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*<A NAME="arabic.txt"></A><B>arabic.txt</B>*	For Vim version 8.0.  Last change: 2010 Nov 13


		  VIM REFERENCE MANUAL	  by Nadim Shaikli



<A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> Language support (options <A HREF="change.html#&amp;">&amp;</A> mappings) for Vim		*<A NAME="Arabic"></A><B>Arabic</B>*

{Vi does not have any of these commands}


								*<A NAME="E800"></A><B>E800</B>*
In order to use right-to-left and <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> <A HREF="map.html#mapping">mapping</A> support, <A HREF="motion.html#it">it</A> is
necessary to compile Vim with the |<A HREF="various.html#+arabic">+arabic</A>| feature.

These <A HREF="eval.html#functions">functions</A> have been created by Nadim Shaikli &lt;nadim-at-arabeyes.org&gt;

It is best to <A HREF="starting.html#view">view</A> this file with these settings within Vim's <A HREF="gui.html#GUI">GUI</A>:

<B>	:set encoding=utf-8</B>
<B>	:set arabicshape</B>


Introduction
<A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> is a rather demanding language in which a number of special
features are required.	Characters are right-to-left oriented and
ought to appear <A HREF="motion.html#as">as</A> such on the screen (i.e. from right to left).
<A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> also requires shaping of its characters, meaning the same
character has a different visual form based on its relative location
within a <A HREF="motion.html#word">word</A> (initial, medial, final or stand-alone).	<A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> 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 <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> 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 <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A>, therefore
the user interface remains the standard <A HREF="intro.html#Vi">Vi</A> interface.


Highlights
<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  Editing left-to-right files <A HREF="motion.html#as">as</A> in the original Vim hasn't changed.

<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  Viewing and editing files in right-to-left <A HREF="windows.html#windows">windows</A>.	 File
   orientation is per <A HREF="windows.html#window">window</A>, so <A HREF="motion.html#it">it</A> is possible to <A HREF="starting.html#view">view</A> the same
   file in right-to-left and left-to-right modes, simultaneously.

<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  No special <A HREF="terminal.html#terminal">terminal</A> with right-to-left capabilities is required.
   The right-to-left changes are completely hardware independent.
   Only <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> fonts are necessary.

<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  Compatible with the original Vim.   Almost all features work in
   right-to-left mode (there are liable to be bugs).

<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  Changing keyboard <A HREF="map.html#mapping">mapping</A> and reverse insert modes using a single
   command.

<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  Toggling complete <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> support via a single command.

<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  While in <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> 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.

<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> keymapping on the command line in reverse insert mode.

<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  Proper Bidirectional functionality is possible given Vim is
   started within a Bidi capable <A HREF="terminal.html#terminal">terminal</A> emulator.



<A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> Fonts						*<A NAME="arabicfonts"></A><B>arabicfonts</B>*

Vim requires monospaced fonts of which there are many out there.
<A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> requires ISO-8859-6 <A HREF="motion.html#as">as</A> well <A HREF="motion.html#as">as</A> Presentation Form-B fonts
(without Form-B, <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> 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 <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> fonts.


Font Installation

<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  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 <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> fonts and execute the following commands:

     <A HREF="motion.html#&#37;">&#37;</A>	mkfontdir
     <A HREF="motion.html#&#37;">&#37;</A>	xset +fp path_name_of_arabic_fonts_directory


Usage
Prior to the actual usage of <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> within Vim, a number of settings
need to be accounted for and invoked.

<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  Setting the <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> fonts

   +  For Vim <A HREF="gui.html#GUI">GUI</A> set the <A HREF="options.html#'guifont'">'guifont'</A> to your_ARABIC_FONT.  This is done
      by entering the following command in the Vim <A HREF="windows.html#window">window</A>.

<B>		:set guifont=your_ARABIC_FONT</B>
 
      NOTE: the <A HREF="eval.html#string">string</A> 'your_ARABIC_FONT' is used to denote a complete
	    font name akin to that used in Linux/Unix systems.
	    (e.g. -misc-fixed-medium-r-normal--20-200-75-75-c-100-iso10646-1)

      You can append the <A HREF="options.html#'guifont'">'guifont'</A> set command to your <A HREF="starting.html#.vimrc">.vimrc</A> file
      in order to get the same above noted results.  In other words,
      you can include ':set guifont=your_ARABIC_FONT' to your <A HREF="starting.html#.vimrc">.vimrc</A>
      file.

