Implementing a transliteration feature on a php-based discussionboard

Vadim Zima

How would you approach this task?
I have a phpBB forum on my site. The majority of participants are Russians
living in the US, who don't know Russian keyboard layout.
Is it possible to provide them with some sort of a button, in the posting
edit window to convert latin characters into cyrillic characters?
TIA for any ideas and/or links.

--
Vadim Zima
Certified Russian Translator/Conference Interpreter
http://zima.net

--

Jul 17 '05 #1

Dmitry Ruban

Vadim,

Take a look at http://www.yandex.ru/keyboard_qwerty.html
That is what you're looking for.

Dima

"Vadim Zima" <va*@zima.net> wrote in message
news:BBD5DCC3.3732%va*@zima.net...

How would you approach this task?
I have a phpBB forum on my site. The majority of participants are Russians
living in the US, who don't know Russian keyboard layout.
Is it possible to provide them with some sort of a button, in the posting
edit window to convert latin characters into cyrillic characters?
TIA for any ideas and/or links.

--
Vadim Zima
Certified Russian Translator/Conference Interpreter
http://zima.net

--

Jul 17 '05 #2

zimanet

On 11/11/03 4:41 AM, in article bo***********@gavrilo.mtu.ru, "Dmitry Ruban"
<di**@region35.ru> wrote:

Vadim,

Take a look at http://www.yandex.ru/keyboard_qwerty.html
That is what you're looking for.

Dima

How would you approach this task?

I have a phpBB forum on my site. The majority of participants are Russians
living in the US, who don't know Russian keyboard layout.
Is it possible to provide them with some sort of a button, in the posting
edit window to convert latin characters into cyrillic characters?
TIA for any ideas and/or links.

Thank you Dima, but this is NOT what I need.
This is a cute emulator of the STANDARD Russian keyboard. Why bother? You
can add and use built-in keyboards in any Windows version.

I want to provide my forum with a feature (in any convenient form) allowing
forum members to write "zdorovo, parnishka" and see " çäîðîâî, ïàðíèøêà".
See the difference?
Vadim

Please don’t use the address above — it’s a spam trap. If you want to write
to me you can do it via any of my sites below.
--
Vadim Zima
Certified Russian Translator/Conference Interpreter
Work & Fun - http://zima.net
Forum – http://www.zima.net/phpBB2/index.php
Personal pages – http://homepage.mac.com/zimanet

Jul 17 '05 #3

Nikolai Chuvakhin

zimanet <mu****@zima.net> wrote in message
news:<BBD652D2.374D%mu****@zima.net>...

I want to provide my forum with a feature (in any convenient form)
allowing forum members to write "zdorovo, parnishka" and see
"çäîðîâî, ïàðíèøêà".

Unfortunately, this is not a trivial problem. There is more than one
way to spell a transliterated word back into Russian. Consider "schuka"
vs. "schyot" -- "sch" is a transliteration of a single letter in the
former, but of two letters in the latter...

Cheers,
NC

Jul 17 '05 #4

Paul Gorodyansky

Hi,

Vadim Zima <va*@zima.net> wrote in message news:<BBD5DCC3.3732%va*@zima.net>...

How would you approach this task?
I have a phpBB forum on my site. The majority of participants are Russians
living in the US, who don't know Russian keyboard layout.
Is it possible to provide them with some sort of a button, in the posting
edit window to convert latin characters into cyrillic characters?
TIA for any ideas and/or links.

Sure and you even don't need to use PHP - JavaScript is enough
(PHP would be an overkill making a trip to the server to convert the
letter).

There are couple dozens JavaScript programs that do what you want,
but mine is the latest one :) and thus IMHO better, because I tried
to avoid common problems/inconveniences I saw on older sites.
My code is under GPL, so you can copy/modify/use it - just
show that I am the original author :)

Here it is - "Russian Virtual Keyboard" that can be used
say in an Internet-cafe:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...r/onscreen.htm

One thing to add - I too live in the US so I need to let you
know (and you probably need to let know your users) that
nowadays - unlike say 1998 - it's *very* simple to type
in Russian if it's _your own_ computer - it takes 5 minutes
to activate MS Windows keyboard tools and then type in Russian
directly in any application without going to a Web page such
as mine for a conversion from latin to Cyrillic.

