How to support Arabic text in Android?

Question

I am getting Arabic text from server successfully. Retrieved text I want display in code but its showing boxes instead of Arabic text. Assume that t array values are Arabic text from server.

string[] t={" "};
Textview tv = (Textview) findviewByid(R.id.text);
tv.setText(t[0]);

Answer 1

I would like to add my experience after struggling several weeks with Arabic, Actually this post was veryhelpful me when I use arabic fonts in my android application.

I used farsi class to rearrang text. But it is not up to my expectations. because, customer is always too much consider about every letter of the application and it is arrangment.

In the farsi class, one problem is it can't rearrange closing brackets properly. Like that I noticed several issues.

However when I use ArabicUtility class, I noticed that it has improved text rendering better than Farsi class. https://github.com/agawish/Better-Arabic-Reshaper/commits/master

please not that you have to install fonts in assests folder and you can change font type from this class. Additionally I have added a new method to above class in order to get text from string filles and set text to textviews.

here is the code for that.

public void addTranslate(int rid, TextView txt1, Context context) {
        String textv = context.getResources().getString(rid);
        txt1.setText(ArabicUtilities.reshapeSentence(textv));


    }

using above method in your activities, you just have to pass above three parameters.

Answer 2

tv.setTypeFace and set the proper ttf for the arabic

Answer 3

try to copy any arabic font into assets folder and set that font and check may be it works

string[] t={"arabic words here"};
TextView tv=(TextView)findViewById(R.id.text); 
Typeface face=Typeface.createFromAsset(getAssets(), "fonts/HandmadeTypewriter.ttf");
tv.setTypeface(face)

use the arabic font insted of HandmadeTypewriter.ttf font or

try to set the static arabic text and check its working or not ?

string[] t={"arabic words here"};
Textview tv=(Textview)findviewByid(R.id.text);
tv.setText(t[0]);

Answer 4

Android 2.1 does not have Arabic font.

Android 2.2 has Arabic font but does not show your word correctly.

Android 3.x supports Arabic completely.

For Android 2.1 you must set the typeface Farsi.GetFarsiFont(this) and then use Farsi.Convert("سلام")

For Android 2.2 you do not need setting font but must use Farsi.Convert("سلام")

And for Android 3.x forget all of the above solutions ;). But you can change the font if you do not like the 3.x Arabic font.

so do the following steps:

1) At first add "TAHOMA.TTF" in assets folder

2) use the following class to get the font and converting your Arabic or Farsi text to a good form for showing in your activities.

import android.content.Context;
import android.graphics.Typeface;

public final class Farsi {

    public static boolean isFarsiConversionNeeded = true;

    private final static String szLamAndAlef = Character
            .toString((char) 0xfedf)
            + Character.toString((char) 0xfe8e); // Lam + Alef

    private final static String szLamStickAndAlef = Character
            .toString((char) 0xfee0)
            + Character.toString((char) 0xfe8e); // Lam (Sticky !!!)+
                                                    // Alef

    private final static String szLa = Character.toString((char) 0xfefb); // La
    private final static String szLaStick = Character.toString((char) 0xfefc); // La
                                                                                // (Sticky!!!)

    private final static String szLamAndAlefWoosim = Character
            .toString((char) 0xe1)
            + Character.toString((char) 0xbb); // Lam + Alef

    private final static String szLamStickAndAlefWoosim = Character
            .toString((char) 0x90)
            + Character.toString((char) 0xbb); // Lam (Sticky !!!)+
                                                // Alef

    private final static String szLaWoosim = Character.toString((char) 0xd9); // La
    private final static String szLaStickWoosim = Character
            .toString((char) 0xd9); // La

    // (Sticky!!!)

