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+*arabic.txt* For Vim version 7.0aa. Last change: 2004 Jun 09
+
+
+ VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Nadim Shaikli
+
+
+Arabic Language support (options & mappings) for Vim *Arabic*
+
+{Vi does not have any of these commands}
+
+ *E800*
+In order to use right-to-left and Arabic mapping support, it is
+necessary to compile VIM with the |+arabic| feature.
+
+These functions have been created by Nadim Shaikli <nadim-at-arabeyes.org>
+
+It is best to view this file with these settings within VIM's GUI: >
+
+ :set encoding=utf-8
+ :set arabicshape
+
+
+Introduction
+------------
+Arabic is a rather demanding language in which a number of special
+features are required. Characters are right-to-left oriented and
+ought to appear as such on the screen (ie. from right to left).
+Arabic also requires shaping of its characters, meaning the same
+character has a different visual form based on its relative location
+within a word (initial, medial, final or stand-alone). Arabic also
+requires two different forms of combining and the ability, in
+certain instances, to either superimpose up to two characters on top
+of another (composing) or the actual substitution of two characters
+into one (combining). Lastly, to display Arabic properly one will
+require not only ISO-8859-6 (U+0600-U+06FF) fonts, but will also
+require Presentation Form-B (U+FE70-U+FEFF) fonts both of which are
+subsets within a so-called ISO-10646-1 font.
+
+The commands, prompts and help files are not in Arabic, therefore
+the user interface remains the standard Vi interface.
+
+
+Highlights
+----------
+o Editing left-to-right files as in the original VIM hasn't changed.
+
+o Viewing and editing files in right-to-left windows. File
+ orientation is per window, so it is possible to view the same
+ file in right-to-left and left-to-right modes, simultaneously.
+
+o No special terminal with right-to-left capabilities is required.
+ The right-to-left changes are completely hardware independent.
+ Only Arabic fonts are necessary.
+
+o Compatible with the original VIM. Almost all features work in
+ right-to-left mode (there are liable to be bugs).
+
+o Changing keyboard mapping and reverse insert modes using a single
+ command.
+
+o Toggling complete Arabic support via a single command.
+
+o While in Arabic mode, numbers are entered from left to right. Upon
+ entering a none number character, that character will be inserted
+ just into the left of the last number.
+
+o Arabic keymapping on the command line in reverse insert mode.
+
+o Proper Bidirectional functionality is possible given VIM is
+ started within a Bidi capable terminal emulator.
+
+
+Arabic Fonts *arabicfonts*
+------------
+
+VIM requires monospaced fonts of which there are many out there.
+Arabic requires ISO-8859-6 as well as Presentation Form-B fonts
+(without Form-B, Arabic will _NOT_ be usable). It is highly
+recommended that users search for so-called 'ISO-10646-1' fonts.
+Do an Internet search or check www.arabeyes.org for further
+info on where to attain the necessary Arabic fonts.
+
+
+Font Installation
+-----------------
+
+o Installation of fonts for X Window systems (Unix/Linux)
+
+ Depending on your system, copy your_ARABIC_FONT file into a
+ directory of your choice. Change to the directory containing
+ the Arabic fonts and execute the following commands:
+
+ % mkfontdir
+ % xset +fp path_name_of_arabic_fonts_directory
+
+
+Usage
+-----
+Prior to the actual usage of Arabic within VIM, a number of settings
+need to be accounted for and invoked.
+
+o Setting the Arabic fonts
+
+ + For VIM GUI set the 'guifont' to your_ARABIC_FONT. This is done
+ by entering the following command in the VIM window.
+>
+ :set guifont=your_ARABIC_FONT
+<
+ NOTE: the string 'your_ARABIC_FONT' is used to denote a complete
+ font name akin to that used in linux/unix system.
+ (eg. -misc-fixed-medium-r-normal--20-200-75-75-c-100-iso10646-1)
+
+ You can append the 'guifont' set command to your .vimrc file
+ in order to get the same above noted results. In other words,
+ you can include ':set guifont=your_ARABIC_FONT' to your .vimrc
+ file.
