Adding Arabic keyboard layout to official SFOS?

Localisation
#1

Dear Jolla,

Is it possible to add an Arabic keyboard layout to the official SFOS?
Not translating the OS, but just a keyboard so users can write in Arabic without installing 3rd party layouts (like mines).

As the bug with the diacritics in popup keys still exists, I’ve created a layout where diacritics are located in the 2nd/3rd pages keys.

As the Arabic alphabet have more letters and there is no upper case letters (so no use of the shift key), the new layout can display 4 more letters in the keyboard (and thus the additional diacritics in the other pages).

Are you @Jolla interested in adding an Arabic layout? Is my proposed layout fine? And what should be done to add it?

See the following screenshots. The layout is part of my Multi Keyboard Layouts app (it’s just called Arabic in the keyboard list).

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Don’t know who to ping in particular from Jolla, I’ll just ping @sledges and @jiit.

6 Likes
Is it possible to add a Keyboard Language not in the list?
#2

I’ll hijack your request to mention two more keyboard layouts that would be useful to have: Belgian AZERTY (using the Dutch text prediction), and Persian. Both exist or existed on OpenRepos, but it’d be nice if they came with the default install, and the first one especially is sorely missing for Belgian customers (at least those who haven’t taught themselves how to type on a QWERTY keyboard).

(And if the Belgian AZERTY layout could have dual Dutch/French text prediction, that’d be sweet.)

#3

You can still write French or Dutch using other layouts. Maybe less convenient but possible.

But not having an Arabic keyboard means you can’t write it at all.
Hence my demand to integrate one by default.
There were a new language keyboard layout in version 4.

#4

Yes, but: French AZERTY only predicts French words, and Dutch QWERTY, although it predicts Dutch words, isn’t AZERTY, and actually doesn’t contain all of the glyphs people are used to on a Belgian AZERTY. Considering Jolla sells Sailfish in Belgium, it’s an unfortunate omission. It makes more sense that there are no default keyboard layouts for languages without official status in the countries Jolla sells Sailfish in. I do think it’s a good idea to support keyboard layouts for as many languages as possible.

#5

An official Arabic keyboard would definitely be appreciated.
As for the bug you’ve mentioned, strangely I have never stumbled upon it before, if it wasn’t for your mention of it here.
I’ve been using this Arabic keyboard layout for as long as I can remember. So far, happy with it. Maybe there are a few signs (that I almost never use) missing ($€£¥ to mention a few) that could be easily inserted (waste of a complete row, having numbers available in both arabic and english)
But it doesn’t have the bug you mentioned (As far as I can tell). Maybe you could check it out.
Here some screenshots

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1 Like
#6

Yes I know this layout and got inspiration from it too (mainly the diacritics in the comma button). Though mine follows the same iOS arabic layout (letter placement).

Unfortunately, both mine and the one you mention have the diacritics bug. It doesn’t happen all the time, but it happens enough to make it quite noticeable and annoying :frowning:

1 Like
#7

I remember there was a “mad developer” :slight_smile: @mad_dev who started a right to left keyboard.

Old TJC post
New(er) FSO post

1 Like
#8

I have passed this on to the team. Apparently there was a plan to implement this already years ago but didn’t happen. Not much progress at the moment either I’m afraid. We’ll keep you updated if there is progress on this.

2 Likes
#9

Thanks!
If you ever need help or testing, I’ll gladly help.

1 Like
#10

Bump! Is AR keyboard coming anytime soon?

1 Like
#11

Hey…two years later. I didnt start an RTL keyboard. I started the SOS translation project with RTL support; mirroring the text element of the layout to support RTL without damaging the UX too much. I should probably update the thread with the reasons why I stopped. But in summary, RL and without assistance from Jolla in the area of a system wide mirroring declaration, the project cannot continue. My approach is flawed in the sense that for each QML page a mirroring declaration is set at a precise line. Meaning that any update would require relocation. Not to mention that the same needs to be done for each app separately.

1 Like
#12

This is an odd bug. I too am using the Arabic keyboard layout mentioned by @babo and have never come across it. This being said whilst Jolla notes is my main note taking platform. I tried reproducing it by inserting random diacritical marks without success.

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