" document, and in the change log I read:

<quote>Version number is removed from font name. The new name is “Nafees Nastaleeq”</quote>

I suppose that you can edit /etc/fonts/conf.d/65-nonlatin.conf manually and study the result instantly. What if you replace "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" with "Nafees Nastaleeq"?

I don't know much about fonts either. ;-) Anyway, I did some research.

"Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" seems to be the name of a specific font:
http://tabish.freeshell.org/u-font/

Unless that font is interesting, we know at least that "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" should be replaced in /etc/fonts/conf.avail/65-nonlatin.conf with something else.

For me gnome-font-viewer finds both the Nafees fonts from the package in my PPA; it's just that it thinks that both are named "Nafees" only (see the nafees1.png attachment). If I click the one with the non-latin characters and then click "Info", I get a dialog that confirms that it's "Nafees Nastaleeq" (the nafees2.png attachment).

I support this statement,

What if you replace "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" with "Nafees Nastaleeq"?
the answer is yes.

this font should display urdu text even if urdu package is not installed. There is some default font thats why we can see/read urdu at least.

Udu Nastaliq Unicode is not well supported, where as Nafees Nastaleeq is made and supported by some well known institution of pakistan and is an organization.

for keyboard layout the best option to compare things with is google urdu translitration, it is the most easiest keyboard layout.

Ok, this is what I have proposed so far as a result of our conversation:

* Add NafeesNastaleeq.ttf to the fonts-nafees package

* Replace "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" with "Nafees Nastaleeq" in /etc/fonts/conf.avail/65-nonlatin.conf

Thanks for the work Gunnar, not sure we have anyone knowing enough about the topic to state what is best there. In any case discussion is ongoing in Debian and it seems too late in the cycle for changing the default, we should do that at the start of a cycle to have time to get feedback and discuss the change.

I'm unsubscribing sponsors, let's rediscuss the fontconfig change after the raring release rather

Sebastien,

i couldnt get ur last email.

thanks,

On Fri, Mar 22, 2013 at 2:47 PM, Sebastien Bacher <email address hidden> wrote:

> Thanks for the work Gunnar, not sure we have anyone knowing enough about
> the topic to state what is best there. In any case discussion is ongoing
> in Debian and it seems too late in the cycle for changing the default,
> we should do that at the start of a cycle to have time to get feedback
> and discuss the change.
>
> I'm unsubscribing sponsors, let's rediscuss the fontconfig change after
> the raring release rather
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1153188
>
> Title:
> Urdu with better support: Default Fonts, Kbd Layout
>
> Status in Fontconfig - Font Configuration Library:
> Confirmed
> Status in “fontconfig” package in Ubuntu:
> In Progress
> Status in “fonts-nafees” package in Ubuntu:
> In Progress
> Status in “fonts-nafees” package in Debian:
> New
>
> Bug description:
> Default fonts in Ubuntu show ugly Urdu text.
>
> It's better that language-selector sets "Nafees Regular" (Nafees Web
> in fonts-nafees package) as default font for all font families
> (SansSerif, Serif...except mono) used in Ubuntu.
>
> I would like to ask, if language-selector is able to set specific
> keyboard layout for Urdu for 1st time?
>
> Please Shabbir:
> Could you write here the best setting for Urdu Fonts (Using "Tweak
> Tool": Scale Factor, Hinting, Anitaliasing, Size)?
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/fontconfig/+bug/1153188/+subscriptions
>

On 2013-03-23 09:37, Shabbir Ahmed wrote:
> i couldnt get ur last email.

I for one don't quite understand that remark. Can you please elaborate?

Abdellah / Shabbir,

I have talked with Sebastien Bacher on IRC, and we consider that the proposed changes (see comment #18) are uploaded to Ubuntu 13.04.

However, since the changes affect all Urdu speaking users, can you please provide some kind of testcase that shows how the rendering of Urdu text is improved through the changes. I'm not sure how this is best done; maybe in the form of screenshots before/after.

It would be great if you could provide something that makes us more confident that the proposed changes is a step in the right direction.

thanks alot give some time for testing :).

