Hi All,
I'm looking for a ROM which can support indian languages. I'm even watching google android forum. They didnt released any support towards indian languages. However, I found a work around with DroidSansFallback.ttf file. This is not rendering fully like how it will render in my system.
Can our ROM gurus include indian language support in terms of rendering & locale (I can support them for translation).
i've attached font which I'm using in my mobile. You need to replace this file with /system/fonts folder. You must have ROOT access.
Using command prompt:
adb remount
adb push DroidSansFallback.ttf /system/fonts
font must be located in the same folder
or you can replace with root explorer
then reboot your device
19-May-2011:
Finally i can able to get menu in Telugu language. I just converted 2% menu and it is working fine (only rendering issues are there). I'll try to finish convert whole menu in Telugu by this weekend .
23-May-2011:
I've added some more telugu translation based on rendering capabilities of Android. Finally decided to recompile code with harfbuzz but still looking help from a kernel compilers
19-July-2012
Good news that now Jelly Bean can render text properly in browser but still interface level rendering for Indian Languages not yet supported
PS: I'm really happy who can compile kernel with indic support .
I get this message;
you cannot paste here because the file system is read-only.
i am using root explorer
hnkumar said:
Hi All,
I'm looking for a ROM which can support indian languages. I'm even watching google android forum. They didnt released any support towards indian languages. However, I found a work around with DroidSansFallback.ttf file. This is not rendering fully like how it will render in my system.
Can our ROM gurus include indian language support in terms of rendering & locale (I can support them for translation).
i've attached font which I'm using in my mobile. You need to replace this file with /system/fonts folder. You must have ROOT access.
Using command prompt:
adb remount
adb push DroidSansFallback.ttf /system/fonts
font must be located in the same folder
or you can replace with root explorer
then reboot your device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
itsme_4ucz said:
I get this message;
you cannot paste here because the file system is read-only.
i am using root explorer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
use such nice one button in right up corner to mount system partition before u paste in Root Explorer.
Krzysiec said:
use such nice one button in right up corner to mount system partition before u paste in Root Explorer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yup.. it sounds simple.. but for some people it dossnt work..
even i had the same problem .. you need to download a free app from the market called mount system r/w .. and then from the app just mount the system R/W and then you will be able to copy/paste..
wait i'll just upload it in a second
ok attached the app mount system r/w .. as its free in the market i dont think its against the laws to add it here
and if you want to say thanks there is a thanks button
update
Finally i can able to get menu in Telugu language. I just converted 2% menu and it is working fine (only rendering issues are there). I'll try to finish convert whole menu in Telugu by this weekend .
I'll publish framework-res.apk by end of this week which is belongs to MDJ's Cyanogenmod v1.4
Don't compliant about rendering, i'm seeking help from kernel developers
Update - 23rd May 2011
Added few screenshots of telugu menu . Will add some more screen by end of this week (most probably, i'll complete telugu translation).
I can't figure out if this is a Question thread, or if you're developing something...
NeoS2007 said:
I can't figure out if this is a Question thread, or if you're developing something...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Neo,
this is not a question thread, I'm developing for my own mother language menu based on CM7 (at present). Ofcourse also I'm looking at some kernel developers, who can compile existing kernel (CM7 or HTC or Ultradroid) with Harfbuzz so indic languages also can render properly.
Wants to release ROM with proper telugu translation. It is just a first step to have a translation for Telugu. 2nd step is sorting out rendering issues with the help our kernel gurus.
Any plan to work on hindi language support?
Thanks....It's useful for some people..
amresh said:
Any plan to work on hindi language support?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Amresh, I'm not so good in Hindi. What I'm doing is preparing a master list of translation document. If anybody can help me to translate the whole thing into Hindi then I can able to support Hindi too .
Also, you must understand that still we are struggling for indic support . So rendering may not be proper .
hnkumar said:
Amresh, I'm not so good in Hindi. What I'm doing is preparing a master list of translation document. If anybody can help me to translate the whole thing into Hindi then I can able to support Hindi too .
