FAQ

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1. Why do I see only boxes when I type Kannada using Brahmi WP on Linux?

When you install Brahmi, Sampige.ttf is not yet available to the JRE. Execute the following commands to see Kannada characters.

Go to Java's font directory

cd $JAVA_HOME/jre/lib/fonts

Note: $JAVA_HOME should be set when you install JDK or JRE

Take a backup of existing fonts.dir file

cp fonts.dir fonts.dir.original

Create new fonts.dir file by executing the following commands

ttmkfdir -m 60 -o fonts.scale
mkfontdir

2. Can we use OpenType fonts shipped with Windows XP instead of Sampige.ttf?

Below are the Windows XP's OpenType font names for six of the major Indian Languages

Devanagari: Mangal
Kannada : Tunga
Tamil : Latha
Telugu : Gautami
Gurumukhi : Raavi
Gujarathi : Shruti

On Windows do the following

Install the above listed fonts and also copy them to %JAVA_HOME%/jre/lib/fonts directory

Backup existing font.properties to font.properties.original

Copy font.properties.iisc.windows2.0 to font.properties

On Linux do the following

Copy the above listed fonts to $JAVA_HOME/jre/lib/fonts directory

Go to Java's font directory

cd $JAVA_HOME/jre/lib/fonts

Note: $JAVA_HOME should be set when you install JDK or JRE

Take a backup of existing fonts.dir file

cp fonts.dir fonts.dir.original

Create new fonts.dir file by executing the following commands

ttmkfdir -m 60 -o fonts.scale
mkfontdir

3. What are the differences between Tunga.ttf and Sampige.ttf?

. Sampige.ttf is first Kannada OpenType Font to be released under GPL.

. At very small point sizes the glyphs in Sampige.ttf are not very clearly displayed. 

. Some extra glyphs corresponding to special characters are included in Tunga.ttf, which are not included in Sampige.ttf

4. What does the Future release of Sampige.ttf contain?

. Recognize and substitute single glyphs for second level consonant conjuncts such as in the Kannada word "Stree".

. Display Independent half-forms by recognizing the Zero Width Joiner (U+200D). This is an extension of rendering rule specified in Unicode Standards for Devanagari.

. Implement Kannada Ganaka Parishath (KGP) proposed Unicode characters by

. Displaying Independent "Arkavattu"

. Supporting Unicode characters proposed by KGP for Kannada punctuation marks

Note: Every release of the OpenType font Sampige.ttf,  would be accompanied with an Input Method that supports the newly added features

5. When are the Input Methods for other Indian languages going to be released?

Input Methods for other Indian languages would be released as and when the OpenType fonts for those languages are released. Mean while, IBM's indicim.jar can be used, which can be found in IBM's JDK version 1.3 for Linux.

6. Are the input methods in indicim.jar and input methods in Brahmi same? 

No.

7. What components does Brahmi WP need?

1. BrahmiKannadaIM.jar

2. Sampige.ttf

3. font.properties

8. Can we use BrahmiKannadaIM.jar and Sampige.ttf in other Java2 applications?

Yes. When the Brahmi.jar is run for the first time, the necessary components are installed. These components are available to other Java2 applications as well.

9. Under what license Brahmi is released?

Brahmi is released under GNU Public License.

10. Deletion/Backspace using Sampige and Tunga.

. Microsoft applications on Microsoft XP

When the caret is before a character with a half form associated with it, and Delete is pressed, the entire character and the associated half form are removed from the document.

After Delete key is pressed.

When the caret is after a character with a half form associated with it, and Backspace is pressed, the character immediately to the left of the caret is removed from the document.

After Backspace is pressed

. Brahmi on Java 1.4

When the caret is before a character with a half form associated with it, and Delete is pressed, the character immediately to the right of the caret is removed from the document.

After Delete key is pressed

When the caret is immediately after consonant-with-half-form, and Backspace is pressed, the character immediately to the left of the caret is removed from the document.

After Backspace is pressed

When the caret is between the consonant and the half form in a consonant-consonant (CC) combination, and Backspace is pressed, the base consonant of the CC combination is removed from the document.

After Backspace is pressed