   +  Under the X Window environment, you can also start Vim with
      '-fn your_ARABIC_FONT' option.

<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  Setting the appropriate character Encoding
   To enable the correct <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> encoding the following command needs
   to be appended,

<B>		:set encoding=utf-8</B>
 
   to your <A HREF="starting.html#.vimrc">.vimrc</A> file (entering the command manually into you Vim
   <A HREF="windows.html#window">window</A> is highly discouraged).  In short, include ':set
   encoding=utf-8' to your <A HREF="starting.html#.vimrc">.vimrc</A> file.

   Attempts to use <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> without <A HREF="mbyte.html#UTF-8">UTF-8</A> will result the following
   warning message,


								*<A NAME="W17"></A><B>W17</B>* 
<B>     Arabic requires UTF-8, do ':set encoding=utf-8'</B>

<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  Enable <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> settings [short-cut]

   In order to simplify and streamline things, you can either invoke
   Vim with the command-line option,

     <A HREF="motion.html#&#37;">&#37;</A> vim <A HREF="starting.html#-A">-A</A> my_utf8_arabic_file <A HREF="eval.html#...">...</A>

   or enable <A HREF="options.html#'arabic'">'arabic'</A> via the following command within Vim

<B>		:set arabic</B>
 
   The two above noted possible invocations are the preferred manner
   in which users are instructed to proceed.  Barring an enabled <A HREF="options.html#'termbidi'">'termbidi'</A>
   setting, both command <A HREF="options.html#options">options</A>:

     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 <A HREF="starting.html#.vimrc">.vimrc</A> file and simply
   include ':set arabic' to <A HREF="motion.html#it">it</A>.

   You are also capable of disabling <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> support via

<B>		:set noarabic</B>
 
   which resets everything that the command had enabled without touching
   the global settings <A HREF="motion.html#as">as</A> they could affect other possible open <A HREF="windows.html#buffers">buffers</A>.
   In short the <A HREF="options.html#'noarabic'">'noarabic'</A> command,

     1. resets to the alternate keymap
     2. disables the deletion of a single combined pair character
     3. disables rightleft mode

   NOTE: the <A HREF="options.html#'arabic'">'arabic'</A> command takes into consideration <A HREF="options.html#'termbidi'">'termbidi'</A> for
	 possible external bi-directional (bidi) support from the
	 <A HREF="terminal.html#terminal">terminal</A> (&quot;mlterm&quot; for instance offers such support).
	 <A HREF="options.html#'termbidi'">'termbidi'</A>, if available, is superior to rightleft support
	 and its support is preferred due to its level of offerings.
	 <A HREF="options.html#'arabic'">'arabic'</A> when <A HREF="options.html#'termbidi'">'termbidi'</A> is enabled only sets the keymap.

   If, on the other hand, you'd like to be <A HREF="starting.html#verbose">verbose</A> and explicit and
   are opting not to use the <A HREF="options.html#'arabic'">'arabic'</A> short-cut command, here's what
   is needed (i.e. if you use ':set arabic' you can skip this section) -

   +  <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> Keymapping Activation

      To activate the <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> keymap (i.e. to remap your English/Latin
      keyboard to look-n-feel like a standard <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> one), set the
      <A HREF="options.html#'keymap'">'keymap'</A> command to &quot;arabic&quot;.  This is done by entering

<B>		:set keymap=arabic</B>
 
      in your Vim <A HREF="windows.html#window">window</A>.  You can also append the <A HREF="options.html#'keymap'">'keymap'</A> set command to
      your <A HREF="starting.html#.vimrc">.vimrc</A> file.  In other words, you can include ':set keymap=arabic'
      to your <A HREF="starting.html#.vimrc">.vimrc</A> file.

      To turn toggle (or switch) your keymapping between <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> and the
      default <A HREF="map.html#mapping">mapping</A> (English), <A HREF="motion.html#it">it</A> is advised that users use the '<A HREF="editing.html#CTRL-^">CTRL-^</A>'
      key press while in insert (or add/replace) mode.	The command-line
      will display your current <A HREF="map.html#mapping">mapping</A> by displaying an &quot;<A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A>&quot; <A HREF="eval.html#string">string</A>
      next to your insertion mode (e.g. <A HREF="starting.html#--">--</A> INSERT <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> <A HREF="starting.html#--">--</A>) indicating
      your current keymap.