+
+ + Under the X Window environment, you can also start VIM with
+ '-fn your_ARABIC_FONT' option.
+
+o Setting the appropriate character Encoding
+ To enable the correct Arabic encoding the following command needs
+ to be appended,
+>
+ :set encoding=utf-8
+<
+ to your .vimrc file (entering the command manually into you VIM
+ window is highly discouraged). In short, include ':set
+ encoding=utf-8' to your .vimrc file.
+
+ Attempts to use Arabic without UTF-8 will result the following
+ warning message,
+
+ *W17* >
+ Arabic requires UTF-8, do ':set encoding=utf-8'
+
+o Enable Arabic settings [short-cut]
+
+ In order to simplify and streamline things, you can either invoke
+ VIM with the command-line option,
+
+ % vim -A my_utf8_arabic_file ...
+
+ or enable 'arabic' via the following command within VIM
+>
+ :set arabic
+<
+ The two above noted possible invocations are the preferred manner
+ in which users are instructed to proceed. Baring an enabled 'termbidi'
+ setting, both command options:
+
+ 1. set the appropriate keymap
+ 2. enable the deletion of a single combined pair character
+ 3. enable rightleft mode
+ 4. enable rightleftcmd mode (affecting the command-line)
+ 5. enable arabicshape mode (do visual character alterations)
+
+ You may also append the command to your .vimrc file and simply
+ include ':set arabic' to it.
+
+ You are also capable of disabling Arabic support via
+>
+ :set noarabic
+<
+ which resets everything that the command had enabled without touching
+ the global settings as they could affect other possible open buffers.
+ In short the 'noarabic' command,
+
+ 1. resets to the alternate keymap
+ 2. disables the deletion of a single combined pair character
+ 3. disables rightleft mode
+
+ NOTE: the 'arabic' command takes into consideration 'termbidi' for
+ possible external bi-directional (bidi) support from the
+ terminal ("mlterm" for instance offers such support).
+ 'termbidi', if available, is superior to rightleft support
+ and its support is preferred due to its level of offerings.
+ 'arabic' when 'termbidi' is enabled only sets the keymap.
+
+ If, on the other hand, you'd like to be verbose and explicit and
+ are opting not to use the 'arabic' short-cut command, here's what
+ is needed (ie. if you use ':set arabic' you can skip this section) -
+
+ + Arabic Keymapping Activation
+
+ To activate the Arabic keymap (ie. to remap your English/Latin
+ keyboard to look-n-feel like a standard Arabic one), set the
+ 'keymap' command to "arabic". This is done by entering
+>
+ :set keymap=arabic
+<
+ in your VIM window. You can also append the 'keymap' set command to
+ your .vimrc file. In other words, you can include ':set keymap=arabic'
+ to your .vimrc file.
+
+ To turn toggle (or switch) your keymapping between Arabic and the
+ default mapping (English), it is advised that users use the 'CTRL-^'
+ key press while in insert (or add/replace) mode. The command-line
+ will display your current mapping by displaying an "Arabic" string
+ next to your insertion mode (eg. -- INSERT Arabic --) indicating
+ your current keymap.
+
+ + Arabic deletion of a combined pair character
+
+ By default VIM has the 'delcombine' option disabled. This option
+ allows the deletion of ALEF in a LAM_ALEF (LAA) combined character
+ and still retain the LAM (ie. it reverts to treating the combined
+ character as its natural two characters form -- this also pertains
+ to harakat and their combined forms). You can enable this option
+ by entering
+>
+ :set delcombine
+<
+ in our VIM window. You can also append the 'delcombine' set command
+ to your .vimrc file. In other words, you can include ':set delcombine'
+ to your .vimrc file.
+
+ + Arabic right-to-left Mode
+
+ By default VIM starts in Left-to-right mode. 'rightleft' is the
+ command that allows one to alter a window's orientation - that can
+ be accomplished via,
+
+ - Toggling between left-to-right and right-to-left modes is
+ accomplished through ':set rightleft' and ':set norightleft'.