    private static final class struc {
        public char character;
        public char endGlyph;
        public char iniGlyph;
        public char midGlyph;
        public char isoGlyph;

        public struc(char Character, char EndGlyph, char IniGlyph,
                char MidGlyph, char IsoGlyph) {
            character = Character;
            endGlyph = EndGlyph;
            iniGlyph = IniGlyph;
            midGlyph = MidGlyph;
            isoGlyph = IsoGlyph;
        }
    }

    static struc[] arrStruc = {
            new struc((char) 0x630, (char) 0xfeac, (char) 0xfeab,
                    (char) 0xfeac, (char) 0xfeab),
            new struc((char) 0x62f, (char) 0xfeaa, (char) 0xfea9,
                    (char) 0xfeaa, (char) 0xfea9),
            new struc((char) 0x62c, (char) 0xfe9e, (char) 0xfe9f,
                    (char) 0xfea0, (char) 0xfe9d),
            new struc((char) 0x62d, (char) 0xfea2, (char) 0xfea3,
                    (char) 0xfea4, (char) 0xfea1),
            new struc((char) 0x62e, (char) 0xfea6, (char) 0xfea7,
                    (char) 0xfea8, (char) 0xfea5),
            new struc((char) 0x647, (char) 0xfeea, (char) 0xfeeb,
                    (char) 0xfeec, (char) 0xfee9),
            new struc((char) 0x639, (char) 0xfeca, (char) 0xfecb,
                    (char) 0xfecc, (char) 0xfec9),
            new struc((char) 0x63a, (char) 0xfece, (char) 0xfecf,
                    (char) 0xfed0, (char) 0xfecd),
            new struc((char) 0x641, (char) 0xfed2, (char) 0xfed3,
                    (char) 0xfed4, (char) 0xfed1),
            new struc((char) 0x642, (char) 0xfed6, (char) 0xfed7,
                    (char) 0xfed8, (char) 0xfed5),
            new struc((char) 0x62b, (char) 0xfe9a, (char) 0xfe9b,
                    (char) 0xfe9c, (char) 0xfe99),
            new struc((char) 0x635, (char) 0xfeba, (char) 0xfebb,
                    (char) 0xfebc, (char) 0xfeb9),
            new struc((char) 0x636, (char) 0xfebe, (char) 0xfebf,
                    (char) 0xfec0, (char) 0xfebd),
            new struc((char) 0x637, (char) 0xfec2, (char) 0xfec3,
                    (char) 0xfec4, (char) 0xfec1),
            new struc((char) 0x643, (char) 0xfeda, (char) 0xfedb,
                    (char) 0xfedc, (char) 0xfed9),
            new struc((char) 0x645, (char) 0xfee2, (char) 0xfee3,
                    (char) 0xfee4, (char) 0xfee1),
            new struc((char) 0x646, (char) 0xfee6, (char) 0xfee7,
                    (char) 0xfee8, (char) 0xfee5),
            new struc((char) 0x62a, (char) 0xfe96, (char) 0xfe97,
                    (char) 0xfe98, (char) 0xfe95),
            new struc((char) 0x627, (char) 0xfe8e, (char) 0xfe8d,
                    (char) 0xfe8e, (char) 0xfe8d),
            new struc((char) 0x644, (char) 0xfede, (char) 0xfedf,
                    (char) 0xfee0, (char) 0xfedd),