I do know that some people just do not know that it's so
simple nowadays and this is why they use some 3rd party
tools (as mine) even on their own computer...

MS Windows keyboard tools setup is desribed in the
"Russian Keyboard: standard and phonetic" section
of my site.

--
Regards,
Paul Gorodyansky
"Cyrillic (Russian): instructions for Windows and Internet":
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/PaulGor/

Jul 17 '05 #5

zimanet

On 11/11/03 9:51 PM, in article
36************************@posting.google.com, "Paul Gorodyansky"
<pa*****@compuserve.com> wrote:

Sure and you even don't need to use PHP - JavaScript is enough
(PHP would be an overkill making a trip to the server to convert the
letter). If it works, why not? JavaScript, as you know, is not perfect for a
multi-platform, multi-browser environment.. IE 5.2 for Mac did not worked on
your virtual keyboard, you know. Neither did Safari. Mozilla 1.4.1 for Mac
worked beautifully! There are couple dozens JavaScript programs that do what you want,
but mine is the latest one :) and thus IMHO better, because I tried
to avoid common problems/inconveniences I saw on older sites.
My code is under GPL, so you can copy/modify/use it - just
show that I am the original author :) If I decide to use it - the credit will be given to you, naturally.
Yours is certainly the most polished, but you ARE A RUSSIAN FONTS&CODINGS
PATRIARCH AND CHIEF AUTHORITY after all! I remember using your advice in my
baby web days - ten something years ago
;-)
it takes 5 minutes to activate MS Windows keyboard tools and then type in Russian directly in any application without going to a Web page such as mine for a conversion from latin to Cyrillic.

Most people are horrified to do anything beyond pushing Power button.
I doubt anyone of my forum's regulars will follow your instructions on
adding a phonetic klava to their machines. Too much pain in their gentle ass
:)

But thanks anyway,
Vadim

Jul 17 '05 #6

Filth

> > Sure and you even don't need to use PHP - JavaScript is enough

(PHP would be an overkill making a trip to the server to convert the
letter).

If it works, why not? JavaScript, as you know, is not perfect for a
multi-platform, multi-browser environment

the problem with that being it would create a hell of alot of traffic and
also how would a person on dial up feel about having to do this spending
ages typing a message

Jul 17 '05 #7

zimanet

On 11/12/03 11:26 PM, in article
5m*****************@news-binary.blueyonder.co.uk, "Filth"
<fi***@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

Sure and you even don't need to use PHP - JavaScript is enough
(PHP would be an overkill making a trip to the server to convert the
letter).

If it works, why not? JavaScript, as you know, is not perfect for a
multi-platform, multi-browser environment

the problem with that being it would create a hell of alot of traffic and
also how would a person on dial up feel about having to do this spending
ages typing a message

That's a VERY valid point! I remember how frustrating it was to post to my
own forum from a GPRS connection when I was in Russia last summer...
I am very ignorant of how php works, bear with me
Don't reply to the above address - its sole purpose is to trap SPAM!
--
Vadim Zima
Certified Russian Translator/Conference Interpreter
Work & Fun: http://zima.net Forum: http://www.zima.net/phpBB2/index.php
Personal pages: http://homepage.mac.com/zimanet

Jul 17 '05 #8

Paul Gorodyansky

Hello!

zimanet <mu****@zima.net> wrote in message news:<BBD86899.3830%mu****@zima.net>...

On 11/11/03 9:51 PM, in article
36************************@posting.google.com, "Paul Gorodyansky"
<pa*****@compuserve.com> wrote:

Sure and you even don't need to use PHP - JavaScript is enough
(PHP would be an overkill making a trip to the server to convert the
letter). If it works, why not?

