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Scribus => Text and Typography => Topic started by: m s narayanan on July 09, 2017, 08:46:08 AM

Title: Tamil fonts
Post by: m s narayanan on July 09, 2017, 08:46:08 AM
Dear all
I am using 1.5.3 version.
I have created a document in Tamil language using open office.
I am unable to get this document in text frame. I converted the document to PDF and tried to get it in text or image frame.  The canvas shows small squares and not Tamil fonts.
Please help me.
M S Narayanan
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: Nermander on July 09, 2017, 08:56:53 AM
I do not know the solution, but why are you going the way by PDF? PDF is intended as an end format and not an intermediate format.

Scirbus can, as far as I know, import text directly from an Open Office Writer document.
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: m s narayanan on July 09, 2017, 09:42:09 AM
Dear sir
No problem in getting the English document into text frame.  The problem is that the Tamil fonts are supported by scribus.  Both English and Tamil document are open office documents.
Your help is needed to get the Tamil document in the text frame.  The canvas shows small squares instead of Tamil fonts.  Although while trying to edit story writer shows the Tamil fonts.

M S Narayanan
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: a.l.e on July 09, 2017, 12:30:13 PM
hi m s,

can you please share a snippet of your .ODT file and tell use which font you are using?

have fun
a.l.e
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: m s narayanan on July 09, 2017, 02:38:00 PM
dear ole
i am attaching a pdf document/
i have typed it in unicode - any tamil font
such as catamaran, saiindia etc., is sualso
also it is based on phonetic transliteration.

m s narayanan

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: utnik on July 09, 2017, 06:38:15 PM
hi narayanan

like nermander, i don't understand why you use a .pdf file.
but i can place your document in an image frame and the result looks fine in scribus and in the exported .pdf file. (just tested with scribus 1.4.6 and 1.5.3...)

utnik
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: m s narayanan on July 10, 2017, 02:59:06 AM
Dear utnik
I tried to send the document in odt format. But a message popped in saying that such formatted
Document cannot be posted. Hence PDF.
To overcome my problem as a temporary measure, can I create an image frame and get the PDF file directly.  I shall try though it is not a permanent solution.
M S Narayanan
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: utnik on July 10, 2017, 03:12:13 AM
hi narayanan

Quote from: m s narayanan on July 10, 2017, 02:59:06 AMI tried to send the document in odt format. But a message popped in saying that such formatted Document cannot be posted.

to attach an .odt file, you have to compress it as a .zip file. (and if we should be able to check it out, include the used font, as the problem could lie there...)

utnik
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: m s narayanan on July 10, 2017, 06:02:00 AM
dear mr utnik
as suggested i am attaching a zip file which is in tamil fonts.
the font i used in arial unicode ms.  it is phonetic transliteration.
for example, if i type "how are you" in english the same is
transliterated in tamil: ஹௌ ஆர் யு
k = க்  a = a (vowel) and k+a = க
hope these information are sufficient to test the problem at your
end.  in case you are successful in getting the document in
text frame, i would request you please to send the folder to
me for me to understand how to do it.

thanks

m s narayanan

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: m s narayanan on July 10, 2017, 06:10:08 AM
dearsir
i am sending the zip file again fearing that you may not be able
to open the zip file.

m s narayanan

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: utnik on July 10, 2017, 06:16:14 AM
hi narayanan

i could open both of your files, but as i don't have the font 'arial unicode ms', ican't check if it works for me. (that's why i suggested to include the font...)

utnik
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: m s narayanan on July 10, 2017, 07:18:44 AM
Dear utnik
Honestly I was under the impression that when browsed through the fonts one will be able to know the font's name. Please advise me as to how and where I could include the font. And it will be sent to you.
Sorry for giving trouble.
M S Narayanan
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: m s narayanan on July 10, 2017, 07:42:34 AM
dear sir
may i request to get the tamil fonts by web-searching
free tamil fonts - azhagi.