            new struc((char) 0x628, (char) 0xfe90, (char) 0xfe91,
                    (char) 0xfe92, (char) 0xfe8f),
            new struc((char) 0x64a, (char) 0xfef2, (char) 0xfef3,
                    (char) 0xfef4, (char) 0xfef1),
            new struc((char) 0x633, (char) 0xfeb2, (char) 0xfeb3,
                    (char) 0xfeb4, (char) 0xfeb1),
            new struc((char) 0x634, (char) 0xfeb6, (char) 0xfeb7,
                    (char) 0xfeb8, (char) 0xfeb5),
            new struc((char) 0x638, (char) 0xfec6, (char) 0xfec7,
                    (char) 0xfec8, (char) 0xfec5),
            new struc((char) 0x632, (char) 0xfeb0, (char) 0xfeaf,
                    (char) 0xfeb0, (char) 0xfeaf),
            new struc((char) 0x648, (char) 0xfeee, (char) 0xfeed,
                    (char) 0xfeee, (char) 0xfeed),
            new struc((char) 0x629, (char) 0xfe94, (char) 0xfe93,
                    (char) 0xfe93, (char) 0xfe93),
            new struc((char) 0x649, (char) 0xfef0, (char) 0xfeef,
                    (char) 0xfef0, (char) 0xfeef),
            new struc((char) 0x631, (char) 0xfeae, (char) 0xfead,
                    (char) 0xfeae, (char) 0xfead),
            new struc((char) 0x624, (char) 0xfe86, (char) 0xfe85,
                    (char) 0xfe86, (char) 0xfe85),
            new struc((char) 0x621, (char) 0xfe80, (char) 0xfe80,
                    (char) 0xfe80, (char) 0xfe80),
            new struc((char) 0x626, (char) 0xfe8a, (char) 0xfe8b,
                    (char) 0xfe8c, (char) 0xfe89),
            new struc((char) 0x623, (char) 0xfe84, (char) 0xfe83,
                    (char) 0xfe84, (char) 0xfe83),
            new struc((char) 0x622, (char) 0xfe82, (char) 0xfe81,
                    (char) 0xfe82, (char) 0xfe81),
            new struc((char) 0x625, (char) 0xfe88, (char) 0xfe87,
                    (char) 0xfe88, (char) 0xfe87),
            new struc((char) 0x67e, (char) 0xfb57, (char) 0xfb58,
                    (char) 0xfb59, (char) 0xfb56), // peh
            new struc((char) 0x686, (char) 0xfb7b, (char) 0xfb7c,
                    (char) 0xfb7d, (char) 0xfb7a), // cheh
            new struc((char) 0x698, (char) 0xfb8b, (char) 0xfb8a,
                    (char) 0xfb8b, (char) 0xfb8a), // jeh
            new struc((char) 0x6a9, (char) 0xfb8f, (char) 0xfb90,
                    (char) 0xfb91, (char) 0xfb8e), // keheh
            new struc((char) 0x6af, (char) 0xfb93, (char) 0xfb94,
                    (char) 0xfb95, (char) 0xfb92), // gaf
            // new struc((char) 0x6cc, (char) 0xfbfd, (char) 0xfbfe,
            // (char) 0xfbff, (char) 0xfbfc), // Farsi yeh
            new struc((char) 0x6cc, (char) 0xfbfd, (char) 0xfef3,
                    (char) 0xfef4, (char) 0xfbfc), // Arabic yeh
            new struc((char) 0x6c0, (char) 0xfba5, (char) 0xfba4,
                    (char) 0xfba5, (char) 0xfba4) // heh with yeh
    };

