Re: opentype features (ligatures)

["Edward H. Trager" <ehtrager umich edu>]

Hello, Kibavuidi,

You should contact Patrick Andries <patrick hapax qc ca> in Quebec, Canada.  He is
currently working on a proposal to include the Mandombé script in Unicode
(http://www.unicode.org).  As far as I know, the Mandombé proposal has not
yet been submitted to the Unicode consortium.  

Note that Mr. Andries previously
worked on the Unicode proposal for the Tifinagh abjad used to write Berber
languages and he produced a Tifinagh font (une police libre de droit) as part
of the proposal's supporting material (Tifinagh is now officially part of Unicode).  
So he is familiar with the African languages and scripts, knows how to create OpenType
fonts, and is surely familiar with the issues regarding encoding of Mandombé.

If a script-specific Pango module really will be required
for Mandombé as you appear to suggest might be the case, 
then the first place to describe the necessary ligature substitution and glyph positioning
behaviour will be in the Unicode proposal.  Once the required behaviour is
documented even in a draft proposal (and maybe Andries has already done this, I
don't know), then it will be available for everyone's review, not only for Pango/Linux
implementors, but also for implementors of other operating systems.
 
Andries' web site is: http://www.hapax.qc.ca/ .  Patrick will probably welcome 
additional help on getting Mandombé encoded in Unicode.

Best Wishes --

-- Ed Trager
   Bioinformatics, Kellogg Eye Center
   University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
   Unicode Font Guide: http://eyegene.ophthy.med.umich.edu/unicode/fontguide/


On Friday 2005.09.23 02:23:05 +0200, Mfumu Kibavuidi Nsiangani Ne Nlaza wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I am currently working on computer support for a script which currently 
> is in use in my country (drc), and neighbour countries (congo, angola 
> etc...). It is known as Mandombe.
> 
> Because of its structure, this script must use opentype features, 
> especially ligatures, and contextual substitution/positionning.
> 
> I have seen some implementations of opetype features for indic scripts, 
> but they won't work with the script I am working on.
> The main thing its use would require is correct processing and 
> rendering of ligature tables and I am willing to work with that, but... 
> the thing is: I don't know where to start at all...
> 
> My work is to be included in one of the next ubunu linux releases in 
> order to submit the project to central africa's governments.
> 
> To be a little more precise, my question is:
> 
> Is there a way the ligature rendering feature could be "activated" in 
> pango? In order for that to be possible, what information is required 
> about the script?
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> Kibavuidi.
> 
> ps: the script should be used mostly with africain languages such as: 
> kikongo, lingala, kiswahili, zulu, fon, bassa etc... as well as western 
> languages anyway...
> 
> 
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