+
+ - While in Left-to-right mode, enter ':set rl' in the command line
+ ('rl' is the abbreviation for rightleft).
+
+ - Put the ':set rl' line in your '.vimrc' file to start the VIM in
+ right-to-left mode permanently.
+
+ + Arabic right-to-left command-line Mode
+
+ For certain commands the editing can be done in right-to-left mode.
+ Currently this is only applicable to search commands.
+
+ This is controlled with the 'rightleftcmd' option. The default is
+ "search", which means that windows in which 'rightleft' is set will
+ edit search commands in right-left mode. To disable this behavior,
+>
+ :set rightleftcmd=
+<
+ To enable right-left editing of search commands again,
+>
+ :set rightleftcmd&
+<
+ + Arabic Shaping Mode
+
+ To activate the required visual characters alterations (shaping,
+ composing, combining) which the Arabic language requires, enable
+ the 'arabicshape' command. This is done by entering
+>
+ :set arabicshape
+<
+ in our VIM window. You can also append the 'arabicshape' set
+ command to your .vimrc file. In other words, you can include
+ ':set arabicshape' to your .vimrc file.
+
+
+Keymap/Keyboard *arabickeymap*
+---------------
+
+The character/letter encoding used in VIM is the standard UTF-8.
+It is widely discouraged that any other encoding be used or even
+attempted.
+
+Note: UTF-8 is an all encompassing encoding and as such is
+ the only supported (and encouraged) encoding with
+ regard to Arabic (all other proprietary encodings
+ should be discouraged and frowned upon).
+
+o Keyboard
+
+ + CTRL-^ in insert/replace mode toggles between Arabic/Latin mode
+
+ + Keyboard mapping is based on the Microsoft's Arabic keymap (the
+ defacto standard in the Arab world):
+
+ +---------------------------------------------------------------------+
+ |! |@ |# |$ |% |^ |& |* |( |) |_ |+ || |~ ّ |
+ |1 ١ |2 ٢ |3 ٣ |4 ٤ |5 ٥ |6 ٦ |7 ٧ |8 ٨ |9 ٩ |0 ٠ |- |= |\ |` ذ |
+ +---------------------------------------------------------------------+
+ |Q َ |W ً |E ُ |R ٌ |T لإ |Y إ |U ` |I ÷ |O x |P ؛ |{ < |} > |
+ |q ض |w ص |e ث |r ق |t ف |y غ |u ع |i ه |o خ |p ح |[ ج |] د |
+ +-----------------------------------------------------------+
+ |A ِ |S ٍ |D [ |F ] |G لأ |H أ |J ـ |K ، |L / |: |" |
+ |a ش |s س |d ي |f ب |g ل |h ا |j ت |k ن |l م |; ك |' ط |
+ +------------------------------------------------------+
+ |Z ~ |X ْ |C { |V } |B لآ |N آ |M ' |< , |> . |? ؟ |
+ |z ئ |x ء |c ؤ |v ر |b لا |n ى |m ة |, و |. ز |/ ظ |
+ +-------------------------------------------------+
+
+Restrictions
+------------
+
+o VIM in its GUI form does not currently support Bi-directionality
+ (ie. the ability to see both Arabic and Latin intermixed within
+ the same line).
+
+
+Known Bugs
+----------
+
+There is one known minor bug,
+
+ 1. If you insert a haraka (eg. Fatha (U+064E)) after a LAM (U+0644)
+ and then insert an ALEF (U+0627), the appropriate combining will
+ not happen due to the sandwiched haraka resulting in something
+ that will NOT be displayed correctly.
+
+ WORK-AROUND: Don't include harakats between LAM and ALEF combos.
+ In general, don't anticipate to see correct visual
+ representation with regard to harakats and LAM+ALEF
+ combined characters (even those entered after both
+ characters). The problem noted is strictly a visual
+ one, meaning saving such a file will contain all the
+ appropriate info/encodings - nothing is lost.
+
+No other bugs are known to exist.
+
+ vim:tw=78:ts=8:ft=help:norl:
+