On Mon, Mar 25, 2013 at 4:59 PM, Gunnar Hjalmarsson <email address hidden>wrote:

> Abdellah / Shabbir,
>
> I have talked with Sebastien Bacher on IRC, and we consider that the
> proposed changes (see comment #18) are uploaded to Ubuntu 13.04.
>
> However, since the changes affect all Urdu speaking users, can you
> please provide some kind of testcase that shows how the rendering of
> Urdu text is improved through the changes. I'm not sure how this is best
> done; maybe in the form of screenshots before/after.
>
> It would be great if you could provide something that makes us more
> confident that the proposed changes is a step in the right direction.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1153188
>
> Title:
> Urdu with better support: Default Fonts, Kbd Layout
>
> Status in Fontconfig - Font Configuration Library:
> Confirmed
> Status in “fontconfig” package in Ubuntu:
> In Progress
> Status in “fonts-nafees” package in Ubuntu:
> In Progress
> Status in “fonts-nafees” package in Debian:
> New
>
> Bug description:
> Default fonts in Ubuntu show ugly Urdu text.
>
> It's better that language-selector sets "Nafees Regular" (Nafees Web
> in fonts-nafees package) as default font for all font families
> (SansSerif, Serif...except mono) used in Ubuntu.
>
> I would like to ask, if language-selector is able to set specific
> keyboard layout for Urdu for 1st time?
>
> Please Shabbir:
> Could you write here the best setting for Urdu Fonts (Using "Tweak
> Tool": Scale Factor, Hinting, Anitaliasing, Size)?
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/fontconfig/+bug/1153188/+subscriptions
>

(Just for note, i'm an Arabic user, Urdu other additional letters and share same Unicode range)

I don't if I missed some thing. I installed the Urdu language support and switch to. Making changes mentioned on #18
/etc/fonts/conf.avail/65-nonlatin.conf

I tried (each time I reboot it)

- replacing "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" with "Nafees Nastaleeq"

tired with "Nafees Regular" and "Nafees", no changes

- same tests but by removing fonts lines for other arabic : arabic fa, arabic ar .. keeping only arabic ur
no changes too

I have attached a screenshot.

Abdellah,

Thanks for your report.

You started the description in this bugreport with: "Default fonts in Ubuntu show ugly Urdu text." When you now say "no changes", do you mean that the Urdu text is still ugly?

Also, let me try to summarize my understanding of this:

Before the changes
------------------
* When you install Urdu language support, you only get the "Nafees Web
  Naskh" font. Neither "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" nor "Nafees Nastaleeq"
  is available on the disk. (They aren't available in the Ubuntu
  archive either, but only externally.)
* The fontconfig file /etc/fonts/conf.avail/65-nonlatin.conf says "Urdu
  Nastaliq Unicode", which means that the font it states as the default
  is not available.

After the changes
-----------------
* When you install Urdu language support, you get both "Nafees Web
  Naskh" and "Nafees Nastaleeq".
* The fontconfig file /etc/fonts/conf.avail/65-nonlatin.conf says
  "Nafees Nastaleeq", so unlike before the font it states as the
  default is available.

Can you confirm that those descriptions of "before" respective "after" match the tests you made?

On Mon, Mar 25, 2013 at 4:30 PM, Gunnar Hjalmarsson <email address hidden> wrote:
> Abdellah,
>
> Thanks for your report.
>
> You started the description in this bugreport with: "Default fonts in
> Ubuntu show ugly Urdu text." When you now say "no changes", do you mean
> that the Urdu text is still ugly?

Yes, exactly (seems like example: menu and that BBC file at bottom in
my previous attachment, it is a mono-space font)

> Also, let me try to summarize my understanding of this:
>
> Before the changes
> ------------------
> * When you install Urdu language support, you only get the "Nafees Web
> Naskh" font. Neither "Urdu Nastaliq Unicode" nor "Nafees Nastaleeq"
> is available on the disk. (They aren't available in the Ubuntu
> archive either, but only externally.)

Yes

> * The fontconfig file /etc/fonts/conf.avail/65-nonlatin.conf says "Urdu
> Nastaliq Unicode", which means that the font it states as the default
> is not available.

Yes

I wasn't knowing which package should take care of this. Also I was
thinking about replacing "Ubuntu" font like "Gnome Tweak Tool" do.
Where here it with fontconfig it seems to me like 'font priority
list', is it so? if yes, so the font mentioned here is just a
fallback. because there other Arabic script fonts at the top of it.