    static struc[] arrStrucWoosim = {
            new struc((char) 0x630, (char) 0xb5, (char) 0x82, (char) 0xb5,
                    (char) 0x82),
            new struc((char) 0x62f, (char) 0xb4, (char) 0x81, (char) 0xb4,
                    (char) 0x81),
            new struc((char) 0x62c, (char) 0x9b, (char) 0xb1, (char) 0xf9,
                    (char) 0xbf),
            new struc((char) 0x62d, (char) 0x9c, (char) 0xb2, (char) 0xfa,
                    (char) 0xc0),
            new struc((char) 0x62e, (char) 0x9d, (char) 0xb3, (char) 0xfe,
                    (char) 0xc1),
            new struc((char) 0x647, (char) 0xac, (char) 0xe4, (char) 0x93,
                    (char) 0xd5),
            new struc((char) 0x639, (char) 0xc9, (char) 0xd3, (char) 0x8b,
                    (char) 0xa4),
            new struc((char) 0x63a, (char) 0xca, (char) 0xdd, (char) 0x8c,
                    (char) 0xa5),
            new struc((char) 0x641, (char) 0xa6, (char) 0xde, (char) 0x8d,
                    (char) 0xcc),
            new struc((char) 0x642, (char) 0xa7, (char) 0xdf, (char) 0x8e,
                    (char) 0xce),
            new struc((char) 0x62b, (char) 0xbd, (char) 0xaf, (char) 0xea,
                    (char) 0x99),
            new struc((char) 0x635, (char) 0xc4, (char) 0xc8, (char) 0x87,
                    (char) 0xa0),
            new struc((char) 0x636, (char) 0xc5, (char) 0xcb, (char) 0x88,
                    (char) 0xa1),
            new struc((char) 0x637, (char) 0xc6, (char) 0xcd, (char) 0xcd,
                    (char) 0xa2),
            new struc((char) 0x643, (char) 0xcf, (char) 0xe0, (char) 0x8f,
                    (char) 0xa8),
            new struc((char) 0x645, (char) 0xd2, (char) 0xe2, (char) 0x91,
                    (char) 0xaa),
            new struc((char) 0x646, (char) 0xd4, (char) 0xe3, (char) 0x92,
                    (char) 0xab),
            new struc((char) 0x62a, (char) 0xbd, (char) 0xaf, (char) 0xea,
                    (char) 0x99),
            new struc((char) 0x627, (char) 0xbb, (char) 0x80, (char) 0xbb,
                    (char) 0x80),
            new struc((char) 0x644, (char) 0xd1, (char) 0xe1, (char) 0x90,
                    (char) 0xa9),
            new struc((char) 0x628, (char) 0xbc, (char) 0xae, (char) 0xe9,
                    (char) 0x98),
            new struc((char) 0x64a, (char) 0xdc, (char) 0xe6, (char) 0x95,
                    (char) 0xdc),
            new struc((char) 0x633, (char) 0xc2, (char) 0xb8, (char) 0xb8,
                    (char) 0x9e),
            new struc((char) 0x634, (char) 0xc3, (char) 0xb9, (char) 0xb9,
                    (char) 0x9f),
            new struc((char) 0x638, (char) 0xc7, (char) 0xcd, (char) 0xcd,
                    (char) 0xc7),
            new struc((char) 0x632, (char) 0xb7, (char) 0xb7, (char) 0xb7,
                    (char) 0xb7),
            new struc((char) 0x648, (char) 0x94, (char) 0x94, (char) 0x94,
                    (char) 0x94),
            new struc((char) 0x629, (char) 0xda, (char) 0xda, (char) 0xda,
                    (char) 0xda),
            new struc((char) 0x649, (char) 0xdc, (char) 0xe6, (char) 0x95,
                    (char) 0xdc),
            new struc((char) 0x631, (char) 0xb6, (char) 0xb6, (char) 0xb6,
                    (char) 0xb6),
            new struc((char) 0x624, (char) 0xe7, (char) 0xe7, (char) 0xe7,
                    (char) 0xe7),
            new struc((char) 0x621, (char) 0xba, (char) 0xba, (char) 0xba,
                    (char) 0xba),
            new struc((char) 0x626, (char) 0xd7, (char) 0xe8, (char) 0x97,
                    (char) 0xd7),
            new struc((char) 0x623, (char) 0x80, (char) 0x80, (char) 0x80,
                    (char) 0x80),
            new struc((char) 0x622, (char) 0x80, (char) 0x80, (char) 0x80,
                    (char) 0x80),
            new struc((char) 0x625, (char) 0x80, (char) 0x80, (char) 0x80,
                    (char) 0x80),
            new struc((char) 0x67e, (char) 0xbc, (char) 0xae, (char) 0xe9,
                    (char) 0x98), // peh
            new struc((char) 0x686, (char) 0x9b, (char) 0xb1, (char) 0xf9,
                    (char) 0xbf), // cheh
            new struc((char) 0x698, (char) 0xb7, (char) 0xb7, (char) 0xb7,
                    (char) 0xb7), // jeh
            new struc((char) 0x6a9, (char) 0xcf, (char) 0xe0, (char) 0x8f,
                    (char) 0xa8), // keheh
            new struc((char) 0x6af, (char) 0xcf, (char) 0xe0, (char) 0x8f,
                    (char) 0xa8), // gaf
            new struc((char) 0x6cc, (char) 0xdc, (char) 0xe6, (char) 0x95,
                    (char) 0xdc), // yeh
            new struc((char) 0x6c0, (char) 0xac, (char) 0xe4, (char) 0x93,
                    (char) 0xd5) // heh with yeh
    };