thanks

m s narayanan
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: a.l.e on July 10, 2017, 08:41:51 AM
dear sir m s

please have a look at the attached pdf and tell me if the text from the odt is rendered correctly.

i have created it with scribus 1.5.3 and used the catamaran font.
but i have no way to tell if what is rendered makes any sense. sorry.

greetings
a.l.e

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: m s narayanan on July 10, 2017, 08:59:06 AM
Dear a l e
Great! this is as per odt document.
Were you able to get the text to text frame. Please let me know the trick.  I have catamaran fonts, which was created by Oriya an year ago.
Please advise what I should do at my end.
Thanks
M S Narayanan
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: a.l.e on July 10, 2017, 10:06:35 AM
dear m s

you just have to make the font available to Scribus (and make sure you're using Scribus 1.5.3 or newer).

- you can install the font in the font manager you can find in the control panel or
- add the directory containing the unzipped font to the "additional paths" you can define in the font section of the scribus preferences (you will have to close all document in order to be able to add new paths).

oriya will be glad, that people are starting using his fonts with scribus!

ciao
a.l.e
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: m s narayanan on July 10, 2017, 10:29:09 AM
Dear a l e
I am unable to view your latest post.
I view only the message I have sent to you.

M S Narayanan
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: utnik on July 10, 2017, 12:26:16 PM
hi narayanan

Quote from: m s narayanan on July 10, 2017, 07:18:44 AM...I was under the impression that when browsed through the fonts one will be able to know the font's name.

i had no problem to find the name of the font – but i don't have it on my system and when i searched the web i found licensing fees around 190 € – too much for testing your problems...

utnik
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: m s narayanan on July 10, 2017, 01:41:27 PM
Dear o l e
I think you are restricted to advise me how did you
Succeed in getting the document to text frame.
Anyway, thanks a lot for your help and suggestions. I will put my head into this issue. By the bye I have uninstalled 1.5.3 instead installed 1.4.6
I also tried with catamaran. Though it works, the fonts are not the same as odt.
M S Narayanan
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: a.l.e on July 10, 2017, 01:58:25 PM
dear m s

i could not fully understand your latest post but:

- tamil scripts are only supported in scribus 1.5.3 and later. scribus 1.4.x cannot render your text correctly.

- you must use a font that support the tamil language *and* is good enough for scribus to use it.
  arial fonts might or not contain the glyphs you need and might or not be good enough for professional printing. sorry, i cannot judge.

- for having talked to oryia, i know that his font does work with scribus 1.5.3 and correctly renders tamils glyphs.
  if there are issues with it, you should fill a ticket in his github repository.

- sadly, i cannot read your language and i cannot judge about the differences between catamaran and arial.

- as far as i know, catamaran is the only free font correctly supporting the tamil language for print stuff, so i fear that the easy path is to use it for your documents.

have fun
a.l.e
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: m s narayanan on July 11, 2017, 05:32:06 AM
Dear a l e
I apologise to you for my earlier post. This was because I could not go to the second page.
From the web, I misunderstood that 1.5.3 is for testing and for developers. Now I reinstalled 1.5.3
I have also catamaran Tamil fonts.  I shall try and keep you informed.  Initial trial works partially good.  The fonts appearing in page is different from the fonts for text edit which is exactly like odt file.
Once again thanks for every thing.
M S Narayanan
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: a.l.e on July 11, 2017, 08:28:14 AM
1.5.3 is indeed a version that is meant for testing.

but if you take a bit of care it's usable.

and for languages like the tamil one you don't have the choice: the support has been added in 1.5.3.
you cannot use 1.4.3 for it.

again many thanks to our friends in oman who added the support for arabic and allowed scribus to support the indic languages, too!
Title: Re: Tamil fonts
Post by: m s narayanan on July 11, 2017, 09:46:16 AM
Dear a l e
I am very happy to inform you that I could get the document in Tamil to text frame.  It reads exactly same as the odt.  I also tried to export to PDF.  The result is very good.
My sincere thanks to you for so patiently guided me throughout. My thanks are also due to developers of catamaran fonts.
M S Narayanan