   +  <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> deletion of a combined pair character

      By default Vim has the <A HREF="options.html#'delcombine'">'delcombine'</A> option disabled.  This option
      allows the deletion of ALEF in a LAM_ALEF (LAA) combined character
      and still retain the LAM (i.e. <A HREF="motion.html#it">it</A> reverts to treating the combined
      character <A HREF="motion.html#as">as</A> its natural two characters form <A HREF="starting.html#--">--</A> this also pertains
      to harakat and their combined forms).  You can enable this option
      by entering

<B>		:set delcombine</B>
 
      in our Vim <A HREF="windows.html#window">window</A>.  You can also append the <A HREF="options.html#'delcombine'">'delcombine'</A> set command
      to your <A HREF="starting.html#.vimrc">.vimrc</A> file.  In other words, you can include ':set delcombine'
      to your <A HREF="starting.html#.vimrc">.vimrc</A> file.

   +  <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> right-to-left Mode

      By default Vim starts in Left-to-right mode.  <A HREF="options.html#'rightleft'">'rightleft'</A> 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 '<A HREF="starting.html#.vimrc">.vimrc</A>' file to start Vim in
	right-to-left mode permanently.

   +  <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> 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 <A HREF="options.html#'rightleftcmd'">'rightleftcmd'</A> option.  The default is
      &quot;search&quot;, which means that <A HREF="windows.html#windows">windows</A> in which <A HREF="options.html#'rightleft'">'rightleft'</A> is set will
      edit search commands in right-left mode.	To disable this behavior,

<B>		:set rightleftcmd=</B>
 
      To enable right-left editing of search commands again,

<B>		:set rightleftcmd&amp;</B>
 
   +  <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> Shaping Mode

      To activate the required visual characters alterations (shaping,
      composing, combining) which the <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> language requires, enable
      the <A HREF="options.html#'arabicshape'">'arabicshape'</A> command.  This is done by entering

<B>		:set arabicshape</B>
 
      in our Vim <A HREF="windows.html#window">window</A>.  You can also append the <A HREF="options.html#'arabicshape'">'arabicshape'</A> set
      command to your <A HREF="starting.html#.vimrc">.vimrc</A> file.  In other words, you can include
      ':set arabicshape' to your <A HREF="starting.html#.vimrc">.vimrc</A> file.



Keymap/Keyboard						*<A NAME="arabickeymap"></A><B>arabickeymap</B>*

The character/letter encoding used in Vim is the standard <A HREF="mbyte.html#UTF-8">UTF-8</A>.
It is widely discouraged that any other encoding be used or even
attempted.

Note: <A HREF="mbyte.html#UTF-8">UTF-8</A> is an all encompassing encoding and <A HREF="motion.html#as">as</A> such is
      the only supported (and encouraged) encoding with
      regard to <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> (all other proprietary encodings
      should be discouraged and frowned upon).

<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  Keyboard

   +  <A HREF="editing.html#CTRL-^">CTRL-^</A> in insert/replace mode toggles between Arabic/Latin mode

   +  Keyboard <A HREF="map.html#mapping">mapping</A> is based on the Microsoft's <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> keymap (the
      de facto standard in the Arab world):

  +---------------------------------------------------------------------+
  |!   |@   |#   |$   |&#37;   |^   |&amp;   |*   |(   |)   |_   |+   &#124;&#124;   |~  ّ |
  |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 ؛ |{ &lt; |} &gt; ||||||||||||||
       |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 / |:   |&quot;   |
	 |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 ' |&lt; , |&gt; . |? ؟ ||||||||||||
	   |z ئ |x ء |c ؤ |v ر |b لا |n ى |m ة |, و |. ز |/ ظ ||||||||||||
	   +-------------------------------------------------+

Restrictions

<A HREF="insert.html#o">o</A>  Vim in its <A HREF="gui.html#GUI">GUI</A> form does not currently support Bi-directionality
   (i.e. the ability to see both <A HREF="#Arabic">Arabic</A> and Latin intermixed within
   the same line).


Known Bugs

There is one known minor bug,

 1. If you insert a haraka (e.g. 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.

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