    private static final int N_DISTINCT_CHARACTERS = 43;

    private static final String ArabicReverse(String s) {
        try {
            String Out = "", rev;
            s = MakeReverse(s);
            char[] chs = new char[s.length()];
            chs = s.toCharArray();
            int i = 0;
            while (i < s.length()) {
                if ((chs[i] >= '0' && chs[i] <= '9')) // isDigit(s[i]) ?
                {
                    rev = "";
                    while (i < s.length()
                            && ((chs[i] >= '0' && chs[i] <= '9') || chs[i] == '/')) // isDigit(s[i])
                                                                                    // ?
                    {
                        rev = rev + chs[i];
                        ++i;
                    }
                    rev = MakeReverse(rev);
                    Out = Out + rev;
                } else {
                    Out = Out + chs[i];
                    ++i;
                }
            }
            s = Out;
        } catch (Exception ex) {
            // throw new Exception(
            // "An exception has occurred in ArabicReverse function.\\n"
            // + ex.getMessage());
        }
        return s;
    }

    private static final boolean isFromTheSet1(/* WCHAR */char ch) {
        char[] theSet1 = new char[] { (char) 0x62c, (char) 0x62d, (char) 0x62e,
                (char) 0x647, (char) 0x639, (char) 0x63a, (char) 0x641,
                (char) 0x642, (char) 0x62b, (char) 0x635, (char) 0x636,
                (char) 0x637, (char) 0x643, (char) 0x645, (char) 0x646,
                (char) 0x62a, (char) 0x644, (char) 0x628, (char) 0x64a,
                (char) 0x633, (char) 0x634, (char) 0x638, (char) 0x67e,
                (char) 0x686, (char) 0x6a9, (char) 0x6af, (char) 0x6cc,
                (char) 0x626 };
        int i = 0;
        while (i < 28) {
            if (ch == theSet1[i])
                return true;
            ++i;
        }
        return false;
    }

    private static final boolean isFromTheSet2(/* WCHAR */char ch) {
        char[] theSet2 = new char[] { (char) 0x627, (char) 0x623, (char) 0x625,
                (char) 0x622, (char) 0x62f, (char) 0x630, (char) 0x631,
                (char) 0x632, (char) 0x648, (char) 0x624, (char) 0x629,
                (char) 0x649, (char) 0x698, (char) 0x6c0 };
        int i = 0;
        while (i < 14) {
            if (ch == theSet2[i])
                return true;
            ++i;
        }
        return false;
    }

    private static final String MakeReverse(String text) {
        String Result = "";
        char[] Ctext = new char[text.length()];
        Ctext = text.toCharArray();
        for (int i = (text.length()) - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
            Result += Ctext[i];
        }
        return Result;
    }

    public static final String ConvertBackToRealFarsi(String In) {

        if (!isFarsiConversionNeeded) {
            return In;
        }

        String strOut = "";
        StringBuilder strBuilder = new StringBuilder("");
        int i = 0;
        int j = 0;
        char[] chIn = new char[In.length()];
        chIn = In.toCharArray();

        for (i = 0; i < In.length(); i++) {
            boolean found = false;
            for (j = 0; j < arrStruc.length; j++) {
                if (chIn[i] == arrStruc[j].midGlyph ||
                        chIn[i] == arrStruc[j].iniGlyph ||
                        chIn[i] == arrStruc[j].endGlyph ||
                        chIn[i] == arrStruc[j].isoGlyph) {
                    strBuilder.append(arrStruc[j].character);
                    found = true;
                    break;
                }
            }
            if (!found)
                strBuilder.append(chIn[i]);
        }

        strOut = strBuilder.toString();
    strOut = strOut.replace(szLa, "لا");
    strOut = strOut.replace(szLaStick, "لا");

        return strOut;
    }

    public static final String Convert(String In) {

        if (!isFarsiConversionNeeded) {
            return In;
        }

        if (In == null) {
            return "";
        }

        boolean linkBefore, linkAfter;
        String Out = In;
        char[] chOut = new char[Out.length()];
        chOut = Out.toCharArray();
        char[] chIn = new char[In.length()];
        chIn = In.toCharArray();

