Foreign Language Text within PlanetPress Objects

You can use PlanetPress Talk objects to display either static text or variable content. You would typically add a paragraph for static text or a simple field for variable information, such as a client’s name or address.

A. A PlanetPress Talk object created without defining a UTF8 paragraph ; B. Another PlanetPress Talk object, created this time with UTF8 paragraph properties (the paragraph is justified on both sides)

If you need a string, that may contain variable content, you can use the ShowUTF8Left, ShowUTF8Center and ShowUTF8Right commands. Note that if you choose to display a box around objects that include any of these commands, the box may not be perfectly drawn. Pages that include many objects with these commands will not display as fast as other pages.

If you need a paragraph, that may only contain static text, you must use the BeginUTF8Paragraph and EndUTF8Paragraph procedures along with the ShowUTF8 command.

The following illustration shows the properties of a PlanetPress Talk object that creates a paragraph containing Arabic text. The code associated with this object is also displayed in the PlanetPress Talk Editor.

A. The properties of a PlanetPress Talk object created to display Arabic text; B. The complete PlanetPress Talk code, as displayed in the PlanetPress Talk Editor; C. All the characters included in the text string, with the exception of the basic ASCII characters, are converted to their Unicode reference by the Ansi/UTF8 Converter dialog box

The illustration below shows the properties of a PlanetPress Talk object that creates an Arabic text string.

The code of a PlanetPress Talk object that displays a UTF8 static text string

A dialog box that lets you enter arabic text has also been added. If you place the cursor within a text string and press CTRL+N, the Arabic Converter dialog box will be displayed. When you are finished, click OK. The dialog box will be closed and the Arabic characters will be converted to their Unicode equivalent.

The Arabic Converter dialog box also includes number conversion options that can be used to convert numbers to either Arabic or Farsi.

To enter variable content, you can use a data selection. Use the right-click menu to display the Data Selector and select either a location within the data or a given field in the case of a database.

Once the data has been selected, the data reference appears as a parameter.