True :) Probably will be slower (trip to server and back), but
with modern technology not much slower, I guess...
JavaScript, as you know, is not perfect for a
multi-platform, multi-browser environment..
IE 5.2 for Mac did not worked on your virtual keyboard, you know.
Interesting... Did it allow to _read_ Cyrillic on any
Windows-1251 page? For example on mine?
Neither did Safari.
Don't know what Safari is but would like to ask same question -
did it allow to _read_ Windows-1251 text?
Mozilla 1.4.1 for Mac worked beautifully!
Good to know!
...

it takes 5 minutes to activate MS Windows keyboard tools and then
type in Russian directly in any application without going to a Web
page such as mine for a conversion from latin to Cyrillic.
Most people are horrified to do anything beyond pushing Power button.

Right. But not _users of any non-Western alphabet_ - they do know
and they are aware that they *must* do some tune-up to use their
language... Russian or Greek or Polish - usually users do know that.
I doubt anyone of my forum's regulars will follow your instructions on
adding a phonetic klava to their machines. Too much pain in their gentle ass
:)
So do you mean that they use Russian only on your forum and not
in say MS Word or e-mail? Then, sure, they will not do anything...
But most people who use Russian (even non-native speakers) do use
Russian in editors, e-mail, etc. so they are willing to tune-up -
and I am telling them that it will NOT touch/change any deep-system
settings on their computer, that it's safe for non-computer
professionals - see for example the list of countries and some
responses here, on my "Visitors" page:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...or/one_log.htm

But thanks anyway,
Vadim

You welcome. :)

--
Regards,
Paul Gorodyansky
"Cyrillic (Russian): instructions for Windows and Internet":
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/PaulGor/

Jul 17 '05 #9

zimanet

On 11/17/03 12:48 PM, in article
36*************************@posting.google.com, "Paul Gorodyansky"
<pa*****@compuserve.com> wrote:

JavaScript, as you know, is not perfect for a
multi-platform, multi-browser environment..
IE 5.2 for Mac did not worked on your virtual keyboard, you know.

Interesting... Did it allow to _read_ Cyrillic on any
Windows-1251 page? For example on mine?

Perfect Cyrillic in nearly all cases. Some tweaking of settings needed.

Neither did Safari.

Don't know what Safari is but would like to ask same question -
did it allow to _read_ Windows-1251 text?

Safari - MacOS X browser. Full Cyrillic support.
Don't reply to the above address - its sole purpose is to trap SPAM!
--
Vadim Zima
Certified Russian Translator/Conference Interpreter
Work & Fun: http://zima.net Forum: http://www.zima.net/phpBB2/index.php
Personal pages: http://homepage.mac.com/zimanet

Jul 17 '05 #10

zimanet

On 11/17/03 12:48 PM, in article
36*************************@posting.google.com, "Paul Gorodyansky"
<pa*****@compuserve.com> wrote:

Hello!

zimanet <mu****@zima.net> wrote in message
news:<BBD86899.3830%mu****@zima.net>...

On 11/11/03 9:51 PM, in article
36************************@posting.google.com, "Paul Gorodyansky"
<pa*****@compuserve.com> wrote:

Sure and you even don't need to use PHP - JavaScript is enough
(PHP would be an overkill making a trip to the server to convert the
letter).

One month later, mission accomplished. Oleg Zhuravlev, a talanted young man
from SPb wrote a script that works in EVERY BROWSER on both Windows and
Macintosh!
You can check it on my site.
Please don¹t reply to the address above ‹ it¹s a spam trap. If you want to
send me a message you can do it via any of my sites below.
--
Vadim Zima, Certified Russian/Ukrainian Translator/Conference Interpreter
Work & Fun: http://zima.net Forum: http://www.zima.net/phpBB2/index.php
Personal pages: http://homepage.mac.com/zimanet

Jul 17 '05 #11