> After the changes
> -----------------
> * When you install Urdu language support, you get both "Nafees Web
> Naskh" and "Nafees Nastaleeq".

yes

> * The fontconfig file /etc/fonts/conf.avail/65-nonlatin.conf says
> "Nafees Nastaleeq", so unlike before the font it states as the
> default is available.

To me, No, because the desktop or system still using that ugly font
and not Nastaleeq.
That's why it seems to me like fallback font.

> Can you confirm that those descriptions of "before" respective "after"
> match the tests you made?
>

Please, let me know if I didn't understand you well.

On 2013-03-25 18:15, عبدالله شلي (Abdellah Chelli) wrote:
> On Mon, Mar 25, 2013 at 4:30 PM, Gunnar Hjalmarsson <email address hidden> wrote:
>>
>> * The fontconfig file /etc/fonts/conf.avail/65-nonlatin.conf says "Urdu
>> Nastaliq Unicode", which means that the font it states as the default
>> is not available.
>
> Yes
>
> I wasn't knowing which package should take care of this. Also I was
> thinking about replacing "Ubuntu" font like "Gnome Tweak Tool" do.
> Where here it with fontconfig it seems to me like 'font priority
> list', is it so?

Yes, that's my understanding as well.

> if yes, so the font mentioned here is just a
> fallback. because there other Arabic script fonts at the top of it.

Yes, a fallback or default. Ok, so you mean that if you have one of those other Arabic fonts installed that claims to be capable of rendering Urdu, that font will be used in any case.

This may explain the lack of progress so far for you.

> Please, let me know if I didn't understand you well.

I think you did.

This is indeed a learning process for me.

As you may have noticed, I forwarded the proposal with respect to fontconfig to freedesktop.org, which is where the fontconfig package resides upstream. The first reaction, which you can see here in comment #25, is to not change the Urdu default upstream unless there is a consensus among Urdu speaking users. But Akiro also mentions the possibility to have own recipes to give a font a priority.

By looking at other fontconfig files I created the attached file 90-fonts-nafees.conf. As an experiment, can you please carry out these steps:

* Save 90-fonts-nafees.conf in /etc/fonts/conf.avail

* Change directory to /etc/fonts/conf.d

* Create a symlink by typing this command:
  sudo ln -s ../conf.avail/90-fonts-nafees.conf 90-fonts-nafees.conf

Please let us know if that makes a difference.

As mentioned in #31, I used 90-fonts-nafees.conf. System still using that ugly mono-space font.

I tried this to debug fontconfig and used gedit as test program:

FC_DEBUG=1 gedit > ~/Desktop/fc_debug_gedit.txt

"Nafees Nastaleeq" could be seen in middle of font selecting list.

Just to confirm: I used "gnome tweak tool" and set "PakType Naskh Basic Urdu" as font system

I tried again, I got it in begining of the list.

Hi,

I need to ask wat are we up to?

thanks,

On Wed, Apr 3, 2013 at 4:18 PM, Bug Watch Updater <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> ** Changed in: fontconfig
> Importance: Medium => Wishlist
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1153188
>
> Title:
> Urdu with better support: Default Fonts, Kbd Layout
>
> Status in Fontconfig - Font Configuration Library:
> Confirmed
> Status in “fontconfig” package in Ubuntu:
> In Progress
> Status in “fonts-nafees” package in Ubuntu:
> In Progress
> Status in “fonts-nafees” package in Debian:
> New
>
> Bug description:
> Default fonts in Ubuntu show ugly Urdu text.
>
> It's better that language-selector sets "Nafees Regular" (Nafees Web
> in fonts-nafees package) as default font for all font families
> (SansSerif, Serif...except mono) used in Ubuntu.
>
> I would like to ask, if language-selector is able to set specific
> keyboard layout for Urdu for 1st time?
>
> Please Shabbir:
> Could you write here the best setting for Urdu Fonts (Using "Tweak
> Tool": Scale Factor, Hinting, Anitaliasing, Size)?
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/fontconfig/+bug/1153188/+subscriptions
>

Well, Shabbir, in comment #27 you asked for some time for testing - and you got it. ;-) Of course, I would have hoped for a report on you findings.

Given Abdellah's comment #32, I still don't know what we should best do to achieve a sensible font setup for Urdu. Only adding Nafees Nastaleeq to the archive is reasonably not sufficient, if it's not accompanied with a font configuration that works.

Shabbir, can you please test the idea in comment #31?