Also, you must understand that still we are struggling for indic support . So rendering may not be proper .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem. Let me know if I can help in anyways for hindi support. I will try my best.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA Premium App
Hi there guys.
Nice to know that I am not the only person interested in l18n of android. Do we have a separate forum / thread etc. where such things are discussed?
What the OP is trying to do is to "translate the UI", have I got you right?
But alongside that, we need proper fonts ( I guess the fonts are already there - Droidsansfallback posted by sridhar in some other thread - need to test it)m, AND rendering.
I just reading up on the whole thing, and just found that harfbuzz, a derivative / conjugate of pango is handling CTL (complex text layout) for other scripts. I would like to see CTL enabled by default in all apps ROMs. AFAICT, support for each script in Pango was modular, and it ought to be same way in harfbuzz too. This means developers are probably enabling modules only for the languages they are interested in. Probably, it is perceived that demand for support for Indic languages is not there?
BTW, on Linux desktop, CTL rendering is not in the Kernel - it is in the X applications.
amresh said:
Any plan to work on hindi language support?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have Hindi working but no other languages.
Your phone must be rooted
I have attached a zip file.
Extract 2 fonts files from the zip and put them in System/fonts via root explorer
You may be asked to replace some file, just say yes.
reboot your phone
this should do it, that all i had to do.
Dev
genieass said:
Hi there guys.
Nice to know that I am not the only person interested in l18n of android. Do we have a separate forum / thread etc. where such things are discussed?
What the OP is trying to do is to "translate the UI", have I got you right?
But alongside that, we need proper fonts ( I guess the fonts are already there - Droidsansfallback posted by sridhar in some other thread - need to test it)m, AND rendering.
I just reading up on the whole thing, and just found that harfbuzz, a derivative / conjugate of pango is handling CTL (complex text layout) for other scripts. I would like to see CTL enabled by default in all apps ROMs. AFAICT, support for each script in Pango was modular, and it ought to be same way in harfbuzz too. This means developers are probably enabling modules only for the languages they are interested in. Probably, it is perceived that demand for support for Indic languages is not there?
BTW, on Linux desktop, CTL rendering is not in the Kernel - it is in the X applications.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Geineass - It is not just "translate the UI". It is proper rendering system for Indic languages. I don't know about Linux but in Android most of the system rendering use base rendering system. By tweaking a small part of rending system, can show proper rendering whole system. Due to some personal reasons, I couldn't able to work on this. Rendering engineers can help us here. I agree in most of the forums that most of "Indian" engineers works in Android / Iphone / Symbian / other systems but we are not promoting Indic languages .
I also agree that "Indians" can easily adopt / understand "English"
genieass said:
Hi there guys.
Nice to know that I am not the only person interested in l18n of android. Do we have a separate forum / thread etc. where such things are discussed?
What the OP is trying to do is to "translate the UI", have I got you right?
But alongside that, we need proper fonts ( I guess the fonts are already there - Droidsansfallback posted by sridhar in some other thread - need to test it)m, AND rendering.
I just reading up on the whole thing, and just found that harfbuzz, a derivative / conjugate of pango is handling CTL (complex text layout) for other scripts. I would like to see CTL enabled by default in all apps ROMs. AFAICT, support for each script in Pango was modular, and it ought to be same way in harfbuzz too. This means developers are probably enabling modules only for the languages they are interested in. Probably, it is perceived that demand for support for Indic languages is not there?
BTW, on Linux desktop, CTL rendering is not in the Kernel - it is in the X applications.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
rohitbaba said:
I have Hindi working but no other languages.
Your phone must be rooted
I have attached a zip file.
Extract 2 fonts files from the zip and put them in System/fonts via root explorer
You may be asked to replace some file, just say yes.
reboot your phone
this should do it, that all i had to do.
Dev
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rohitbaba - It support other languages but it won't render properly. I'm sure it won't render Hindi properly . I've replaced fonts and living with that .
hnkumar said:
Geineass - It is not just "translate the UI". It is proper rendering system for Indic languages.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice to meet you.
