writing unicode apps in python - some beginner questions.

I love Python, and the unicode support is wonderful.

The character set I am using is the Hindi/Devanagari character set at
unicode range U+901.)

I have TWO newbie questions:

(#1) If I paste some unicode stuff from the clipboard into IDLE, it
accepts it, but it can't execute a PRINT command like this:
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>> print u"हिन्दी सिखियए"[/color][/color][/color]
Unsupported characters in input

Should I report this as a bug or is it an essential limitation of the
Python console/immediate mode?

(#2) Hindi is not displayed correctly on the screen when the
"Suplemental language support" parts for Windows XP are not installed,
in particular in the Regional and Languages Options panel in the
Control Panel, you have to check "Install files for complex script and
right-to-left languages (including Thai)". This adds Thai, and Indic
language support. Does anyone know a programmatic way in Python to
check for this,so I can pop up a message telling users that support for
this script hasn't been installed in Windows?

Regards,

Warren

re: writing unicode apps in python - some beginner questions.

"WX" wrote:
[color=blue]
> The character set I am using is the Hindi/Devanagari character set at
> unicode range U+901.)
>
> (#1) If I paste some unicode stuff from the clipboard into IDLE, it accepts it, but it can't
> execute a PRINT command like this:
>[color=green][color=darkred]
> >>> print u"?????? ??????"[/color][/color]
> Unsupported characters in input
>
> Should I report this as a bug or is it an essential limitation of the Python console/immediate
> mode?[/color]

I don't see why it couldn't be fixed, so feel free to report it to the bug tracker.

</F>

re: writing unicode apps in python - some beginner questions.

Hi!

XP unicode view depend, also, of the uniscribe motor version. The last
version come with SP-2.
Other element : is the font "Arial Unicode MS" installed ?

@-salutations
--
Michel Claveau

re: writing unicode apps in python - some beginner questions.

WX wrote:[color=blue]
> (#2) Hindi is not displayed correctly on the screen when the
> "Suplemental language support" parts for Windows XP are not installed,
> in particular in the Regional and Languages Options panel in the
> Control Panel, you have to check "Install files for complex script and
> right-to-left languages (including Thai)". This adds Thai, and Indic
> language support. Does anyone know a programmatic way in Python to
> check for this,so I can pop up a message telling users that support
> for this script hasn't been installed in Windows?[/color]

I suspect it's hidden in the windows registry. To find out where it's
hidden try the following:
1. Before installing supplemental language support export
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Nls
into a text file using regedit
2. Install supplemental language support
3. Export the same registry branch into another file and compare with
the first file.

If there are no changes try doing the same for other registry branches:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\

After you find out what's going on you can use python's module
_winreg to read the registry from your python program. Good luck.

Serge.

re: writing unicode apps in python - some beginner questions.

WX wrote:[color=blue]
> (#2) Hindi is not displayed correctly on the screen when the
> "Suplemental language support" parts for Windows XP are not installed,
> in particular in the Regional and Languages Options panel in the
> Control Panel, you have to check "Install files for complex script and
> right-to-left languages (including Thai)". This adds Thai, and Indic
> language support. Does anyone know a programmatic way in Python to
> check for this,so I can pop up a message telling users that support
> for this script hasn't been installed in Windows?[/color]

In addition to my previous post you can try the following, more
simple method: try calling setlocale, if Thai support is installed I suspect
you won't get an exception:
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>> import locale
>>> locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL,'English')[/color][/color][/color]
'English_United States.1252'[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>> locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL,'Russian')[/color][/color][/color]
'Russian_Russia.1251'[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>> locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL,'Thai')[/color][/color][/color]
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<stdin>", line 1, in ?
File "C:\Python24\lib\locale.py", line 379, in setlocale
return _setlocale(category, locale)
locale.Error: unsupported locale setting

Serge.