        for (int i = 0; i < In.length(); i++) {
            /* WCHAR */
            char ch = chIn[i];
            if ((ch >= (char) 0x0621 && ch <= (char) 0x064a)
                    || (ch == (char) 0x067e) || (ch == (char) 0x0686)
                    || (ch == (char) 0x0698) || (ch == (char) 0x06a9)
                    || (ch == (char) 0x06af) || (ch == (char) 0x06cc)
                    || (ch == (char) 0x06c0)) // is a Farsi character?
            {
                int idx = 0;
                while (idx < N_DISTINCT_CHARACTERS) {
                    if (arrStruc[idx].character == chIn[i])
                        break;
                    ++idx;
                }

                if (i == In.length() - 1)
                    linkAfter = false;
                else
                    linkAfter = (isFromTheSet1(chIn[i + 1]) || isFromTheSet2(chIn[i + 1]));
                if (i == 0)
                    linkBefore = false;
                else
                    linkBefore = isFromTheSet1(chIn[i - 1]);
                if (idx < N_DISTINCT_CHARACTERS) {
                    if (linkBefore && linkAfter)
                        chOut[i] = arrStruc[idx].midGlyph;
                    if (linkBefore && !linkAfter)
                        chOut[i] = arrStruc[idx].endGlyph;
                    if (!linkBefore && linkAfter)
                        chOut[i] = arrStruc[idx].iniGlyph;
                    if (!linkBefore && !linkAfter)
                        chOut[i] = arrStruc[idx].isoGlyph;
                } else {
                    chOut[i] = chIn[i];
                }
            } else {
                chOut[i] = chIn[i];
            }
        }
        Out = "";
        for (int j = 0; j < chOut.length; j++)
            Out += chOut[j];
        // Out = ArabicReverse(Out);

        Out = Out.replace((char) 0x200c, ' '); // Change NO SPACE to SPACE

        Out = Out.replace(szLamAndAlef, szLa); // Join 'Lam' and 'Alef' and
                                                // make 'La'
        Out = Out.replace(szLamStickAndAlef, szLaStick); // Join 'Lam Stick'
                                                            // and 'Alef'
                                                            // and make 'La
                                                            // Stick'

        return reorderWords(Out);

    }

    private final static String reorderWords(String strIn)
    {

        final int ST_RTL = 0;
        final int ST_LTR = 1;

        String strOut = "";
        String prevWord = "";
        int state = ST_RTL;
        char[] arr = strIn.toCharArray();
        int i = 0;
        while (i < arr.length) {
            if (charIsLTR(arr[i]) && state != ST_LTR)
            {
                // state changed to LTR
                state = ST_LTR;
                strOut = prevWord + strOut;
                prevWord = "";
                prevWord += arr[i];
            }
            else if (charIsRTL(arr[i]) && state != ST_RTL)
            {
                // state changed to RTL
                state = ST_RTL;
                strOut = prevWord + strOut;
                prevWord = "";
                prevWord += arr[i];
            }
            else
            {
                // state is not changed
                prevWord += arr[i];
            }
            i++;
        }

        strOut = prevWord + strOut;

        return strOut;

    }

    private final static boolean charIsLTR(char ch)
    {
        return (ch >= (char) 65 & ch <= (char) 122)
                |
                Character.isDigit(ch);
    }

    private final static boolean charIsRTL(char ch)
    {
        return ch >= (char) 0x0621;
    }   

    private static Typeface typeface;

    public static final Typeface GetFarsiFont(Context context) {
        if (typeface == null) {
            typeface = Typeface.createFromAsset(context.getAssets(),
                    // "DroidSansFallback.ttf");
                    "TAHOMA.TTF");
        }
        return typeface;
    }
}

3) And in your Activity:

Typeface tf = Farsi.GetFarsiFont(this);
MyTextView.setTypeface(tf);
MyTextView.setText(Farsi.Convert("سلام"));

enjoy!

my reference for Farsi class: Arabizer