DEVELOPMENTS IN URDU SOFTWARE Muzaffar Iqbal Conceived as a powerful word processing software and An important improvement in the most recent version developed in separate units Gamma Production s Multi- (3 2) of the program is Kashideh feature for attached languages Lingual Scholar (MLS) offers a wide range of possibilities for such as Urdu, Arabic and Persian When the text is block multi-lingual word processing on IBM and compatible corn- justified, this feature, like the calligraphic script spreads the puters in almost all major languages One can edit with up to character connectors by using a connector bar This eliminates five different alphabets, with up to six fonts per alphabet at the big gaps between words improves the print quality same time The basic package includes five alphabet families The Table Command is another useful teaiure for priming Roman (for English, Scandinavian, Western and Eastern poetry The verses can be printed side by side by typing the European, and transliteration languages), Hebrew, Greek, text in two columns or one on top of the other by making the Cyrillic and Arabic/ Persian - plus one optional language With two columns overlap and leaving, alternatively, one column the five basic alphabets one can type in over thirty languages blank Editing features include all thai one would normally find The program disks are not copy-protected However, MLS in a standard word processing program In addition, MLS will not run without the hardware actuator device which is supports multilingual search and replacement, headers, footers, plugged into a parallel port on the computer This expensive footnotes and block moves in all supported languages Different device ensures against software piracy alphabets are selected by one keystroke command from the editing screen, and the characters of that alphabet are shown FONT SCHOLAR on the screen as they are typed - with accents and vowel points properly positioned Most languages come with two keyboard The program comes with a host of utilities and tools The layouts (standard typewriter and phonetic) One can also make most important of these is the Font Scholar - a font editing a keyboard of one's own choice with the Map Edit Utility program that enables one to modify the existing printer and included with the program A wide range of 9- and 24- Pin screen fonts and to create new fonts Jor various languages T^i<; printers are supported in addition to HP Laser and compatible powerful screen oriented utility works independent of the main printers program although the fonts created by Font Scholar are meant MLS is a major development in Urdu word processing to be used with the word processor and, so far, is the onty software package of its kind The The Font Scholar is also equipped to work with a scanner program is configured with a configuration file that contains The scanned image is placed in the edit grid and can be information about languages to be loaded, keyboard layouts, modified This is particularly useful for Urdu fonts because one screen and printer fonts and directories for files The configur- can scan calligraphy samples to make fonts anon file can easily be edited with the Configuration Utility Several editing functions, such as "clip", "move" "drag', Once loaded, MLS is completely RAM resident It needs at "copy", "overlay", "fill", "tilt", and "examine" make the Font least 512K of RAM to load two alphabets, and full 640K to Scholar a versatile tool for creating new fonts load five alphabets Each character is represented in the computer bv an The editing screen shows file name, current alphabet, ASCII Code from 01 to 255 MLS uses this whole range to insert mode (on/off) and linked files For editing purposes, all store and access characters Different variants which are not alphabets are divided into two groups left to right and right typed from the keyboard are stored at 'illegal" ASCII positions to left Switching from one kind to another is done with one and are automatically joined when the word is typed key command and is accompanied by shift of cursor to the The size of the font file is limited to 64K and the number appropriate direction In addition, for languages with attached of shapes in an alphabets cannot be more than 191 This latter letters (Urdu, Arabic, Persian, etc) the program's contextual limitation is actually thai of the laser printer which has been maps substitute appropriate initial, middle and final variants of removed from the most recent version of HP laser printer the letters as they are typed from one key The vowel points Apart from a handful ot reserved' ASCII codes (ASCII are located on the function keys and can be seen on the 32 for space, 31 for stnkethrough, 95 for underline 128 tor screen carriage return, 59 for semicolon) all other ASCII codes are The text can be modified using various print formatting available for assigning The maximum height and width of the commands, such as left right margins, boldface, left, right, character is 80x80 pixel - a large enough size for most applica-center, and block justification, paragraph indent and footnotes tions Once the text is typed, it can be previewed The view Characters are placed on a "Baseline" so that when screen produces a true copy of the printed page (limned only printed, they sit and connect in line Vowel points and accent by the resolution of the screen) by using the appropriate printer marks can be placed on the right, left or center point of the fonts Thus what one sees is what is printed character they modify 151