I downloaded ubuntu 13.04, ran it as virtual machine and accessed
facebook.com, tried to view text in urdu but the font is still not 'noori
nastaleeque'. images are attached as reference.

thank you,
Shabbir.

On Sat, Apr 13, 2013 at 6:11 PM, Gunnar Hjalmarsson <email address hidden>wrote:

> Well, Shabbir, in comment #27 you asked for some time for testing - and
> you got it. ;-) Of course, I would have hoped for a report on you
> findings.
>
> Given Abdellah's comment #32, I still don't know what we should best do
> to achieve a sensible font setup for Urdu. Only adding Nafees Nastaleeq
> to the archive is reasonably not sufficient, if it's not accompanied
> with a font configuration that works.
>
> Shabbir, can you please test the idea in comment #31?
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1153188
>
> Title:
> Urdu with better support: Default Fonts, Kbd Layout
>
> Status in Fontconfig - Font Configuration Library:
> Confirmed
> Status in “fontconfig” package in Ubuntu:
> In Progress
> Status in “fonts-nafees” package in Ubuntu:
> In Progress
> Status in “fonts-nafees” package in Debian:
> New
>
> Bug description:
> Default fonts in Ubuntu show ugly Urdu text.
>
> It's better that language-selector sets "Nafees Regular" (Nafees Web
> in fonts-nafees package) as default font for all font families
> (SansSerif, Serif...except mono) used in Ubuntu.
>
> I would like to ask, if language-selector is able to set specific
> keyboard layout for Urdu for 1st time?
>
> Please Shabbir:
> Could you write here the best setting for Urdu Fonts (Using "Tweak
> Tool": Scale Factor, Hinting, Anitaliasing, Size)?
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/fontconfig/+bug/1153188/+subscriptions
>

did I do any thing wrong?

Hi Shabbir,

Sorry for having been quiet for a while.

Well, nothing has been changed in 13.04 yet, since we haven't yet found a configuration that you or Abdellah has been able to confirm that it gives the desired result.

So again I ask you to please
* install the fonts-nafees package from my PPA at
  https://launchpad.net/~gunnarhj/+archive/misc (if not already
  installed) to get NafeesNastaleeq.ttf, and
* make use of the 90-fonts-nafees.conf attachment in accordance
  with the instructions at the end of comment #31.

Abdellah did so a while ago, but his report in comment #32 is not enough of a base for proceeding along those lines. Hence your test of the same setup would be valuable.

Hi, sorry for late reply but im available now full time because i have switched to ubuntu as primary or full time OS. I am attaching a latest screen shot which represents that the said problem is not yet fixed.

thank you,
Shabbir.

I tried the above said process but its not working. the results are same as i uploaded in the Selection_001.png

LinkedIn
------------

Bug,

I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.

- Shabbir

Shabbir Ahmed (JNCIP-M/T 1513)
Network Engineer, SDN & Security at DTS Solution
United Arab Emirates

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Hi Gunnar,

I tried the attached xml from #31 and modify the following lines.
<edit name="family" mode="prepend" binding="strong">
            <string>Jameel Noori Nastaleeq</string>
 </edit>

I can confirm that the websites with urdu text (e.g. ur.wikipedia.org) are being rendered in Nastaleeq font as desired in Firefox.

Many thanks! I hope it will part of next Ubuntu release.

Best,
Imran

let me do it again but i think i did so before and pasted the results but
any how let me do it again.

On Fri, May 3, 2013 at 7:46 PM, Gunnar Hjalmarsson <email address hidden>wrote:

> Hi Shabbir,
>
> Sorry for having been quiet for a while.
>
> Well, nothing has been changed in 13.04 yet, since we haven't yet found
> a configuration that you or Abdellah has been able to confirm that it
> gives the desired result.
>
> So again I ask you to please
> * install the fonts-nafees package from my PPA at
> https://launchpad.net/~gunnarhj/+archive/misc (if not already
> installed) to get NafeesNastaleeq.ttf, and
> * make use of the 90-fonts-nafees.conf attachment in accordance
> with the instructions at the end of comment #31.
>
> Abdellah did so a while ago, but his report in comment #32 is not enough
> of a base for proceeding along those lines. Hence your test of the same
> setup would be valuable.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1153188
>
> Title:
> Urdu with better support: Default Fonts, Kbd Layout
>
> Status in Fontconfig - Font Configuration Library:
> Confirmed
> Status in "fontconfig" package in Ubuntu:
> In Progress
> Status in "fonts-nafees" package in Ubuntu:
> In Progress
> Status in "fonts-nafees" package in Debian:
> New
>
> Bug description:
> Default fonts in Ubuntu show ugly Urdu text.
>
> It's better that language-selector sets "Nafees Regular" (Nafees Web
> in fonts-nafees package) as default font for all font families
> (SansSerif, Serif...except mono) used in Ubuntu.
>
> I would like to ask, if language-selector is able to set specific
> keyboard layout for Urdu for 1st time?
>
> Please Shabbir:
> Could you write here the best setting for Urdu Fonts (Using "Tweak
> Tool": Scale Factor, Hinting, Anitaliasing, Size)?
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/fontconfig/+bug/1153188/+subscriptions
>

Gunnar,

Ack for the FFe. Please do what you decide is best and also coordinate the change in Debian if you can (maybe you want to ask to join the fonts team?)

Good luck.

On 2014-03-17 10:00, Imran Rauf wrote:
> I tried the attached xml from #31 and modify the following lines.
> <edit name="family" mode="prepend" binding="strong">
> <string>Jameel Noori Nastaleeq</string>
> </edit>

So far we have been working with Nafees Nastaleeq. Switching to e.g. Jameel Noori Nastaleeq would require the creation of a new package in Debian and Ubuntu, and there is not enough time left for that before the release of Ubuntu 14.04.

However, the attributes 'mode="prepend"' and 'binding="strong"' may well be it as regards making fontconfig pick Nafees Nastaleeq at first hand. Thanks a lot for the tip!

I have prepared a package which includes a modified XML file plus the NafeesNastaleeq.ttf file. The package (fonts-nafees) is available in my PPA at https://launchpad.net/~gunnarhj/+archive/misc

I ask you all to please download and install the fonts-nafees package in the PPA, and let us know if it gives the desired result. If you do this quickly, there is a good chance that Ubuntu 14.04 can be shipped with a decent default font setup for Urdu. :)

My own test was successful:

$ LANG=ur_PK fc-match 'sans-serif'
NafeesNastaleeq.ttf: "Nafees" "Regular"

ping :)

I really would like that some Urdu speaking user confirms that the proposed change to the fonts-nafees package makes a difference, before I ask someone to upload it to the Ubuntu archive.

Hi,

I think it is a good idea to include NafeesNastaleeq.ttf or better to use Jameel Noori Nastaleeq font or similar font.

Regards,

Aamir Shahzad
asakpke.blogspot.com
On Monday, March 31, 2014 7:07 PM, Launchpad Bug Tracker <email address hidden> wrote:

You have been subscribed to a public bug by Gunnar Hjalmarsson (gunnarhj):

To the release team:
This FFe is about adding the font NafeesNastaleeq.ttf to the package. Before seeking sponsorship, the Urdu users need to confirm that the proposed patch actually improves the rendering as intended.
The change affects Urdu users only, so no regression risk for other users.
----------------------------------

Default fonts in Ubuntu show ugly Urdu text.

It's better that language-selector sets "Nafees Regular" (Nafees Web in
fonts-nafees package) as default font for all font families (SansSerif,
Serif...except mono) used in Ubuntu.

I would like to ask, if language-selector is able to set specific
keyboard layout for Urdu for 1st time?

Please Shabbir:
Could you write here the best setting for Urdu Fonts (Using "Tweak Tool": Scale Factor, Hinting, Anitaliasing, Size)?

** Affects: fontconfig
     Importance: Wishlist
         Status: Confirmed

** Affects: fonts-nafees (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Medium
     Assignee: Gunnar Hjalmarsson (gunnarhj)
         Status: In Progress

** Affects: fonts-nafees (Debian)
     Importance: Unknown
         Status: New

** Tags: patch rtl urdu
--
[FFe] Urdu with better support:  Default Fonts
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1153188
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu-pk, which is subscribed to the bug report.

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On 2014-04-01 22:25, Aamir Shahzad wrote:
> I think it is a good idea to include NafeesNastaleeq.ttf or better to
> use Jameel Noori Nastaleeq font or similar font.

Thanks for your comment!