I have worked closely with Indic rendering teams on Linux. I know the difference. Mostly, my role was fixing the bridge between the Unicode standards and developers.
I don't know about Linux but in Android most of the system rendering use base rendering system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which precisely explains why Indic does not work. What that does not explain is why Arabic and Hebrew and other languages work. At least on my 5570, when it was running stock froyo, 2.2.1, it had the Koran preinstalled. AFAICT, on linux, these scripts use pango (on gtk). Or native kdelibs on kde.
By tweaking a small part of rending system, can show proper rendering whole system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The work is pretty complex. (and I am addressing anybody else wishing to work on this. )
My limitation is that I cannot tell C code from java code. But I can tell you that if Android is reusing the linux ecosystem ( heard Harfbuzz mentioned on one of the SE threads), what needs to be done is simply port the relevant rendering engine to Android.
And things are not too easy. Each Indic language may require a separate module. Or same module will require separate code (as in lines of code) for each Language. And fonts will have to use Opentype layout, or use the conjuncts in Private Use Area.
[/QUOTE] Due to some personal reasons, I couldn't able to work on this. Rendering engineers can help us here. I agree in most of the forums that most of "Indian" engineers works in Android / Iphone / Symbian / other systems but we are not promoting Indic languages .[/QUOTE]
People working on the systems you mentioned above are working for their employers, not for the love of the platform or freedom. Do not blame them. :-(
I also agree that "Indians" can easily adopt / understand "English"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No offence meant, that is what I thought up to 20 years back. Then I started working. For past 5 years, been in govt. service. And my experience is that yes, people understand English well, but when it comes to expressing in English, people are not too well. ( hope you get the sarcasm).
genieass said:
Nice to meet you.
I have worked closely with Indic rendering teams on Linux. I know the difference. Mostly, my role was fixing the bridge between the Unicode standards and developers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice to meet you too. Happy that one expert starting sharing thoughts with me. May be we can work closely on this. What do you say? This weekend is long weekend, I can spend some time. Problem is I'm not Java coder, so I need to take help of some Java codes (my brother can do).
Which precisely explains why Indic does not work. What that does not explain is why Arabic and Hebrew and other languages work. At least on my 5570, when it was running stock froyo, 2.2.1, it had the Koran preinstalled. AFAICT, on linux, these scripts use pango (on gtk). Or native kdelibs on kde.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, I found that Arabic and Herbew they have changed somelibs. Here also, I dont know how to compile libs.
The work is pretty complex. (and I am addressing anybody else wishing to work on this. )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it is complex.
My limitation is that I cannot tell C code from java code. But I can tell you that if Android is reusing the linux ecosystem ( heard Harfbuzz mentioned on one of the SE threads), what needs to be done is simply port the relevant rendering engine to Android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I found in Android source code only they have Indic support. But they are not using that. I dont know the reason. I found this few weeks back.
And things are not too easy. Each Indic language may require a separate module. Or same module will require separate code (as in lines of code) for each Language. And fonts will have to use Opentype layout, or use the conjuncts in Private Use Area.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya, I downloaded Unicode for each language. However, I can only try with Telugu as I can understand whether it is rendering properly or not. If you help me then I can try for that.
People working on the systems you mentioned above are working for their employers, not for the love of the platform or freedom. Do not blame them. :-(
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, but at least they can influence. If they have good experience like these kind of forums they can support other users
No offence meant, that is what I thought up to 20 years back. Then I started working. For past 5 years, been in govt. service. And my experience is that yes, people understand English well, but when it comes to expressing in English, people are not too well. ( hope you get the sarcasm).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I can understand .
Why dont you keep in touch with me over email?
hnkumar said:
Yup, I found that Arabic and Herbew they have changed somelibs. Here also, I dont know how to compile libs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do they use for text shaping?
Yes, it is complex.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I suggest you go through the Harfbuzz source code to find how they do it.
