EZ Arabic feature

[Johnny]

Hi all,


I am interested to know what would be the best feature to work on next. What does everyone think?

[qubodup]

I would like if the app would use open source languages/libraries, realbasic is non-free, so it is kind of hard for linux-ers to compile the app on their own.
Unfortunately, I suspect that investing time in this might be of little use. I assume that most users of this tool are windows users and that re-writing it would not create many new interested users. I hope that I am wrong though. :)

If switching might be considered: I discovered that one of the game-centered, OpenGL-based python libraries, Pyglet, supports UTF-8. There is no right-to-left text yet though. I don't understand if PyGame supports RtL.

As for features: I would like the word-guessing/learning game to be improved. More recorded words that use the letters should exist (multiple words per letter) and the different visual variations of each letter should be used as well, meaning that they should be shown at word start/middle/end/single. If the font system only allows showing a letter the way it looks connected, when it is actually connected, then either the letter that is important should be highlighted, or the unimportant should have the color of the background.

[Johnny]

What do you think about java? Maybe it would be good if it was in java, then it could possibly be embeded (to this site) or to phones.

If it was embedded to the site it would provide more evangelism oppertunities to witness to muslim folks that come to it to learn arabic for the quran.


what do you think?

[qubodup]

I think that using java is a good idea. This site demonstrates that Unicode works in Java (I can see Arabic letters in the second embedded applet by clicking on its lower half a few times). There are gazillions of Java 2D game engines and I can't even recommend one. I have red about GTGE more often than of others.

What is interesting: Can a windows user who has this 'arabic language pack' not installed still see the Arabic letters in a Java applet? If yes, it would be a great advantage, as potential users of EZ Arabic might find it inconvenient to install it or even do not have the permissions (or the required installation CD) to do so (students at school computers). The same users might not have the permission to download/execute exe files, so again a Java applet might be helpful to them.

However there might be users who have the language pack installed and will download .exe files but have not Java installed and won't install Java manually. I found an installing script that will install Java runtime and whatever you want to install on a Windows machine here. If you make use of this, the problem group of Java-not-installers should be eliminated. Perhaps there is no need for it even, you could wait for someone to ask for an .exe version.

[Johnny]

Hi,


I bought a book about making games in Java. I will start doing some tutorials. I have never done java, so it will be new to me, but the code seems pretty easy to learn.

I will let you know about if it works on windows without arabic tomorrow.

:)

[Johnny]

What about pygame?

[qubodup]

Following Java documentation link seems relevant for internationalizations in Java: http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/i18n/

I asked on irc.freenode.net#pygame and Pygame does not support right-to-left. olpcgames.pangofont apparently seems to extend PyGame with Pango, but incompletely.

I found another demo that shows java working. I am not sure if the letters are connected correctly though. Also the \Unicodecode inputting of letters seems inconvenient. If this is unavoidable (saving source files as UTF-8 should be able to handle it I think), then this converter might help.

[Johnny]

Hi,


I am trying to find a tutorial to get started on the basics. I have a book about java game programming, but have not yet been able to figure out where to get started...

Anywho, blessings to you.

On a random note: we had more visitors on the site from Russia than the US this last month. Weird eh? Usually it is US, Russia then China. This past month was Russia, US then China.

I certainly wouldn't mind seeing some Russian missionaries out in the middle east. I have never met one before. I have met quite a few Ukrainian brothers, but not any Russian ones.