SVG and Unicode

[Stuart Thiessen]

Well, getting the symbols into Unicode requires a proposal to the  
Unicode people detailing what symbols will belong at what positions.  
To do that, we have to determine how the SignWriting will be  
rendered. There are several components involved: the font itself, the  
renderer, and the input method editor. The renderer is software that  
tells the display how to create the writing on the screen. We will  
have to determine how much responsibility is in the font and how much  
is in the renderer. For example, should the font have the rotations  
or should the renderer take care of that? Should the font have all  
the fills or should the renderer fill it in for us? Also, it is my  
understanding that Unicode allows us to have one codepoint for a  
character, but that character can have multiple glyphs (symbols). So  
that would be another aspect to consider. Once all of those issues  
are resolved, then we would have a firm proposal to present to them  
for their approval. Because SignWriting is not a simple linear  
alphabet like the Roman alphabet, we will also have to deal with  
creating instructions for a renderers so they will know how to  
display SignWriting text.  All of that is stuff I plan to research as  
part of my thesis. I have contact with people who work with non-Roman  
scripts regularly and who have contacts with the Unicode people so  
that should help. Also, Michael Everson has been very supportive of  
the idea of SignWriting being in Unicode.

As to your other question about SVG, it is my understanding that SVG  
is an excellent format to have in place because it should be possible  
to use the SVG to develop a font later on. So using SVG now will make  
it easier later on when Unicode becomes a reality (or at least I hope  
it will become a reality). :)

Thanks,

Stuart


On May 1, 2007, at 8:14, GerardM wrote:

> Hoi,
> When it comes to Unicode, there are two questions relevant to me.
> How do we get all the SignWriting symbols in Unicode.
> Will having the SignWriting symbols in SVG help the move of the  
> symbols into Unicode
> I start off by stating that I am ignorant about SignWriting, but  
> when I look at the website I find fifty base figures that can be  
> manipulated in some fifteen ways. If I have this correctly, it  
> means that all symbols and UNICODE glyphs will be based on these.  
> If this is true, it may mean that we could start with a quality SVG  
> and result in a glyph that is acceptable for use in UNICODE.  
> Obviously I do not know and I am probably overly optimistic, but I  
> am sure you will tell me if I am.. :)
>
> Thanks,
>     GerardM
>
> http://www.signbank.org/SignPuddle1.5/signtext.php

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