Could you please read comment #44 in this bug report:
https://launchpad.net/bugs/1153188

It would be great if you could test the version of the fonts-nafees package in my PPA and let us know if it makes Nafees Nastaleeq be used when you for instance browse an Urdu web page.

As far as I know, Jameel Noori Nastaleeq is not packaged for Ubuntu, so it's too late to include it in Ubuntu 14.04.

The Jameel Noori Nastaleeq has the following comment as a license:
This Font Is Free Of Charge For Urdu Lovers

Are we sure it can be included in Ubuntu this way? What about commercial usage?

@Yaron: I don't know if it would be possible to include Jameel Noori Nastaleeq in Ubuntu. And that's not what we are about to do right now; it's Nafees Nastaleeq that may be added to the fonts-nafees package in Ubuntu 14.04.

Any chance that you can test the fonts-nafees package in my PPA?

@Gunnar Hjalmarsson:
Sure, I have Ubuntu 12.04 and I can only understand the Arabic letters but not read fluently in Urdu so you'll have to send me screenshots so I can confirm what I'm seeing.

Thanks!

@Yaron: Aha, I jumped to conclusions. ;-) In that case it's not necessary, but thanks for offering!

Is there any Urdu speaking user out there who runs 14.04 and is willing to test the fonts-nafees package in my PPA?

I can test it

-----Original Message-----
From: "Yaron" <email address hidden>
Sent: ‎2/‎04/‎2014 12:16
To: "<email address hidden>" <email address hidden>
Subject: [Ubuntu-pk] [Bug 1153188] Re: [FFe] Urdu with better support: DefaultFonts

@Gunnar Hjalmarsson:
Sure, I have Ubuntu 12.04 and I can only understand the Arabic letters but not read fluently in Urdu so you'll have to send me screenshots so I can confirm what I'm seeing.

Thanks!

--
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu-
pk, which is subscribed to the bug report.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1153188

Title:
  [FFe] Urdu with better support: Default Fonts

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/fontconfig/+bug/1153188/+subscriptions

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@gunnar I am urdu speaking user who can install 14.04

-----Original Message-----
From: "Gunnar Hjalmarsson" <email address hidden>
Sent: ‎2/‎04/‎2014 16:05
To: "<email address hidden>" <email address hidden>
Subject: [Ubuntu-pk] [Bug 1153188] Re: [FFe] Urdu with better support: DefaultFonts

@Yaron: Aha, I jumped to conclusions. ;-) In that case it's not
necessary, but thanks for offering!

Is there any Urdu speaking user out there who runs 14.04 and is willing
to test the fonts-nafees package in my PPA?

--
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu-
pk, which is subscribed to the bug report.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1153188

Title:
  [FFe] Urdu with better support: Default Fonts

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/fontconfig/+bug/1153188/+subscriptions

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Excellent, isythica!

Then can you please install the fonts-nafees package from my PPA at https://launchpad.net/~gunnarhj/+archive/misc and let us know if it makes the Nastaleeq font be used when you for example browse Urdu web pages?

Hi,

I am also an Urdu speaker, I can test it once I know how to install Ubuntu on Hyper-V.

Regards,
Muhammad Mamoor Khan,
Skype: mamoorkhan,
email: <email address hidden>

From: Gunnar Hjalmarsson
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎April‎ ‎2‎, ‎2014 ‎7‎:‎27‎ ‎PM
To: <email address hidden>

Excellent, isythica!

Then can you please install the fonts-nafees package from my PPA at
https://launchpad.net/~gunnarhj/+archive/misc and let us know if it
makes the Nastaleeq font be used when you for example browse Urdu web
pages?

--
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu-
pk, which is subscribed to the bug report.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1153188

Title:
  [FFe] Urdu with better support: Default Fonts

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/fontconfig/+bug/1153188/+subscriptions

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On 2014-04-03 13:28, Muhammad Mamoor Khan wrote:
> I am also an Urdu speaker, I can test it once I know how to install
> Ubuntu on Hyper-V.

Thanks, it would be valuable.

@mamoorkhan, @isythica, if there are any questions on how to install Ubuntu 14.04, please ask.

I am also testing it today and will report back.

How can I install dual boot Ubuntu on my Lenovo G500 without effecting my Windows 8.1 installation, that came pre-installed with Windows 8 single language edition but upgraded to Windows 8.1 Professional edition using the key I got from MSDN.