Find the tree here :-
http://cgit.freedesktop.org/harfbuzz/tree/
In particular:-
http://cgit.freedesktop.org/harfbuzz/tree/src/hb-ot-shape-complex-indic.cc
I found in Android source code only they have Indic support. But they are not using that. I dont know the reason. I found this few weeks back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In which case, all that may be required are a few compile / runtime switches or some "INCLUDE <blabla.h> directive somewhere???
"switches" as in "make ---with-indic-support-enabled". Hope you get the idea.
We had to do a 2 month war with the Debian team to have pango / indic support enabled by default in Mozilla (a that time).
Ya, I downloaded Unicode for each language. However, I can only try with Telugu as I can understand whether it is rendering properly or not. If you help me then I can try for that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me see what I can do. But, i do not know any Telegu - apart from imitating NTR in school for some fancy dress competition. <lol> Remember NTR?
Why dont you keep in touch with me over email?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See my pm.
Edit:- Android does use Harfbuzz. See this link:-
http://android.git.kernel.org/?p=platform/external/harfbuzz.git;a=summary
This is the thread I've been looking for a long time.
Three things first - 1. I've yet to get reply on my post in official bug report for android.
2. I've heard that Honeycomb 3.1 renders Indic text perfectly.
3. Samsung Galaxy Pro renders Hindi flawlessly in stock browser, which means whatever framework is needed to render is there and working.
I am not much of help in terms of coding as my coding skills began at GW BASIC and ended at VB4.0 :/ Though I can help in getting translation done in Punjabi/Hindi.
PS: Subscribed to the thread.
PPS: This is how Hindi text renders perfectly in a mid range Samsung Galaxy Pro
Hi,
I already read about the option to remap some keys by editing the keyboard layout file. Is it also possible to switch between keyboard layouts as you type (using a hotkey) - e.g. I need to be able to quickly change between Cyrilic and Latin keyboards.
Thanks.
I think you're talking about hardware keyboard.... But keyboard apps like swiftkey allow for 3 allow for 3 languages simultaneously.
Sent from my ICS Splashed MT4GS using xda premium
Oops haha double post
Hi indeed, I was talking about the hardware keyboard, if it is not possible to use both cyrillic & latin keys and quickly switch between them, this would decrease the benefit of the keyboard for me and I might decide to go with a non qwerty phone in the end.
Thanks for you insight though.
nickexel said:
Hi indeed, I was talking about the hardware keyboard, if it is not possible to use both cyrillic & latin keys and quickly switch between them, this would decrease the benefit of the keyboard for me and I might decide to go with a non qwerty phone in the end.
Thanks for you insight though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In this dev thread: Hardware Key Mapping | Flashable zips & Requests
...user Paitor has come up with and explained how to implement swedish language support for the hardware keyboard.
Given what Paitor has figured out how to do, it is absolutely within our ability to sit down and make exactly what you are asking.
All it takes is someone willing to sit down and invest the time into actually making it happen.
I would volunteer, but I have a lot on my plate already and realistically it's just not feasable for me to do this and keep up with my other projects on this device.
I will however be willing to take a finished keymapping and turn it into a flashable zip file and update the first posting of the key mapping thread with the result.
(and I always credit the author both in the installer package and thread post)
We still have to write in hardware keyboard language support for other languages, and I invite anyone else who wants to use alternative languages to read that thread and see about putting some time into helping us make that available for everyone. What you want to do is not exactly a small project, but pushing what we know to the next level is the reason for XDA's existence.
So, short answer is yes, what you are asking for is completely possible - you can make a key map file that has all of the keys in the languages you would want.
This is XDA, where you can get exactly what you need right down to the last little detail - if you want to put the time into making it happen. We'll be glad to help out where we can along the way.
--------
Edit:
If I were to tackle this project - this would be my approach:
Some apps, like Drocap2 or soundhound, pop up in the list when you have the Genius key remapped to 'search' and long press it. If there is nothing else that utilizes this shortcut function it will default to the only app that does ( in the case of a stock installation or on my ROM, voice search ).
So what I would do is write in each hardware keyboard layout that I wanted, then design an app that utilizes that Genius shortcut function to run - and the sole purpose of the app would be to switch between hardware keyboard layouts.