Regards,
Muhammad Mamoor Khan,
Skype: mamoorkhan,
email: <email address hidden>

From: Shahar Or
Sent: ‎Saturday‎, ‎April‎ ‎5‎, ‎2014 ‎10‎:‎39‎ ‎PM
To: <email address hidden>

@mamoorkhan, @isythica, if there are any questions on how to install
Ubuntu 14.04, please ask.

--
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu-
pk, which is subscribed to the bug report.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1153188

Title:
  [FFe] Urdu with better support: Default Fonts

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/fontconfig/+bug/1153188/+subscriptions

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@mamoor, my skype id is s3219080190. lets discuss ubuntu installation there...

Hi Mamoor

You can right away install Ubuntu using a usb, procedure and tool to make a
boot able USB Ubuntu installer is available at
http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows,
Ubuntu installer will automatically recognize existing OS such as Win 7 or
8, after installation it will ask on start up which OS you want to use.

PS this mail thread is related to Urdu Font, please consider either using
appropriate thread or creating a new one :).

Regards
Mian Muhammad Mubasher
about me <http://about.me/mian.muhammad.mubasher>

On Sun, Apr 6, 2014 at 3:56 PM, <email address hidden> wrote:

> How can I install dual boot Ubuntu on my Lenovo G500 without effecting
> my Windows 8.1 installation, that came pre-installed with Windows 8 single
> language edition but upgraded to Windows 8.1 Professional edition using the
> key I got from MSDN.
>
> Regards,
> Muhammad Mamoor Khan,
> Skype: mamoorkhan,
> email: <email address hidden>
>
> *From:* Shahar Or <email address hidden>
> *Sent:* Saturday, April 5, 2014 10:39 PM
> *To:* <email address hidden>
>
> @mamoorkhan, @isythica, if there are any questions on how to install
> Ubuntu 14.04, please ask.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu-
> pk, which is subscribed to the bug report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1153188
>
> Title:
> [FFe] Urdu with better support: Default Fonts
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/fontconfig/+bug/1153188/+subscriptions
>
> _______________________________________________
> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-pk
> Post to : <email address hidden>
> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-pk
> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>
> _______________________________________________
> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-pk
> Post to : <email address hidden>
> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-pk
> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>
>

As Salamu Alaikum

@mamoor & @others I have a lenovo Z500 and you may have a problem with any
installation other than windows. All these new laptops come with secure
boot which refuse any install even on VM's. Only way to bypass that is to
turn it off in the BIOS. Of Course if your pc doesn't have it then ignore
this message.

Zubair

On Sun, Apr 6, 2014 at 4:03 PM, Shabbir Ahmed <email address hidden> wrote:

> @mamoor, my skype id is s3219080190. lets discuss ubuntu installation
> there...
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu-
> pk, which is subscribed to the bug report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1153188
>
> Title:
> [FFe] Urdu with better support: Default Fonts
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/fontconfig/+bug/1153188/+subscriptions
>
> _______________________________________________
> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-pk
> Post to : <email address hidden>
> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-pk
> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>

Hi Gunnar,

I did a fresh install of 14.04-beta2 and your package. Everything works as expected. I am attaching pdf on ur.wikipedia.org as displayed in firefox.

Best regards,
Imran
P.S. The configuration will not be used by Chrome as it does not pass language info to fontconfig, a known behavior of Chrome.

Here is the actual screenshot. In my previous comment I attached the pdf I got by 'print to file' option in firefox.

On 2014-04-07 10:44, Imran Rauf wrote:
> I did a fresh install of 14.04-beta2 and your package. Everything
> works as expected.

Thanks a lot for testing and confirming that it works! Then 14.04 will likely be shipped with a decent default font configuration for Urdu. :)

Beautyful!

This bug was fixed in the package fonts-nafees - 1.2-5ubuntu1

---------------
fonts-nafees (1.2-5ubuntu1) trusty; urgency=low

  [ Gunnar Hjalmarsson ]
  * debian/extras/NafeesNastaleeq.ttf:
    - Nafees Nastaleeq added.
  * debian/patches/fontconfig-recipe.patch:
    - Make Nafees Nastaleeq the preferred font for Urdu (LP: #1153188).

  [ Iain Lane ]
  * Add Nastaleeq license to d/copyright
 -- Gunnar Hjalmarsson <email address hidden> Mon, 07 Apr 2014 11:57:49 +0100