To me, that seems like the most elegant and refined approach to your problem without making one monstrously cumbersome key-mapping.
You could just press the Genius button to access the app wherever you happened to be, and then have it just show a menu as an overlay to swap between whatever keymappings you wrote in.
--------
My time is being invested in my ROM - then once that's set to my satisfaction, on to kernel work on overclock/undervolt leading into GPU work in conjunction with TV-out, and then on to bluetooth work for controller support on a Sense device.
These are big projects and very time consuming undertakings, so as you can see a project like this keylayout issue is a long time coming before I can get to it - but i'm happy to help where I can for anyone who wants to dive in and do.
Figured i'd throw out what my approach would be to give someone an idea on where to start - and while certainly not the only solution, is something to consider.
I think I have very good news for you!
There's a keyboard called "AnySoftKeyboard" (search for it in the Market and click Dev Website if you want more info) which supports hard kbd mapping (and switching bet layouts by pressing Alt + Space), they have a Russian language pack (Cyrillic & Phonetic), and it is all free.
I have never used it, but remembered coming accross it a while back and decided to check it out for you.
Hope it works
Hey guys, thanks for your replies!
I will definitely check this application - i am not sure it supports all hardware keyboards in general (or just the g1/droid as written in the description), but I will give it a try if I get this phone
And yes, I will gladly help in creating a layout for a Bulgarian keyboard. Unfortunately I cannot create an application for switching between the layouts myself, as I am not a developer.
thanks again.
AnySoft does work
Got my phone and installed AnySoftKeyboard. It does allow for switching bet layouts on the MT4Gs, but does seem a bit quirky so far... (that's with Hebrew & English, you might want to experiment yourself)
Do any one has found a way to get the froyo (spell check for second language feature ?)
Or a way to change the spell checking from whatever language is in settings without having to go settings --> input --> spell check --> navigate trough list of languages ?
I tough of adding 140k french words and 100k Spanish words to the custom dict using UDM app but didn't work... the spell checker insist in using its own dict and ignore my custom.
This problem is magnified with the use of the bloody dock keyboard which was the single reason i bought the TF700 (which is on ebay for sale ATM)
I remember the times when Linux meant freedom and flexibility... JB is an Ugly unfinished IOs rip off (and that's in a good day)
Nazeroth said:
Do any one has found a way to get the froyo (spell check for second language feature ?)
Or a way to change the spell checking from whatever language is in settings without having to go settings --> input --> spell check --> navigate trough list of languages ?
I tough of adding 140k french words and 100k Spanish words to the custom dict using UDM app but didn't work... the spell checker insist in using its own dict and ignore my custom.
This problem is magnified with the use of the bloody dock keyboard which was the single reason i bought the TF700 (which is on ebay for sale ATM)
I remember the times when Linux meant freedom and flexibility... JB is an Ugly unfinished IOs rip off (and that's in a good day)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem your encountering is not a "JB" issue. Rather, it is the fact that the TF700 (and ASUS in general) uses a proprietary subsystem called XT9 (produced by a company called 'Nuance'). For this reason, we cannot create new keyboard layouts nor add more languages. I've been investigating this in my spare time and, though there are some hacks you can do for some modified functionality, the extent you are wanting requires information that is just not available.
Hope this at least gives you a better idea of what the problem is.
Alien, thanks for your reply,
Maybe some of my problems come from the TF but the second language spell check is a feature last since ICS, that was the reason I sold my SG3 after three days.
I use a qwerty layout on all my hardware and my Desire HD2 for example is set to English and second language French.
I still miss spanish but it being my mother language i tend not make many mistakes on it.
There is a Bug report for Android about it http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=22707
The problem is that they split the system Spell checker and now we realy a lot on the keyboard used and its suggestions, evidently that magnifies the problem on a Docked Asus TF but it is general to Android.
I think sadly that this is going the wrong way, like the bar not being hidable, or the gmail app not allowing to remove the conversation view... Google is trying to force on users theyir way of what is better for you just as Apple does.
even more Sadly Ubuntu and Unity are taking the same path. (I.E Unity top bar cant be hidden, at least they had the tought of putting it on top, as on android every time i try the OSK on the asus instead of space i hit the bar andallmywordslooklikethis)).
Nazeroth said:
Alien, thanks for your reply,
Maybe some of my problems come from the TF but the second language spell check is a feature last since ICS, that was the reason I sold my SG3 after three days.
I use a qwerty layout on all my hardware and my Desire HD2 for example is set to English and second language French.
I still miss spanish but it being my mother language i tend not make many mistakes on it.
There is a Bug report for Android about it http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=22707
The problem is that they split the system Spell checker and now we realy a lot on the keyboard used and its suggestions, evidently that magnifies the problem on a Docked Asus TF but it is general to Android.
I think sadly that this is going the wrong way, like the bar not being hidable, or the gmail app not allowing to remove the conversation view... Google is trying to force on users theyir way of what is better for you just as Apple does.
even more Sadly Ubuntu and Unity are taking the same path. (I.E Unity top bar cant be hidden, at least they had the tought of putting it on top, as on android every time i try the OSK on the asus instead of space i hit the bar andallmywordslooklikethis)).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand your meaning as I am multilingual myself and Android isn't as versatile as I would like. I'm merely saying that everything that is entered via the dock on your TF700 is handled by the subsystem and not by Android directly. Anything that is entered via "ASUS Keyboard" is available for spell-check in the keyboard language that is selected. Just try opening SuperNote and typing in something like "Eu sou um americano Je suis un américain Yo soy un americano Ich bin eine Amerikaner" then setup your ASUS Keyboard for French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German. While in Supernote, press Left-Control+Left-Shift to bring up the keyboard list, and select a different language. When you change the contents (like add a space at the end) you can see it reparse everything and highlight words that are not known in the selected keyboard language. It's not 100% perfect but it should at least give you a bit of flexibility.
Edit: For clarification, no I don't speak/write in French, German, or Spanish. They were just thrown in for elaborating the test.
Thanks Alien, didn't knew about the CTRL ALT thing, however I did the rational thing... Sold the Asus and got an Ipad after all i only need to do note taking on the go, boor reader and emails and sadly the bloody ipad handles those very well...
BTW: I had removed Super notes after it crashed on me and made me loose a lot of text i had entered, i was using another note app free from the market that did less but did well.
I dont know if im getting older or what but my frustration trying to get the most of my screen while reading books and coherent margins and stuff while my wife laugthed at me reading the same book from her ipad got to me.
Now trying to jailbreak the thing so i can brick it lol...
PS: With a BT apple KB, command space swaps the language im writing in seamless like with the on screen keyboard and the spell check works, thou auto caps not...
I'm a college student. My minor is in Biblical languages. This being the case I write and read and study languages that have not been used in a very long time. Koine Greek and Ancient Hebrew are the two languages I am most concerned about getting to work properly on my phone. The problem is that modern Greek and Hebrew have different letters than their ancient counterparts and the ancient characters are not supported by Android (except on a few apps that apparently supply their own fonts).
All these characters are supported natively by Microsoft and Apple and Linux, and I do believe that my friends on the iPhone also have them supported. Does anyone know how I would go about adding support for these characters on my phone, so that I can read them in various apps (email, facebook, twitter, Youversion, etc)
I've heard question like this a couple times, but it was more for adding unsupported languages (German, Croatian etc) but the answer was generally to ask your rom developers to add them. I'm not sure how the lettering is handled on the software level, but there are obviously languages that are very unusual that are supported, so I think it's just a matter of having the developer's add them. And judging from some glimpses at the commits on Github for adding languages it seems a pretty straightforward process. If you're on all stock, them I'm unsure as to how you would implement them
Running the latest Liquid Smooth ROM (although it's getting on my nerves and I am thinking of reverting back to the previous one). I've got the ROM Toolbox app which has a font adding function, which is why I first even thought about posing this question, but it looks like that just adds more fonts to change from the settings for the system font.